porting short, cropped hair and a stubble for a beard, his lips have a ready smile under his moustache. This is Mohammad Imtiaz, a seasoned thirty-year-old car mechanic, who hails from Peshawar. His educational journey was marked by a brief interruption when he was studying in Class 8, during which he enrolled at a madrassah for three years. Dissatisfied with the stringent routine, he fled from there and was subsequently re-admitted to a conventional public school. His elder brother, also a skilled car mechanic, has also been residing in this big city, far away from the city of their birth, for over two decades now.

In the earlier phases of his interaction with this city, Imtiaz had apprenticed with his brother, who has now established his own auto-repair workshop. Imtiaz operates his own ‘workshop.’ However, instead of a traditional workspace, Imtiaz and his team conduct repairs along the side of a vast football field known as Akbari Ground. The street serves as their outdoor workspace, where seven team members, ranging from 14-year-old apprentices to 50-year-old experienced individuals, diligently work.

Residing in a colony close by, Imtiaz commutes on foot to where his workshop is located. A decade into his marriage, Imtiaz’s family is on the brink of a new chapter as his wife anticipates their first child. They share a home with six other family members, everybody contributing towards monthly rent. After disbursing his share of the rent and settling salaries, Imtiaz is left with a variable income that is seldom enough for ends to meet, but he says he has no complaints.

Operating from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm, Imtiaz and his dedicated team successfully repair three to four cars daily. The team comprises individuals with varied compensation structures, with some receiving monthly salaries and others paid daily or weekly wages.

Most team members, including Imtiaz, bring their lunches from home. The provision of tea is his responsibility. Every few days, Imtiaz ventures to a renowned area of the city with shops of auto spare parts and accessories, to procure essential items for his repairs. “It is a one-stop destination for almost all my needs; engine parts, pistons, oil… I get almost everything, except for some minor items, which I conveniently find around here,” he says.

Proudly specialising in car repairs, Imtiaz affirms his competence across various makes and models, whether running on petrol or diesel. He refuses to take on repair of motorbikes or other vehicles. Despite the challenges of a street-side workshop and a diverse team, Imtiaz’s expertise and dedication shine through, positioning him as a reliable and skilled figure in the city’s auto repair setting.

The writer is an author, illustrator and educator. She may be contacted at husain.rumana@gmail.com