Life & Style

Will Indians get a taste of Bundu Khan?

47-year-old restaurateur trying to get permission to take famous kebabs and biryanis to a Delhi fair.

Ians November 10, 2010

NEW DEHLI: The India International Trade Fair attracts a large Pakistani delegation which usually sells textiles, crafts and food.

Bundu Khan had last participated in 2008 and had generated great business. Despite his efforts, Shahid Bundu Khan could not participate in the event last year.

This year, he has been shown the red light - so far. The organisers have told him no participants are being allowed to put up food stalls. “I don’t know what the issue is and why they are not allowing us to participate in the fair. We are in touch with the organisers as well as the Pakistan High Commission but nothing concrete has come out yet,” Khan said.

Khan is deeply puzzled over not being allowed to take part in the fair. “We are meeting all the guidelines of safety, hygiene and everything else but they are still prohibiting us from coming to Delhi. Last time I had deployed five men just to gather the used paper plates and napkins and throw them in the dust bin,” he said.

In 2009, he had to make similar requests to Indian trade officials for permission. “A day before the trade fair began, I got a call from them permitting me to set up a stall. It was impossible for me to get a visa in 24 hours. So I couldn’t participate,” he told IANS.

Bundu Khan is one of Pakistan’s famed restaurant chains, started by Shahid’s great-grandfather from a small kiosk in Karachi after Partition.

With around 15 branches in Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan, Bundu Khan also has a presence in Australia as well as in Houston, New York, London, Los Angeles and Muscat.

“We have a huge family comprising of a 110 members and we all live in one house,” he said. “Many people in our family are doctors and engineers but every evening we get together and cook in our restaurant for our customers.”

Reminiscing about his 2008 visit to India, Khan said his “best selling item” at the fair was a thali consisting of tikkas, halwas and parathas, which cost INR120. “We used to earn INR40,000 to INR50,000 daily,” he said. The Pakistani restaurateur said he was touched by the adulation he received from Indians on his previous visit and wants to return again.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (25)

gt | 13 years ago | Reply There could have been many reasons. Before publishing a piece, responsible journalism demands that the other side of the story also be investigated; i.e. contact several other who set up stalls at the fair, other Pakistani vendors who were both satisfied & dissatisfied, the Trade Fair authorities, the Indian High Commission etc. Get as COMPLETE a picture as you can, given your admittedly limited resources, BUT DO TRY.

anil | 13 years ago | Reply if he really wants to sell their delicious food items,why don't they apply for restaurant chains across india.Trade fairs are only for showcasing the skills,products,not for selling purposes.After all kebabs enjoy popularity all over India.Pakistani gov also allow Indian businessmen to sell their products in Pak.it is a mutual interest.It is not like,Pak allows Afghanistan to sell their products in India,but doesn't allow afghans to purchase Indian products.Why do pak think India a fool???

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Farzana Chandio | 13 years ago | Reply Geez, Pakistan happily allows Bollywood movies to be shown in cinemas but across the border not only Pakistani tv channels are banned but even Mr. Khan, despite the popularity of his food, was denied permission to open a simple food stall for a few days. How sad. It seems India is hell bound to block all meaningful people to people contacts, which could slightly reduce tensions between the two neighbors. Why else do cricket series between India and Pakistan get banned? While ordinary Pakistanis never get tired of singing " aman ki asha" and bhai bhai, it seems the other side is happy with the status quo, that of relegating Pakistan to the "enemy" and Pakistanis as the "other." Bandu Khan is actually quite good, to say the least. Its most famous speciality: BIHARI kabobs. Is anyone across the border listening?

Punjabi Munda | 13 years ago | Reply Its the name. A name like "Bund-u" violates trade fair policies.

edgarm | 13 years ago | Reply I think we indians are being stupid by not allowing the gentleman to sell his wares.

Ronit | 13 years ago | Reply who will allow him in with a name like that..."Bundu"...lol...we have much better cuisine here and BTW "Tunda kebabs" of India are one of the best in the world.

G.Khan | 13 years ago | Reply It's Hilarious that everybody making such a fuss about a small thing. What's so important in if Bundu khan denied access in India? Are there less Opportunities around the world? They are present in The USA , Middle East and perhaps some other places as well. It's not a big deal if they can't do business in India. Rest of the world is Open for them. They can keep growing in those markets for years to come If they have Good marketing Plan and professionals at the helm.

Ashutosh | 13 years ago | Reply There is no doubt that Pakistan will benefit greatly as and when relationship improves between our two nations. Besides directly selling their products and services to India, Pakistan can charge for "right of way" to Afghanistan and other central Asian Nations. Also alone with these expressways, Pakistan can set up their own industrial parks and invite other nation to invest in such parks, there by creating huge employment opportunities for ordinary Pakistani. No one in the world can doubt the potential that Pakistan holds in that sense. Believe it or not, onces things normalise, in the first few years, India will be the most dominant investor in Pakistan as they know the people more than the rest of the world.

Ashutosh | 13 years ago | Reply Dear Sardar Alam Khan, Bundu Khan violated the guidelines by selling his products at the International Trade Fair. Therefore, black listed. Bundu Khan, needs to attend the fair only if he is interested in selling franchises or seeking joint ventures. He need not attend if he wants to set up his own ventures in India.

R. Qureishi | 13 years ago | Reply @ Bean @ Ashoutoush I don't blame you as you have not seen the other side too. I believe in good and peaceful relations with India. On the other hand, good trade relations are simply not possible as there is a great deal of mistrust on both sides. Like Bundu Khan example says, India will keep on playing with the rules (like allowing Bundu Khan just 24 hours before the fare starts). We Pakistanis have exposure to Indian media and understand the issues raised by the Indians and accept our faults. But all Indians believe that they are innocent and their government has never done anything wrong and they are right on every issue, from Kashmir to Samjotha express bombing. Have you ever thought of corruption in India? Have you ever thought of how dodgy politicians and civil servants are?? I know the problems are quite similar on BOTH SIDES of the border. How come then your politicians/civil servants/diplomats/authorities ALWAYS right?? I have yet to come across an Indian who accepts that his government could be wrong on even a single point when it comes to Pakistan.

Bean | 13 years ago | Reply I appreciate your thoughts Mr. True Paki.. It would help a great deal if rest of your countrymen thought like you. Pak has a lot to gain by trading with India, India is a huge market and I'm sure there are lots of profits to be made if you guys come up with the right mindset. Most of your coutnrymen, your media, politicians, army are more interested in Sending militants and making an issue of kashmir... god knows for who will benefit from this. People are dying in Pak everyday due to voilence, floods, earthquakes, and you guys are busy plotting for the next militant to be sent into India. If you put all that energy in your own welfare, rest assured you do not need to beg to America. By the way ... we do not hate pak, but feel a little sorry that when there is a lot to gain with sincerity and friendship, you guys seem to spread hatred against a neighbour and wish bad for them. By the way do you think you will lose any thing by being sincere and friendly with a neighbour?

R. Qureishi | 13 years ago | Reply True Pakistani,, u seem to be fake pakistani. There is no point comparing Bundu Khan with Mumbai attacks. Other stalls are being allowed but not Bundu Khan OR being allowed 24 hours before so as to make it impossible.

Sardar Alam Khan | 13 years ago | Reply @aushotosh: I like your remarks. If these are the reasons then that's fine. But after criticisms from others the Indian government should pay heed. Moreover, If It had boomed in stall in 2008 then it shouldn't be blacklisted as its work is transparent one.

Ashutosh | 13 years ago | Reply Hey guys! Don't get the Indian authorities wrong. The International trade fair is about business meets or a meeting place for various businesses across the world. The objective of these trade fairs are to promote long term business contracts, technology & knowhow transfer agreements etc. Stalls trying to sell handicrafts or other items like food are prohibited. Many participants do indulge in such act as selling and generally blacklisted to ensure no participation in future. Please understand that the participation in these fairs are huge and slightly unmanageable. Therefore such participations are discouraged. The option that Mr. Bundu Khan has in India are as follows: 1. Open own outlet in India. 2. Open a franchise or 3. Enter in a Joint-venture with some Indian company for the purpose. For the purpose 2 and 3 above, Mr. Bundu Khan may get a stall.

Noreen Shams | 13 years ago | Reply yummy juicy kababs.... days coming soon to enjoy such stuff

Zaib | 13 years ago | Reply anybody know about the location of bundu khan resturant in Muscat?

True Pakistani | 13 years ago | Reply I really feel sorry for Mr. Bundu Khan for still not getting permission from Indian Authorities for setting up his stall. But Its all the mistake of those militants who storm mumbai and such incidence. Because of such fools the trade and commerce gets hampered. And we start blaming india for doing wrong things. What can the do if they get attacked by militants who are from our soil. India is such a big market for pakistan in various things and we are not able to use it. Even pakistan can also get lot of good products from India. India is much closer to pakistan in terms of our history, relation, language etc than China or any other country. But instead we just clinge to past and never look to future. If Pakistan and India come together we could gain more than we lost all these years in the name of hatered, kashmir, and many other issues.

R. Querieshi | 13 years ago | Reply Bundu Khan is well respected and is multi million dollar business with branches across Pakistan. He should expand in Middle East, UK and USA where sizable Indo-Pak community lives. As far India, they will not allow it. They have seen how successful it was in 2008 fair. Bundu Khan is a big threat to Delhi restaurants. My experience says that no Indian restaurant (the ones I have seen in the UK & Middle East) can compete with Bundu Khan.

Mohammed Abbasi | 13 years ago | Reply guys i have eaten and you have made me hungry again!

Rahul | 13 years ago | Reply Pity on our government.. may be it is because of security concerns.. It seem they are very popular in pak... Can we atleast have them in US.. Kabaaaaabs .. awesome!!

User | 13 years ago | Reply Bundu Khan Sb, a simple, humble and a hard working person, always remembered in high notes by the people he has had worked with. It shows in the enterprise they have created, MashaAllah. He was well known to all in this country for his specialist cuisine, even prior to the formation of the restaurant ... the days of Kwality in Karachi.

Bean | 13 years ago | Reply @ Mr Pak - By the way... learn to appreciate good things and be sincere. That will help you guys in Pak a long way. Else you will stay where u are. Choice ofcourse is yours!

Aamina | 13 years ago | Reply Bundu Khan's available abroad =\?? Wow!

Sardar Alam Khan | 13 years ago | Reply SIr you don't have branches in Peshawar. Why don't you expand in Pakistan 1st?

Pakistan | 13 years ago | Reply haha Indian authorities don't want their nationals to eat real good & tasty food. Believe you me guys!! if someone has ever tasted Indian cuisine, he would never ever wish to touch it even not even while imprisoned

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