Thursday, December 23, 2021

Pulao for breakfast in Shah Faisal Colony Karachi.


From a pushcart on the curbside of the intersection of Shah Faisal Colony No. 1 main road and Furniture Gali in Karachi, Mohammed Anwar has been selling pulao for breakfast for almost four decades now. His aromatic blend of onions and fragrant spices shallow-fried in oil, to which basmati rice are added and brought to boil, is not his only claim to fame.

According to Anwar, he is a direct blood relative (maternal nephew) of none other than the (Late) 12th President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain (2013-18). But that’s a claim best left to explore for another day.

Back to Anwar’s pulao-peddling business, Anwar dishes out three variations of the steaming-hot, aromatic pulao to eager, hungry patrons. The economical, 80 rupees meatless with chickpeas variation, the 100 rupees one with beef, and the full monty for 120 rupees with all the trimmings, which include a tidy heap of rice with both chana and meaty treats topped off with dahi ka raita, crispy-fried and fresh onions. No doubt he’s the envy of other pushcart vendors around, and especially the proprietor of the all-too-common Quetta chai ka hotel running his business from a shop smack opposite Anwar’s roadside food stall.

Karachi is home to some pretty weird and wacky foodstuff, but nothing even comes close to Anwar’s pulao for breakfast, in business since the last four decades

Anwar’s regular patrons include office-goers, housewives and even schoolchildren, the latter in school uniform with backpacks, flocking around his pushcart for a quick bite to eat and then rushing off to the nearby private schools before the morning assembly bell rings.

Anwar sets up his stall as early as 7am and winds up when he sells out completely, which is usually around 10am every day, except Sundays. This has been his routine for the past 38 years. He has witnessed the ever-changing cityscape, as well as the political climes and fortunes of Shah Faisal Colony during this time, but Anwar and his pulao stall with its tell-tale cauldron have been a definitive constant and pretty much a landmark through these times.

In case you’re wondering what made Anwar come up with the wacky and very risky proposition of setting up a pulao-selling business this early in the day, when any sane and normal person would gladly relish the breakfast staple of eggs, paratha/toast and chai/coffee, Anwar points out that the crowds flocking to his stall bear testimony to the fact that there can only be supply where there’s demand.

He took a leap of faith with pulao and it’s been going at full-throttle ever since. A married man in his 60s with grown-up kids of his own, Anwar preps for the pulao on his own without any family assistance, and says that he’s thankful to God Almighty for making a success of his small yet successful business.

Just goes to show that no matter how much meticulous planning you invest into starting, managing and then maintaining a start-up, at the end of the day, what really matters is a crazy, simple idea that caters to individuals’ whims and impulses and foodie fetish. All you need to do is have your finger on the nation’s gastronomical pulse.


Originally published in Dawn, EOS, November 14th, 2021

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Administrator Shah Faisal Town Kamal Mustafa presents shields to heads of different schools

Administrator Shah Faisal Town Kamal Mustafa presenting shields to heads of different schools of the town in recognition of their services on the occasion of annual prize distribution ceremony under auspices of Education Department.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

SHAH FAISAL TOWN CONTRIBUTES IN RELIEF FUND

On behalf of the residents of Shah Faisal Town, the town nazim Irtiza Farooqui presented a cheque of Rs5 Lac to City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal as a contribution in the relief fund for affectees of Ashura Blast and arson incident.

City Nazim on this occasion appreciated the spirit of people of Shah Faisal Town. He said that the citizens of Karachi always help and support their brethren in their hour of need. He also thanked the people of Shah Faisal Town for valuable contribution in the relief fund aimed for quick and complete rehabilitation of all the affectees.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Encroachments removed in Shah Faisal Town: Nazim

Acting Nazim Shah Faisal Town Irtaza Farooqui has said that the city government has completed construction of various projects in town including parks, play grounds and others to facilitate citizens. He was talking to local people during his visit to town areas on Saturday. He said town administration has also removed illegal encroachments in various areas. He said people have been provided with all basic facilities of life which is the result of efforts of Haq Parast leadership. He also announced to construct alternative roads and green belts adjacent to railway lines from Malir No. 15 to Colony Gate.

Monday, October 12, 2009

LRBT organizes free eye camp at school

Layton Rehmatulla Benevolent Trust (LRBT) in collaboration with Mufad-e-Niswan Trust organized a free one-day “eyesight checking camp” at Mufad-e-Niswan Primary and Secondary School in Shah Faisal Town. According to press release, a team of eye experts headed by Dr. Haroon examined eyesight of students and apprised them about the preventive measures for better eye-sight. Founder of Mufad-e-Niswan Trust Zia Akhtar (Begum Baji) expressed thanks to LRBT for conducting free eye checkups in the school being run by their welfare organization.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Shah Faisal Town


Shah Faisal Town is a small, densely populated town in eastern Karachi and is named after the late King Faisal of Saudi Arabia. The town is bordered by Malir Town to the northeast, Bin Qasim Town to the east, Korangi Town and Landhi Town to the south, and Faisal Cantonment and Malir Cantonment to the west and northwest. The Malir River forms the southern boundary of the town and the Shahrah-e-Faisal highway forms much of the northern boundary with the Jinnah International Airport at the northern end of the town.