KARACHI: After tantalising Karachi’ites’ taste buds with a plethora of flavours, The Grillfather, Ali Raza Abidi, has developed a taste for a spicier profession – a candidate contesting the elections from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s seat.
Originally, the 41-year-old owner of Biryani of the Seas (BOTS) had planned to introduce an ‘election menu’, featuring a seafood platter named after the MQM, sizzling prawn tempura to be served as the Pakistan Peoples Party’s arrow and simmering tsunami prawns representing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
“I can’t introduce the menu now as I am too busy with the party and won’t be able to give much time to BOTS. But I am constantly aware of what is happening there,” said Abidi, who is contesting the NA-251 seat in Karachi.
The constituency was won by MQM’s Waseem Akhtar in the last elections and covers areas of Mehmoodabad. “I am overwhelmed. I respect the party’s decision of awarding me the ticket,” says Abidi, who is among the fresh candidates that the party has brought forward for the 2013 elections.
The love of food or MQM?
Abidi’s loyalty for MQM surpasses his love for BOTS. “Even though I don’t have a feudal, tribal or industrial background, they have nominated. I did not even spend a single penny for nominations.”
He said that MQM leaders frequently visit roadside restaurants. “Haider bhai is a regular and loves barbequed shrimps and Faisal loves prawn makhni.” Abidi’s passion for MQM is evident even in the landline number for BOTS which includes the digits 9090.
