This is Punjab Florist, a name familiar to anyone born and bred in Karachi for it has been around since 1949. “My father, Haji Mohammed Shareef started the fresh flower business well before Partition. He used to take flowers from Lahore to Delhi. After Partition, we came to Karachi and started selling flowers here,” says M. Taslim, whose father passed away five years ago. Sixty-six years later, the shop is being run by the third generation.

Walking on the narrow, busy pavement, dangerously close to the fast-moving traffic on Zaibunnisa Street, the overwhelming scent of an assortment of fresh blooms engulfs you — you appreciate life for a moment or two, as you pass by a shop that leads to an alley stocked full of pre-packed bouquets, ridiculously irresistible hand-tied posies, baskets, buckets and bundles of roses, tube roses, daises, gypsophalia, lilies, carnations, baby’s breath, gladiola and marigolds in a riot of colours — at Taslim’s shop, every flower tells a story. “People buy more flowers now than they used to, not just because Karachi has become a huge city, but also because people have become more aware and buy flowers for different occasions and events, but most of all at Valentine’s.”

Over the years, the flower shop has been providing professional services for the multicultural populace of Karachi. “Earlier, our customers were mostly Parsees and Christians. They came to us for corsage and garlands, funeral wreath, cross and wedding bouquets. We provided floral services to five star hotels, multinationals, embassies and consulates and did their orders for receptions and conference arrangements. Now Muslims also buy flowers for their events and occasion like garlands and bouquets for people coming back from Haj, as well as the total wedding package which includes flowers for the guests, the bride, for the stage and venue.”