By Rafiq Vayani / Kamran Hashim
KARACHI: First meeting by the ad-hoc committee of All Karachi restaurant Association (AKRA) was held on 02nd June 2021 at the Pizza Point, North Nazimabad. This meeting by ad-hoc committee headed by Mr. Asad Hanif as Chairman and Mr. Faizan Rawat as General Secretary was attended by more than 50 owners of different restaurants spread all over Karachi.
This meeting was chaired by Chairman of ad-hoc committee of AKRA, Mr. Asad Hanif was well attended by top-notch restaurant owners including Mr. Imran Sheikh from Kabab-jees, Mr. Shahid Abbas Bundo from Al-Haj Bundu Khan, Asad Hanif from Haveli Restaurant, Haris Shinwari from Shaheen Shinwari Restaurant and Chaudary Mateen. Apart from owners, representatives of Fibbi Restaurant, Dua Restaurant, Highway Metro, Pizza Point, Pizza Max, Al-Haj Akhtar Restaurant, Mazedaar Haleem, Karachi Haleem and Hanifia Broast also attended along with the representatives of 50+ other restaurants.
This first meeting of ad-hoc committee of AKRA reviewed all type of issues problems being faced by small and big restaurants all over Karachi. AKRA also discussed 14 months closure of restaurants due to corona pandemic and losses that had occurred due to this 14 months closure. They also discussed what steps needed to be taken to counter the closure of continuous 14 months.
Restaurant owners appreciated the idea of establishing of AKRA at such crucial time and in a joint statement they said; “this will be the platform where all restaurants will unite to solve their problems, to create awareness and to take-up their issues concerned authorities”.
Statement added; “closure of restaurants has not only effected the owners, but it has also affected employees, workers and vendors related to the restaurants. We estimate that around one million families are effected due to this closure of restaurants and we have heard stories of some families reaching the level of starvation”.
Statement went on to say; “at this moment, government has started vaccination program to counter Covid-19, we see this as a great step in the right direction and we hope that Pakistan will overcome this pandemic and business will get back to normal as it was before”.
They pleaded by saying; “we therefore request the concerned authorities to allow restaurants to operate with regulars feature like dine-in and dine-out with all precautionary steps being adhere to. We would like to inform you that there are more than 3,500 restaurants spread all over Karachi with around 500,000 direct employees begging here & there to feed their families. We fear that if any appropriate action is not taken soon, we may soon see a drastic increase in street crimes.
On concluding note AKRA said; “we request Federal Government and also Provincial Government for a bail-out package and tax-reliefs for restaurants in their upcoming budgets and we would request to our honourable Chief Minister of Sindh Mr. Murad Ali Shah to take immediate action to stop undermining the self-respect of restaurants owners, for releasing of arrested employees of restaurants and to de-seal the restaurants that were sealed”.
During this event, re-structuring of AKRA also took place with Mr. Asad Hanif coming in as Chairman and Mr. Faizan Rawat coming is as General Secretary of AKRA. Chairman AKRA, Mr. Asad Hanif said; “AKRA will not speak but actions taken will speak for us. I would like to invite all big and small restaurants of Karachi to come forward become a part of our mission and make us a force which will also empower you”.
