Wage earners now sell pakoras

Rawalpindi : Pindiites believe that variety is the spice of life. When it comes to eating out, they can pay any price to bite into a different delicacy. No matter in which corner of the congested old city do they find eatables to their taste.

They do not mind walking through narrow streets of the city if they know that they can eat as many as 14 different types of pakoras.

Mubashar Rizvi has been selling several types of pakoras in the Shah Khalid Colony Street. One cannot think of any type of pakora, which would not be available at his shop.

“I am probably the first, who has made available some special kinds of Pakoras in this market such as palak pakora, onion pakora, and cauliflower pakora.

Besides this, one can have chicken Tikki, vegetable and meat roll filled with aloo masala, and green chilly as well. One can also have spicy cutlets and finger chips,” says Mubashar Rizvi.

“One does not have to spend a lot of money as pakoras here are very cheap. But one does have to have patience as the shop often remains overcrowded,” says Manzoor Hussain, a customer.

“When as a private company employee, I visited the city of Rawalpindi some two years ago for exploring business opportunities; I observed that selling eatables could be a good business.

“I opened a Pakora Shop in the Shah Khalid Colony street and from day one, I have had a considerable fan following. Now I need no introduction as my pakoras have made me a prominent man of the area.

“When I found the business profitable, I called my brother, Farasat Rizvi to leave his job of a business firm at Wazirabad, which gave him a meager salary, and asked him to assist me at my shop and he did, to our profit. Now Farasat and I are doing good business. We are quite satisfied with the response of our customers.”

Mubashar and Farasat, who belong to Wazirabad were known as poor persons two years ago, among their family people. After working for almost ten years, they did not find their private job very lucrative.

Mubashar, while talking to The News, said, “Working in a private company is a very hard job. They misuse their workers and overburden them with the work. A man having four or five kids cannot depend entirely on a private job. A family man cannot survive on the small income received every month.

“At times the payment of salary is delayed and it becomes difficult to run the kitchen. That is why I started the pakora stall and now possess my own shop. I had learned to make pakoras in childhood, as I was very fond of eating. Now in adversity, this hobby has paid a lot.”