Ramazan: City eateries offer Sehr, Iftar deals to attract customers
As the first of Ramazan approaches, city restaurants have announced Iftar and Sehri packages to draw in customers.
The consumers, too, are looking forward to going out for Sehr and Iftar.
Muhammad Zaka, an exporter from Model Town, told The Express Tribune, “I love going out for Sehri.” He says he goes to various eateries for the early morning meal throughout Ramazan.
Nasira Farhan, a student, says she enjoys the discount deals and special offers offered by restaurants that stay open late into the night. “With Ramazan falling during the summer break, I will get an opportunity to enjoy it with my family.”
On offer
The Iftar packages on offer are between Rs700 to Rs1,700 while Sehr package range between Rs250 to Rs900.
Among fast food outlets, Hardees is offering a Rs1,200 package – three burgers, fries and drinks – available from Iftar till Sehr. KFC will offer two chicken pieces/zinger and a drink for Rs250 as Sehri, from 1am till Fajr. For Iftar the fried chicken chain will have a Rs1,000 deal with food enough for four people (eight chicken pieces, a 1.5 litre softdrink bottle and four dinner rolls).
Pizza Hut, however, will not offering a Sehri deal. For Iftar, the per head cost will be Rs690 (for an eight-inch pizza with salad and drink).
Nando’s, Freddy’s and Café Zouk have Iftar-cum-dinner packages priced at Rs525, Rs1,682 and Rs1,199.
Salt and Pepper has a Rs600 Sehri deal and a Rs1,032 Iftar deal. Park Plaza will charge Rs578 and Rs1,150 for Sehr and Iftar.
Among hotels, Pearl Continental will offering Iftar at Bukhara for Rs1,199 and for Rs1,250 at Marco Polo. Avari Hotel has a Rs1,144 Sehri buffet and a Rs1,566 Iftar buffet.
The Fort Road Food Street, which opened for business on January 21, has put up hoardings all across the city, advertising its Sehar and Iftar-cum-dinner timings. There are no special offers or packages.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 21st, 2012.
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The month of Ramadhan is meant to be a period of abstination, detoxification, moderation, spiritual and internal physical cleansing.
The food offered by these eateries in special Sehri and Iftari promos are the worst in terms of delivering essential nutrients and ezymes to the vital organs of the body for replenishment and rejunevation, especially after fasting for a long duration.
In fact, consuming such foods high in saturated fats, salts and meats injected with growth hormones at Sehri and Iftaar times may be more detrimental to your body, than at any other time.
Dates, lentils, fruit chaats, pure coldpressed fruit juices that include pomengrate, watermelon, apple and carrot are best for Iftaar time. Dates restores natural sugar level in your body and pure fruit juice provides essential enzymes to your endocrine sytem at a cellular level that wil help assist the gut to process foods more easily after opening your fast.
For some of us, we have become what we eat: 'Junk food for the food junkies'.
@Moise: ET is a newspaper, not a religious evangelist outlet. Why is it so hard to get?
Ramzan Mubarik to all. I love this article and I love Ramzan. To enjoy all night and feast like never before, all markets lit up whole night. Only drawback is that I gain several pounds of weight ! But there are so many eating places to try and then sleep whole day, cool (we have our house air conditioned) and comfortable. Pakaistan zindabad and may all Muslims be blessed during this month.
@Jamshed Gill: Highlighting taraweeh, salat, zakat is not on ETs agenda. More important things are Veena Malik, gluttony and iftar fashion shows party.
I highly regard what people have said about Ramzan and its true meaning and am glad that there are still people out there who truly know what the true spirit of the month is. But this article merely talks about varieties of sehr and Aftaar- it does not condemn nor does it encourage us to look into the spiritual side of ramzan.
What we do during this ramzan, for our Allah, is between us and our Allah- for actions are judged by intentions- you do them in open or in behind doors, you do it for yourself and you do it for Allah.
Yes I do agree that there should be more articles, more encouraging ideas around the web and in the city to promote religion, and helping the needy, at the the same time if people can join together during sehr and aftar I am not opposed to that, as those meeting times lead to more discussions about religion, praying together in jamaat ( which is more piety) and developing strong bonds.
aaahhh
ramadhan is the time when i miss my home, my land, the most......
The spirit of Ramadan comes from "fasting", instead we are developed a culture of "feasting". You cannot develop "taqwa" with full stomach. You have to weaken your "self" with hunger, and strengthen your "soul" with closeness to Allah.
These days Ramzan, roza, iftar and sehar have llittle to do with Islam. "It is now a cultural enjoyment with the deep meaning left far behind. This used to bother me. Now I say "Go with the flow and the enjoy the month eating and drinking....and get some sawab on the way".
Do i have to remind others what happens during such deals? A lot of food items are wasted carelessly. For instance, people eat the middle of a pizza, discard the rest of it and order next one. How ridiculous? How about matching donations with what you spend on deals? If you are spending 1000+ on a deal, give 500 or something to a needy person on your way back. You will find plenty on roads. I know begging is a profession here in Pakistan, but if your money lands at the right pocket even once, you will be an unsung hero. If you are willing to bother more, find needy people and give them money. What you eat becomes excreta and you flush it and forget it. What you give (as charity) is a contribution to the bottom level of society. It never gets wasted.
@HUM: If you spend on foreign investors, they will take the profit outside the country. Very promising for our economy. Right? I guess you did not study Econmics 001 prior to Eco 101 :) When you give money to someone who is poor, they are not going to eat as meal. They will buy basic necessities or whatever. Isn't that what economic activity is? Economy flourishes when small businesses progress. Otherwise, Apple alone should be enough to make US economy stand its grounds :) When someone is doing amar bil ma'ruf wanahi anil munkir, please do not chant "houlier than thou" and stuff. No one is forcing you to stop eating at lavish places. In fact, no one is forcing you to observe Ramadan at all. But why does just a simple wakeup call bother some? When someone murders somebody, we prosecute him although it was his personal matter and technically none of our business. But when its about being God fearing, we walk off saying that its one's personal matter.
I'm both offended and hurt by this article. My family does not have the means for such extravagence. My family is the majority of Pakistan.
@HUM: There are many Other ways to drive economy apart from Exploiting Religion for Economic reasons. Commercialization have no right to hijack someone's believes for Petty profits. Everything is fine but when you use the word Ramazan then it have a meaning that is not in coincidence with Spending mercilessly. Be it Islamic banking or Ramadan or any other Event It must be not be Exploited for any Economic reasons as Economic reasons sometimes overrides the Real Benefits of Religions which includes Social Uprightness and Social Awareness at the most. Religion is my personal matter and that is why I want it to be personal and with some meaning rather than transforming it into a Commercial success.
Ramadan is now a MONEY MAKING MONTH ONLY!! Iftar packages, gathering, clothing, fashion etc etc. No one is focusing on Nafs, tariqah, caring poor...
@Awans: @Baba Ji @Jamshed Gill: For all the holier than thou people. Please economic activity does generate jobs loads of people and has long term positive effects on the economy. Charity is all fine and dandy but economy is where the real sustainability is. and for that we need people to spend. Be it ramazanm, eid or any other event. Piety and connection to God are your personal matters so I won't comment on that.
So, in short, we are drifting from Islam...
Rs 500 upto 1,500 for one time Ramazan Package!!!!. Do you know around 50 percent of Pakistani families live under a Dollar a day. An Ordinary Poor family of 4 according to Stats spent around 100 Rs a Day on their Food. If you want to know what Ramazan is then please locate some poor family around you and give them the money. 1000 Rupees will be enough for ten days and they will be happy. The Money you have arranged for Aftar dinners please took this money and Buy Clothings and Books for the Poor around you for the Eid. That is what the real purpose of Ramazan ia. ET please dont cover these types of news. We should end Commercialization and Exploitation of Religion in Pakistan now.
I dont know and people will be offended by my comments but for me Ramazan now a days is not what is the actual Purpose of Ramazan is. .Ramazan is now a public gathering to make good relations, to generate profits from it. to make more social gatherings, to enhance your relations with your high ups and also Aftar Parties are a good tool to get promotions and Rishtas now a days. The Original Purpose of Ramazan was to help the poor and the purpose was that that we would be able to understand the Hunger around us. But look at the food prices now and how lavishly Aftar Parties are going in on Pakistan. This is not what Ramazan really is. Please dont make Ramazan a Cultural Fest but learn from it. Look around and if you dare then Invite Some poor family for the Dinner to your home which i am sure you never will.
and what about that spirit of the holy month ? that detoxification ... that cleansing ? ... that nafs per qaboo ?
I am unable to understand the fact that why food is always focused in Ramazan? Rather we should focus the genuine essence of this Holy Month and that is getting closer to God through fasting and prayer. Our TV channels telecast food programs 24 hours, our roads are decorated with a variety of food items, more than usual food items are introduced in market and homes. When we will realize the importance of this month? Our country is facing huge challenges and we are living in strained circumstances, so let us join our hands for peace and solemnity of this country and leave the unnecessary things which Islam has forbidden. Give needy what we have in excess. May this Ramazan bring peace and stability in Pakistan. Amen