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a Shia religious procession, followed by the torching of hundreds of businesses in Karachi's commercial district. Through interviews with a broad cross section of Karachi residents, Inskeep peels back the layers of that terrible day. It is the beginning, and a constant touchstone, in a journey across the city's epic history and its troubled present Thrilling and deeply researched, Instant City tells the story of one of the world's fastest-growing metropolises and the forces competing to shape its future.