Pirates of Khadda Market

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'The shop was dimly lit. My eyes widened at the racks of discs that covered the wall.'

Nestled between two hills in Karachi, Pakistan, lies a very different kind of Silicon Valley. Known as Khadda Market, it is one of the many vibrant places that symbolize the city’s charm. From noon to midnight, it is alive with the buzz of crowded restaurants, supplicating panhandlers, weaving motorcycles, and pushy vendors. Many come to Khadda to eat heavenly paratha rolls and biryani on the hoods of their cars.

and floor cleaner. My eyes widened at the racks of discs that covered the wall. I scanned row after row of games packaged in cheap plastic film, their jackets printed on everyday copy paper.“Tiiiight game hai naa?” Though piracy may be endemic in Pakistan, most prefer to use politer terms: a “first copy” is virtually indistinguishable from the real thing, while a “second copy” is better described as a roll of the dice. From clothes to watches and games to computer software, crowds of Karachiites gather at merchants that can provide them with the trappings of Western life at reasonable prices. Occasionally, the items don’t quite align with expectations.

We found him after much searching. In a narrow alley packed with stalls selling everything from dried fruits to bathroomware, shadowy steps led up to the second floor of a decrepit building. We went up gingerly to avoid stepping on splatters of paanHe was a wiry man, just returned from afternoon prayer. As he stroked his gray beard and blew away smoke from his soldering iron, I really was reminded of a wizard: Gandalf the Grey, puffing on his pipe in the Shire.

In those days, running pirated software was so common you’d be practically certain to spot a Windows activation pop-up during a televised government press conference — or see Microsoft Office complain during a live concert. Without adequate institutional funding, my dad and others like him were on their own to get the apps they needed. So, a few times a month, he would lug his heavy, unreliable desktop tower over to Compu Station, where they relieved him of his troubles.

 

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ajlongshanks It was Rainbow Center for me.

abay_insaan_ban MuhammadArhamZ

Honourable mention for Dela wala

khadda market the GOAT I got so many games for my xbox from there as a kid. Also the amount of bootleg Pokemon carts there are insane, like ROMhacks being sold as like 'real crystal'

theLahorewala I never could have imagined just a story about Karachi and Khadda Market to show up on the Verge.

English 4 some Urdu Sentences in Article “Tiiiight game hai naa?” 'isn't this game lit?'{rhetorical} “Sari, let’s go!” 'Sari is nick for Sarim' “Yeh acha game hai,” 'This is a good game' “Levees.” 'Copy brand of Levi's' “GG” 'G̶o̶o̶d̶ ̶G̶a̶m̶e̶' 'OK or Yes or Affirative'

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