Forbes recognizes young Pakistani chef focused on empowering women

Forbes ‘30 Under 30’ honoree Zahra Khan at her office desk in this undated photo taken in London, UK. (Photo Courtesy: Zahra Khan)
Short Url
Updated 15 April 2021
Follow

Forbes recognizes young Pakistani chef focused on empowering women

  • Zahra Khan is a mother of two who runs Feya cafes and shops in London, employs 30 full-time staff, donates 10% profits to coaching for women
  • Khan launched Feya Cares at start of pandemic in collaboration with Young Women’s Trust, works on economic justice for young women

RAWALPINDI: A Pakistani chef and entrepreneur who runs her own café and shop in London has been recognized for her achievements in retail and e-commerce by Forbes, which put her on its prestigious ‘30 under 30’ Europe list this month.
Khan, 30 years old and the mother of two daughters, is the sole founder of two of London’s culinary hotspots – Feya Café and DYCE. She is a graduate of the iconic Tante Marie Culinary Academy and committed to the movement toward female equality in business.
Khan opened her debut eatery Feya Café on Bond Street just months after the birth of her first daughter in 2018. The award-winning DIY dessert parlour and interior masterpiece DYCE was opened in quick succession, followed by the flagship Feya Knightsbridge in December 2019.
Speaking to Arab News, Khan said she was nominated for the Forbes list by her team and did not expect to be recognized. 
“I had just woken up and I knew the list was going to be released [on April 9], but they were meant to send an email as well and my inbox was empty, so I was a bit disappointed,” Khan said in a phone interview. “But then I pulled up the list anyway to see. As I started scrolling down, I saw my name. It was an amazing feeling!”




In this undated photo, Forbes ‘30 Under 30’ honouree Zahra Khan tackles a recipe in her kitchen in London. (Photo Courtesy: Zahra Khan

This is how the Forbes listing describes Khan:
“Immigrant Zahra Khan defied Pakistani cultural stereotypes and launched a career in the UK focused on empowering women. The chef and mother of two runs Feya cafes and shops. She employs 30 full-time staff, hires female illustrators to design packaging, and donates 10% of retail profits toward professional coaching for women.”

Khan said she initially went to university to study medicine but then turned toward the culinary world, graduating from the Tante Marie Culinary Academy in Woking, England, before launching Feya in May 2018, whose wares include chocolates along with specialty spices and jams, all packaged in designs that pay ode to women.
Khan has been nominated for the NatWest Everywomen Awards 2020 (The Artemis Award), London Business Mother of the Year 2020 (Venus Awards), Business Owner of the Year and Businesswoman of the Year (National Women’s Business Awards 2020) and Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2019 (Federation of Small Businesses UK).
“In Pakistan, we don’t have as many opportunities for women as men. I recognize that and I also realize that I’m lucky that I’ve got the opportunity to actually move and experience living in different countries,” Khan, who studied at Ryerson University in Toronto before going to culinary school in the UK, said. “It was an eye opener, I learned so much and I wanted to bring about change when I was in the position to give back.” 
Khan launched Feya Cares at the start of the pandemic in collaboration with the Young Women’s Trust, a feminist organization working to achieve economic justice for young women based in London.




This undated photo shows Zahra Khan, a Pakistani chef and entrepreneur, who was recently listed on the Forbes ‘30 under 30’ list, in London. (Photo Courtesy: Zahra Khan)

Feya Cares aims to tackle issues faced by women within the professional space, such as racial and gender inequality; 10% of the profits made from the sale of each Feya Retail product are donated to the Young Women’s Trust.
During the pandemic, Khan also launched the Feya Retail Line which features various luxury products such as teas, jams, chocolates alongside a selection of other delectable treats.
“Each product in this retail line carries its own unique message of empowerment and motivation, encouraging women to take a break from the ordinary and celebrate the little things that make us different. With beautifully illustrated, unique packaging, each product in the line-up aims to inspire you to escape reality, explore your imagination, and celebrate fearlessness and diversity,” Khan’s website said.
“Every woman can run her own business, even if it is a small-scale, home-based venture,” said Khan, who launched her own business shortly after becoming a mother of two daughters. “I want to show that it can be done.” 


New warehouse fire breaks out in Karachi as factory blaze continues for second day

Updated 5 sec ago
Follow

New warehouse fire breaks out in Karachi as factory blaze continues for second day

  • Karachi hosts thousands of industrial units but struggles with outdated firefighting infrastructure
  • The new warehouse fire near Mauripur follows factory blaze in Landhi that injured five on Sunday

KARACHI: A fire broke out at an oil warehouse near Karachi’s Mauripur truck terminal on Monday, rescue officials said, as firefighters continued battling a separate blaze that erupted a day earlier at the city’s Landhi Export Processing Zone and has yet to be fully extinguished.
Karachi, Pakistan’s financial hub, is home to thousands of industrial units but suffers from outdated firefighting infrastructure and lax safety enforcement.
“Fire and rescue teams were dispatched with one ambulance and two fire brigade trucks immediately upon receiving the alert,” Rescue 1122 said in a statement. “Efforts are under way to bring the blaze under control.”
Meanwhile, firefighting operations at the Landhi zone, which began on Sunday, entered their second day, with flames still active inside some of the affected factories.
Authorities said the fire has been partially contained but full extinguishment and cooling may take additional time.
At least five people were injured on Sunday after part of a building collapsed at the industrial site, which houses multiple textile factories, officials confirmed.
The injured were moved to a nearby hospital.
A total of 11 fire brigade trucks and a snorkel were involved in efforts to control the blaze, which were hindered by thick smoke and water shortages in the city of over 20 million.
Hundreds of fire incidents are reported every year in Karachi.
Last November, a shopping mall blaze killed a dozen people.
In April 2023, four firefighters died responding to a garment factory fire, and in 2021, a chemical factory blaze claimed 10 lives.
The deadliest such incident in the city’s history occurred in 2012, when 260 workers were killed in a garment factory fire.


Inside Islamabad’s thriving farmers market, where nature meets community

Updated 09 June 2025
Follow

Inside Islamabad’s thriving farmers market, where nature meets community

  • 79 approved sellers selected through rigorous vetting process that includes soil and water testing, on-site visits to farms
  • Many vendors have been displaying at 12-year-old market for years, new entrepreneurs have also found their footing 

ISLAMABAD: Every Saturday morning, a quiet corner of Pakistan’s capital comes alive with the earthy scent of fresh produce, the hum of friendly chatter and the unmistakable feel of community. 

This is the Islamabad Farmers Market, now more than a decade old and having grown from a humble initiative into a thriving hub of sustainability, entrepreneurship, and local connection.

Launched in 2013 with just six vendors, the market now hosts 79 approved seller, each selected through a rigorous vetting process that includes soil and water testing as well as on-site visits to farms. 

The aim? To keep the food chain clean, ethical, and transparent.

“The main goal was to eliminate the middleman and help small-scale farmers and producers connect directly with customers,” said Ali Raza, a representative of the market. “Today, we have created a trusted space for clean, organic, and ethical products.”

Each stall at the market tells a different story. Beneath canopies strung with fairy lights and shaded by leafy trees, you’ll find everything from heirloom tomatoes and farm-fresh eggs to artisan sourdough and wild honey from the mountains.

Among the market’s earliest supporters is Naghma, a 70-year-old anthropologist and environmentalist who only gave her first name. 

A regular since its inception, she now sells her homemade hummus and baba ghanoush, an Arab eggplant dip, prepared with hand-ground tahini, alongside a variety of other organic spreads.

“I come here every Saturday with three bags and go back with five or six,” she laughed. “I buy all my raw materials here.”

For Naghma, organic eating is more than a preference, it’s a lifelong passion rooted in gardening and the rhythms of the seasons.

“I follow seasons because organic by definition is seasonal,” she said. “So, I make French Boursin cheese. My products, I call them ‘Les Deli De Naghma,’ so there’s a definite French touch.”

The Farmers Market has also become a vital platform for small-scale growers not just from Islamabad, but also more remote northern areas of the country such as northern Gilgit-Baltistan.

Sherazam, the founder of Hunza Organic, is one such vendor who has been displaying at the market for over a decade. On his table: ruby-red dried cherries, sun-cured apricot oil, and jars of thick wild honey, all harvested by hand and brought straight from the mountains.

“Our clientele knows that our products are pure. Many others also source their raw materials from us,” he told Arab News.

Sherazam said his business model was deeply community-driven.

“In Hunza, everyone farms. The women in my village produce these items, and we handle the packaging in Islamabad,” he added.

“RELIABLE, FRESH, FAMILY-FRIENDLY“

New entrepreneurs are also finding their footing at the Islamabad Farmer’s market. 

Waleed Noor Malik, representing “Guy Knows Food,” a popular kimchi brand, said the market had helped launch their business and acted as an accelerator. 

“We started selling kimchi here because we couldn’t find a brand in Pakistan that matched our taste,” he said. “Sampling at the market really helps build our brand. People try it here and often follow up on social media.”

Engineer-turned-farmer, who manages 300 beehives and a young olive orchard near Taxila, shared a similar experience. His small-batch raw honey and extra virgin olive oil are bottled with care and sold directly to those who seek quality over mass production.

“It’s not easy to compete with bulk commercial sellers, but here, people appreciate authenticity,” he said.

Raza, the curator of the market, said many of its vendors had started small, with just a few pots or a home kitchen and now had full storefronts.

“Many people in and around Islamabad, from Chak Shehzad and Barakahu, were producing and running small-scale farms but they didn’t have a platform to sell their fruits and vegetables. So, the main aim was to provide them with a platform,” he added. 

Much of the market’s success hinges on its rigorous commitment to quality. Vendors undergo lengthy screening processes, including environmental checks and farm inspections.

“We look for the soil test, water test, and then we do a site visit,” said Raza. “We make sure that no insecticides, pesticides, or urea are used.”

This transparency has earned the market a loyal following. Dr. Shanza Khan, a dentist and long-time visitor, summed it up simply: 

“The vendors are reliable, and their products are fresh. It’s a very family-friendly environment.”

More than a market, this is clearly a community garden in motion, where each bag of microgreens or bottle of honey is part of a larger story of connection and care for the land. And with the launch of an online platform, the market has extended its reach beyond Saturdays, giving customers access to their favorite organic products throughout the week. For vendors, this means steadier sales and greater visibility in a growing wellness economy.

Another attraction lies at the far end of the market, where food and coffee stalls beckon with the smell of sourdough sandwiches, artisanal cheese, and specialty brews. Some mornings, live music plays in the background, or a spontaneous art therapy session spills onto the grassy space beside the Dino Park. Children run through the park’s dino sculptures while parents sip cappuccinos under the trees.

Mahnoor Omer, a lawyer and regular visitor, has made coming here a weekly ritual. 

“Coffee, sourdough, cheese sandwiches, and sometimes, spontaneous catch-ups with friends,” she said, smiling. 

“It’s a great outlet for home-based growers and vendors from northern areas to bring their produce straight to our kitchens.”


Pakistan National Assembly speaker meets Saudi crown prince, urges deeper ties at Hajj luncheon

Updated 09 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan National Assembly speaker meets Saudi crown prince, urges deeper ties at Hajj luncheon

  • Pakistan National Assembly speaker meets Saudi crown prince, urges deeper ties at Hajj luncheon
  • The Crown Prince reaffirmed his commitment to addressing challenges facing the Muslim world

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday at a luncheon hosted for Muslim leaders visiting the Kingdom for Hajj, expressing hope for even stronger ties between the two countries, according to an official statement.
The meeting underscored a longstanding relationship rooted in economic, diplomatic and military cooperation.
Saudi Arabia has repeatedly come to Pakistan’s aid during financial crises, including through multibillion-dollar deposits in Pakistan’s central bank and deferred oil payment facilities in the past. Such support has helped Islamabad shore up its foreign currency reserves and even unlock International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout programs during periods of acute external financing pressure.
“Saudi Arabia has always stood by Pakistan in times of adversity,” Sadiq said during the meeting, thanking the crown prince for Riyadh’s consistent backing.
“We hope that ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will grow even stronger,” he added.
According to the National Assembly, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman reiterated his commitment to addressing challenges facing the Muslim world.
The speaker’s meeting follows a two-day trip to the Kingdom last week by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who performed Umrah alongside Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and other senior officials.
During the visit, Sharif thanked Saudi leadership for its role during last month’s military standoff between Pakistan and India and praised Riyadh’s efforts to promote regional and global stability.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have also been expanding their economic ties.
In October last year, the two countries signed business-to-business agreements and memoranda of understanding worth $2.8 billion aimed at boosting trade and investment.


Pakistan to unveil economic survey today as National Assembly clears federal budget schedule

Updated 09 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan to unveil economic survey today as National Assembly clears federal budget schedule

  • The economic survey outlines key socio-economic achievements and shortfalls of an outgoing fiscal year
  • The federal budget is scheduled for a vote on June 26, a day before supplementary grants are finalized

KARACHI: Pakistan’s finance chief, Muhammad Aurangzeb, will present the Economic Survey 2024-25 today, Monday, a day after the National Assembly approved the schedule for the upcoming federal budget, according to the state media.

Traditionally released a day before the budget announcement, the economic survey outlines key socio-economic achievements and shortfalls of an outgoing fiscal year. It serves as a snapshot of the country’s economic performance across sectors such as agriculture, industry, services, energy, information technology and telecom, health, education and transport.

The annual document also reviews trends in major economic indicators including inflation, trade and payments, public debt, population, employment, climate change and social protection. Invitations for the launch ceremony at the Pakistan Secretariat in Islamabad were circulated by the finance ministry on Sunday.

“Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb will release the Economic Survey 2024-25 at a ceremony to be held in Islamabad on Monday,” the Radio Pakistan reported.

Meanwhile, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency said Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had approved the schedule for the upcoming budget sessions for the 2025–26 fiscal year.

According to the schedule, the federal budget will be presented on June 10, followed by a two-day recess. A general debate will begin on June 13 and continue through June 21, with time allocated for all parliamentary parties in line with Assembly rules.

No sitting will be held on June 22. Charged expenditures for the next fiscal year will be taken up on June 23, followed by discussions and voting on Demands for Grants and Cut Motions on June 24 and 25.

The Finance Bill 2025 is scheduled for a vote on June 26, and supplementary grants and related matters will be finalized on June 27.

The federal budget will be announced as Pakistan navigates a fragile economic recovery under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.

The country’s annual inflation rate rose to 3.5% in May, though officials say the macroeconomic outlook has improved on the back of a stronger current account balance and increased remittances.

Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal recently said the government had earmarked Rs1 trillion ($3.5 billion) for development projects in the upcoming budget.

Authorities have pledged to maintain macroeconomic stability, advance structural reforms and ensure growth translates into inclusive progress.


Pakistan to unveil Economic Survey 2024-25 on Monday

Updated 09 June 2025
Follow

Pakistan to unveil Economic Survey 2024-25 on Monday

  • The survey will include details about performance and trends of various sectors in outgoing fiscal year
  • The survey will be followed by federal budget, which is expected to lay out targets for macroeconomic stability

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will unveil its Economic Survey 2024-25 tomorrow, Monday, and detail major socio-economic achievements of the outgoing fiscal year, Pakistani state media reported.

The survey will include details about performance and economic trends of various sectors, including agriculture, industry, services, energy, information technology and telecommunications, capital markets, health, education and transport.

Annual trends of major economic indicators regarding inflation, trade and payments, public debt, population, employment, climate change, and social protection will also be part of the survey.

“Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb will release the Economic Survey-2024-25 at a ceremony to be held in Islamabad,” the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.

The survey will be followed by the presentation of the national budget. The earlier dates for the announcement of Economic Survey 2024-25 and federal Budget 2025-26 were June 1 and June 2, respectively, but the government extended the dates to June 6 and June 7.

Pakistan is currently bolstered by a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program and is navigating a long path to economic recovery. The country’s annual inflation rate rose to 3.5 percent in May, though its macroeconomic outlook has improved in recent months, supported by a stronger current account balance and increased remittances.

The Pakistani government says it remains committed to maintaining macroeconomic stability, accelerating structural reforms, and ensuring that economic growth translates into real and inclusive progress for all citizens.

Earlier this month, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal announced the government has allocated Rs1 trillion ($3.5 billion) for development projects in the upcoming budget for fiscal year 2025-26.