Recap: [In-Person] Pakistan, September 06 – A Lahore Local Guide's Perspective

Hello Local Guides! :waving_hand:

A little late in sharing this recap, but some meetups are worth taking the time to revisit - and this was certainly one of them! :blush:

On September 6, 2026, I had the pleasure of being part of the Lahore Local Guides meetup which was happening simultaneously with meetups in Karachi and Islamabad.

:deciduous_tree: Meeting Up in Lahore

Before the in-person meetup, we had already connected through an online pre-meetup, so it was great to finally meet everyone face-to-face.

We gathered at the park and spent some time catching up, getting to know each other better, and discussing our ongoing activities as Local Guides. It was a relaxed morning with plenty of conversations, ideas and, of course, some group photos along the way. :blush:

:wrapped_gift: A Little Connect Live Surprise

One of the highlights was when @Sarbland shared the Connect Live souvenirs with us.

Receiving the Connect Live 2026 pins and keyrings was a lovely surprise and made the meetup even more memorable. These little souvenirs are more than just keepsakes - they will always remind me of this particular gathering and the people I shared it with.

:pakistan: Three Cities, One Community

Perhaps the most memorable part of the meetup was joining the Karachi and Islamabad Local Guides on Google Meet.

Seeing everyone gathered in different parts of Pakistan and then coming together on one screen was a wonderful moment. Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad may have been physically apart, but for that moment, we were all part of the same meetup.

That was probably my favourite part of the whole experience.

:fork_and_knife_with_plate: Exploring Lahore Through Local Food

Being in Lahore, we obviously couldn’t finish the morning without enjoying some proper local food! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

We explored the surrounding food area and stopped at local businesses, enjoying a traditional breakfast of halwa puri, chana, siri paye and other local favourites.

For me, this was also a nice reminder of what being a Local Guide is all about - discovering local places, experiencing them firsthand, sharing them on Google Maps, and helping others discover them too.

A Morning to Remember

It was a simple morning, but one filled with good conversations, new connections and plenty of memories.

A big thank you to @Sarbland for hosting the Lahore meetup and to @KashifMisidia for bringing the three-city idea together.

It was wonderful meeting @MSulaiman, @Matloob, @ArtKingdom and @shaheerasim in Lahore, and connecting with @abbasiii and @DrFoodieOfficial from Islamabad and Karachi.

Also grateful to @Kumaarsantosh for supporting the organizers and helping make this wider community connection possible.

Looking forward to more meetups, more conversations and more mapping adventures together!

Keep mapping and keep connecting! :raising_hands:

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@Aliakhan it’s was a good day in which we could have more like this

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Absolutely @ArtKingdom! :blush: It was a great day, and I hope we can have many more meetups like this together. :raising_hands:

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Superb recap @Aliakhan ,
It felt wonderful that a fantastic meetup was organized in Lahore after quite a long time. And I hope that such events will continue to happen in Lahore now, and all of you friends will keep meeting up frequently, and I hope this will make even more people eager to participate in your events.

​I visited Lahore last May in 2025, and the hospitality you showed me in Lahore is a huge debt on me.

​InshaAllah, this time you should come to Karachi again; if you don’t come, then as a punishment I will come to Lahore again in March, and then you will have to host me all over again! :rofl:

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Wonderful recap @Aliakhan :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

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Thank you so much, @KashifMisidia Bhai! :blush: Your words really mean a lot. You’ve been incredibly helpful and supportive right from the beginning, and that has always been deeply appreciated.

I also remember my Karachi visit in February 2024 and the wonderful tour you gave me around the city. I genuinely enjoyed your company (and the food) and had a great time exploring Karachi with you. So, I suppose I still owe you a proper return tour of Lahore! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

And about your “punishment” - that sounds like a very convenient excuse to visit Lahore again! :joy: But honestly, it would be a pleasure to host you anytime.

InshaAllah, I’ll try to make it to Karachi again soon. Until then, keep supporting, guiding and threatening us with Lahore visits! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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Wow keren sekali @Aliakhan , saya senang melihat acaranya berjalan dengan baik dan lancar. Lebih senang lagi melihat makanan lokal yang lezat itu.
Tambah senang lagi melihat kebersamaan dan kesolidan kalian semua. Terimakasih sudah berbagi pengalaman yang sangat luar biasa ini. Salam sukses dan solid selalu. Semangat! :raised_fist:t2:

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@TitikMariati Terima kasih banyak! :blush: Senang sekali Anda menikmati recap-nya — dan terutama makanan lokalnya! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: Kebersamaan seperti ini memang yang membuat meetup menjadi lebih istimewa.

Salam hangat dari Lahore, Pakistan! Semoga suatu hari nanti kita bisa bertemu di meetup. :raising_hands::globe_showing_europe_africa:

Aamiin :palms_up_together:t3: semoga segala harapan dapat terkabul ya @Aliakhan . Sukses terus ya :+1:t3: salam untuk teman-teman semua :folded_hands:t2:

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@TitikMariati Ameen, terima kasih banyak! :folded_hands::blush: Semoga kita semua selalu diberikan kesuksesan, kebahagiaan, dan kesempatan untuk bertemu kembali di meetup berikutnya. Salam hangat dari Lahore untuk teman-teman di Indonesia! :pakistan::heart::indonesia:

Thank you @muhammad_ilyas Bhai :+1:

Salam kenal juga yaaa :handshake::sparkling_heart::bouquet: terimakasih

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Thank you so much @Aliakhan for joining in person, and it’s always a pleasure to meet and share wonderful ideas to keep our Local Guides community intact.

I’m so glad that you liked the souviner. And credit goes to @Kristen_NYC, @TinaWill and Connect team to share Connect Pins to distribute to those who couldn’t make to Connect Live, and this token of appreciation is to remind that their contributions are always valued.

Thank you to @KashifMisidia bhai for the idea of Tri-City meetup and efforts for customized key chains.

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Thanks for sharing your experience if the meetup @Aliakhan . We had a very similar experience in Islamabad but the breakfast scene of Lahore is second to none. Hope you meet you guys when I visit Lahore later this year

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Thank you so much, @Sarbland! As always, it was great catching up with you and being part of this wonderful initiative. :blush:

And yes, the souvenir was such a thoughtful gesture. Special thanks to @Kristen_NYC, @TinaWill, the Google Singapore team, and the Connect team for making these thoughtful tokens available to the community. It’s a lovely reminder that our contributions are always valued. :heart:

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Thank you, @abbasiii! :blush: Glad to hear you had a similar experience in Islamabad. And yes, Lahore’s breakfast scene definitely has its own charm! :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

Hopefully, we can meet sometime soon - either when you visit Lahore or if I happen to be in Islamabad. Looking forward to it! :raising_hands:

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What a fantastic and heartwarming recap, brother @Aliakhan.

It’s truly wonderful to see the Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad communities coming together on one screen and sharing such beautiful moments. Your photos beautifully capture the warmth, happiness, and genuine connections that make community gatherings so special.

Beyond the smiles and memorable moments, the amazing local food adds another delightful dimension to the story. Food, conversations, laughter, and shared experiences have such a wonderful way of bringing people closer, and your recap conveys that spirit beautifully.

Thank you for taking the time to document and share these wonderful memories with the community. Posts like this do more than simply capture the meet-up; they preserve the emotions, friendships, and connections that make these gatherings truly memorable.

Absolutely loved going through this recap.

@KashifMisidia

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@Aliakhan Bhai it was a pleasure meeting you and other experienced local guides especially @shaheerasim . Loved his energy and passion for Local Guides Connect.

And ofcourse, it was a special meetup due tri-city Online Meet Connectivity. @KashifMisidia your 2026 Lahore visit is due. Wish to see you here soon this year. We would love to hear about your 1st Connect conference experience live.

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@Aliakhan @KashifMisidia @MSulaiman @ArtKingdom @Sarbland @Matloob

It was great connecting with everyone!
Had a really good time and already looking forward to the next meetup​:raising_hands:

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