The sun had just risen and cast a golden-red light on the the beach at Mubarak Goth — a fishing village located in Deh Mann, Karachi.

A light wind blew across the aqua-green waters of the Arabian Sea. The tethered boats of the fishermen, bobbed up and down in eager anticipation of the immeasurable possibilities the new day would bring.

It was an impromptu introduction to Majeed. He, along with his assistant Qasim were scheduled to leave shortly to inspect their fishing nets for lobsters and haul in any fish. He agreed to take me on board on one condition; that I must follow every instruction. I gave him my word. During the course of our interaction, I fondly called him Chacha Majeed.

Chacha Majeed, Qasim and a few more fishermen got on to his boat by wading waist deep in the water from the shore. The other fishermen used his boat as a vehicle to get onto their own since they were tethered at a deeper point.