Irani hotels in Pakistan thrived during World War 1, when the Middle East experienced political turmoil and oil and gas reserves were still not exploited in the region.
At that stage, when Karachi was being developed by the British, Iranian hotels in the city thrived and became a hot spot for political discourse.
After Pakistan’s creation, these hotels continued to flourish for a few decades but were later affected by the political instability and wars in the region, including the martial law imposed by General Zia-ul-Haq.
This led to a significant change in the state’s policies, making it challenging for Iranians living in Pakistan to obtain citizenship.
The net result was a decline in Iranian cafes. Despite this, Iranians held on to cafes.
One outcome that has affected general discourse in Pakistan’s cafes was the sign posted boldly inside the cafes.
`It is forbidden to engage in political discussions.’
Iranians who have spent a life-time in Pakistan say that it is high time that they be given citizenship and allowed to carry on with creating and maintaining good quality Iranian restaurants.