ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani-owned restaurant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been providing free meals to the needy people, particularly unemployed foreigners, for the last eight years, with its owner confirming to Arab News on Saturday that the establishment has never turned away anyone due to a lack of money.
Karachi Star is a popular restaurant in Saja area of Sharjah, where customers pay for South Asian cuisines like biryani, nehari, karahi and a variety of kebabs, except that it just does not charge the poor.
The restaurant was founded by Peshawar-based expat Shahid Asghar Bangash in 2008 and later opened another branch in Muweilah area. It has been offering meals to the needy for the last eight years, since its owner encountered an unemployed Pakistani worker starving near the establishment.
In November, the eatery also announced its policy of free meals on social networking platforms to enable more people, including visitors who cannot afford to pay for food, to benefit from it.
“The free meal scheme started as a response to the unfortunate situation of individuals who came to the UAE through fraudulent agents and were left stranded without jobs or money,” Bangash told Arab News over the phone on Saturday.
“As we were not able to employ these people, so decided to start providing free meals to ease their sufferings.”
The staff at the Karachi Star restaurant pose for a group photo in Sharjah, UAE on March 4, 2023. (AN Photo)
There is no limit to the number of people who can have free meals at the restaurant, according to the owner. The eatery typically has more than 50 people benefiting from the scheme on a daily basis.
“We do not have any terms and conditions for such people as they can order anything available [on the menu] on that day,” he said.
“To maintain the dignity of those who cannot afford to pay, we have established a system of code words that the staff uses when someone tells them about their affordability issue. This way, other customers are not aware that someone is eating for free.”
The restaurant, which also offers free take-outs, does not discriminate against people with other nationalities and has been hosting needy individuals from India, Africa, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as well.
Bangash, however, said a majority of people who availed free meals at his restaurant were Pakistanis.
Faisal Iqbal (name changed), a Pakistani expatriate worker who has benefitted from the scheme, expressed his gratitude, saying: “Thanks to this restaurant, I was able to get the nourishment I needed to keep going during a difficult time.”
Iqbal said he had really been struggling to make ends meet and often had to skip food before he came to know about Karachi Star.
“It was a really tough time, but then I heard from a fellow about this restaurant that provides free meals to those in need,” he said.
“I was surprised by how the staff treated me with the same respect as paying customers, and I felt grateful for the kindness they showed me.”
Another beneficiary, Afzal Khan (name changed), shared his experience of how the restaurant helped him, when he was left with no money or job due to a scam.
“When I first came to the UAE, I thought I had secured a good job through an agent, but it turned out to be a scam and I was left with no money, no job, and no way to support myself,” he said.
Khan said he was initially reluctant to come to the eatery, fearing the staff might consider him a beggar.
“I was hesitant at first, but the staff was so welcoming and kind and the food was delicious and nutritious,” he said. “It gave me the energy I needed to start looking for a job again.”
