Memories of my father

My name is Danial Tanvir, and I am 32 years old.

I have always liked and loved reading books and writing. I have read over 430 books in my life, and I also like to travel.

As you know, I love the Far East.

I have spent half my life in Lahore and the rest in Islamabad.

My father, Syed Tanvir Abbas Jafri, passed away on 2 September 2025 in Islamabad, Pakistan, from cardiac arrest.

He passed away at the age of 75.

He also loved to party and travel.

He passed away at PAF Hospital, and I was right there with him when he was admitted. He was very happy to see me because I had been in Lahore at the time he was in hospital, so I had to come to Islamabad to see him.

My father’s nephew told him, “Hi Jeff, Danial has come,” because everyone used to call him Jeff, which was his nickname, as he loved me very much.

My father spent millions of rupees on me, took me all over the world, and also tried to educate me, which I was not able to do because I was poor at studies, especially maths. I even went to sleep during my maths exam, and my father kept two tutors for maths and paid them a lot of money to teach me.

I cannot forget the way he loved me, the cruise to the Bahamas, and all the books he bought me, as I have more than 600 books in my room here in Lahore, Pakistan.

The best part was all the nightclubs we visited and the hotels we stayed in around the world, including those in London and Times Square in New York City.

He worked for the government for many years and was the head of the China Study Center at COMSATS University.

We always had fun and enjoyed being together.

We used to party all night long, and what we loved most was visiting the nightclubs of Bangkok and Pattaya in Thailand and partying all night.

We had many parties and get-togethers at our flat in Islamabad when my father was there, and we used to take taxi rides to Islamabad International Airport late at night whenever we travelled abroad from Pakistan.

I loved airports and especially packing.

We would often sit in the VIP lounge and wait for our flight, having desserts and cold drinks while keeping our luggage safe.

We used the toilet one last time before boarding the plane, and, as you know, we often travelled to Bangkok, Thailand. We also spent one New Year in Malaysia, which has a good nightlife even though it is a Muslim country, and alcohol is available there.

We used to arrive at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, and loved it.

First, we would collect our luggage, then go to the food court, and afterwards take the bus to Pattaya from Bangkok, where we spent our days at the beach and our nights in nightclubs, which was amazing.

The nightlife and nightclubs were my father’s and my favourite.

My father also had a deal with me that I could buy any five books from the Kinokuniya bookstore in Siam Paragon shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand, and it did not matter how much they cost. So, I used to choose the most expensive hardcover books I could find that were not available in Pakistan.

There was no point in buying books from other countries if they were already available in Pakistan.

The worst part of travelling was having to come back to Pakistan.

Even then, I did not mind because my father and I enjoyed ourselves in Pakistan as well.

We had a wonderful time in Islamabad, my beautiful capital city, which is my home and my love.

We enjoyed many things, such as going to the Serena Hotel for high tea, which costs over 4,000 to 5,000 rupees per person, and visiting the Crowne Plaza Hotel, where they served good food.

Another place I love to visit is Centaurus Mall.

Centaurus is an amazing and world-class shopping mall where people can come and enjoy themselves. Apart from that, you can lose yourself in the old bookshops of Islamabad, especially the old bookshop opposite Saeed Book Bank, where the person who works there is my friend. The great thing is that you can find many books in Pakistan.

I like spending time there very much.

Islamabad is a gem of a city, and you can always see teenagers hanging out in cafés and fast-food outlets, especially in Centaurus Mall.

When I was 10 years old in 2004, my father and I used to drive around the city at night, listening to music, going out for ice cream, and having fun.

I like the food court and the shops.

We have the lovely Margalla Hills in the background, along with the beautiful city of Islamabad and its elegant cafés, which remind people of European cities such as Paris, France, although I have never been there.

We also liked having breakfast at Loafology.

We enjoyed spending time in Kohsar Market and Blue Area as well.

I love reading and writing. I can read 500 pages in a few days because I am a very fast reader. I have met many famous writers and remain in touch with several writers as well.