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First-of-its-kind festival brings Bohra cuisine, mixing Gujrati and Arab influences, to Karachi

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Updated 11 April 2023
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First-of-its-kind festival brings Bohra cuisine, mixing Gujrati and Arab influences, to Karachi

  • The Bohra cuisine traces its origins to Yemen and dates back over 100 years, community member says
  • The festival, running from Feb 24 till Feb 26, offers a unique culinary experience to visitors in Karachi
Updated 11 April 2023
BURAQ SHABBIR

KARACHI: As the first-of-its-kind Bohra Food Festival kicked off in Pakistan’s Karachi this week, its organizer shared the idea behind the event was to introduce people in the southern Pakistani metropolis to the Bohra cuisine, which has Indian Gujrati and Arab influences.

Pakistan is home to over 35,000 members of the Dawoodi Bohra community, a Shiite Muslim sect. Bohras are led by the Al-Dai Al-Mutlaq, a spiritual and temporal leader. There are about one million Bohras all over the world. 

Bohras have a unique system of communal eating in groups of eight or more people, seated around a thaal (large platter). To promote this culture as well as the Bohra cuisine, all the leading organizations of the Dawoodi Bohra community in Karachi, came together for the first ever Bohra Food Festival. 

The festival, which has been running from Feb 24 till Feb 26 at the North Walk Mall in Karachi’s North Nazimabad, aims to provide a unique culinary experience to the people of Karachi, a major South Asian food attraction, by exploring the Bohra cuisine and culture. 

“It’s happening for the first time in the world, not just in Pakistan. We welcome the people of Karachi at the Bohra Food Festival,” Huzaifa Shabbir, one of the festival organizers, told Arab News. 

“We have tried to provide maximum variety of traditional foods of Bohra culture here. The logic behind the whole scene is that, small entrepreneurs who work from home have maximum exposure here.” 

Zohra Lilyawala, a 51-year-old Bohra community member, said the Bohra cuisine traces its origins to Yemen, dating more than 100 years ago.

“Dishes made in meat, particularly mutton, were given more preference in Yemen at the time. Daal (lentils), chaawal (rice), roti (flatbread), it all started from there,” she said.

“Bohra food also has influences from Gujrat, India, which includes mixed vegetables, various kinds of vegetables, curry and home-made papad (Indian deep-fried crackers), etc. So, it’s a combination of Arabic and Gujrati food. However, in the modern day, the cuisine also includes pastas, noodles, etc.”

The Bohra food range at the festival included ‘Thepla,’ ‘Dosa,’ ‘Nimco,’ ‘Gur Papri,’ Egg Pudding, ‘Khaarak Halwa’ and their ‘juicy Biryani.’ The stalls at the fest served non-Bohra cuisines too, such as burgers, pizzas and churros. In addition to food, the festival offered amusement activities for kids. 

“I tried their Theplas, Dosas and the entire Pav BHajji scene. When we try food commercially, we miss out on the taste of home, I think that’s there [at the festival]. Which is why more people should come and try it,” Afreen Zehra, a filmmaker who tried Bohra food for the first time, told Arab News. 

“I am here because I saw the hype on Instagram. This is something very new from the Bohra community. I am not disappointed, it’s (the food) really good. I was enjoying more when there wasn’t a big crowd here. But I hope the crowd grows so that it gets the hype it deserves.” 

The unique ‘thaal’ (large platter) associated with the Bohra community was also showcased at the festival. Following a pinch of salt, the unique Bohra feast begins with a dessert, followed by an appetizer, and then the main course. 

“There are specific dishes served in the thaal. It includes Khaarak Halwa which is made of dates. It is specifically made in the Bohra community. Dates are completely melted to make this. Then we have Chicken Bohra Fry that we are known for in other communities as well. People from other communities get Bohra Fry made by us on order,” Mufaddal Shabbir, owner of Hakimi Kitchen at the festival, told Arab News.

“Bohra Gravy is also very traditional and is 40 years old. It’s an Indian recipe that we follow to make this. Our Mutton Biryani is also a bit different than regular biryani. It’s a bit juicy and scrumptious. Lastly, there is an egg pudding. If you want to consume authentic egg pudding, you should get it made from a Bohra community member.”

Mufaddal’s family has been serving Bohra food in Karachi for almost 40 years and he is their third generation in the business.

“There is a specific style of consuming food in Bohra community. There is a thaal in which there are specific dishes,” he said. “It’s according to the Islamic theory which goes like, people sit on the floor and eat together.”

Topics: Bohra cuisine Arab influences Bohra Food Festival Karachi

US appeals court scraps 9/11 mastermind’s plea deal

Updated 19 sec ago
AFP
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US appeals court scraps 9/11 mastermind’s plea deal

  • Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was regarded as one of bin Laden’s most trusted lieutenants
  • He had spent three years in secret CIA prisons before arriving at Guantanamo in 2006
Updated 19 sec ago
AFP

WASHINGTON: A US appeals court on Friday scrapped 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’s plea agreement that would have taken the death penalty off the table and helped conclude the long-running legal saga surrounding his case.

The agreement had sparked anger among some relatives of victims of the 2001 attacks, and then-US defense secretary Lloyd Austin moved to cancel it last year, saying that both they and the American public deserved to see the defendants stand trial.

Austin “acted within the bounds of his legal authority, and we decline to second-guess his judgment,” judges Patricia Millett and Neomi Rao wrote.

Plea deals with Mohammed as well as two alleged accomplices — Walid bin Attash and Mustafa Al-Hawsawi — were announced in late July last year.

The decision appeared to have moved their cases toward resolution after years of being bogged down in pre-trial maneuverings while the defendants remained held at the Guantanamo Bay military base in Cuba.

But Austin withdrew the agreements two days after they were announced, saying the decision should be up to him, given its significance.

He subsequently said that “the families of the victims, our service members and the American public deserve the opportunity to see military commission trials carried out in this case.”

A military judge ruled in November that the deals were valid and binding, but the government appealed that decision.

The appeals court judges on Friday vacated “the military judge’s order of November 6, 2024, preventing the secretary of defense’s withdrawal from the pretrial agreements.”

And they prohibited the military judge “from conducting hearings in which respondents would enter guilty pleas or take any other action pursuant to the withdrawn pretrial agreements.”

Much of the legal jousting surrounding the 9/11 defendants’ cases has focused on whether they could be tried fairly after having undergone torture at the hands of the CIA — a thorny issue that the plea agreements would have avoided.

Mohammed was regarded as one of Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden’s most trusted lieutenants before his March 2003 capture in Pakistan. He then spent three years in secret CIA prisons before arriving at Guantanamo in 2006.

The trained engineer — who has said he masterminded the 9/11 attacks “from A to Z” — was involved in a string of major plots against the United States, where he attended university.

The United States used Guantanamo, an isolated naval base, to hold militants captured during the “War on Terror” that followed the September 11 attacks in a bid to keep the defendants from claiming rights under US law.

The facility held roughly 800 prisoners at its peak, but they have since slowly been sent to other countries. A small fraction of that number remains.

Topics: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed September 11 attacks

Pakistan discusses rice, meat exports with Malaysia amid push for export-led growth

Updated 54 min 10 sec ago
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Pakistan discusses rice, meat exports with Malaysia amid push for export-led growth

  • The two sides discussed enhanced cooperation during a meeting between Ishaq Dar and Anwar Ibrahim
  • Dar also addressed ASEAN Regional Forum where he called for global peace, justice and climate action
Updated 54 min 10 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan discussed expanding exports of rice, meat and other agricultural products with Malaysia on Friday during a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Malaysian Premier Anwar Ibrahim, according to an official statement.

Dar arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to attend the ASEAN Regional Forum, where he also interacted with other world leaders.

His three-day visit aims to deepen Pakistan’s engagement with ASEAN states and advance bilateral cooperation with key regional partners.

“Deputy Prime Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar called on Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim,” the foreign office said in a statement. “[The] DPM conveyed the good wishes of the Prime Minister of Pakistan for the leadership and people of Malaysia and reiterated Pakistan’s desire to further expand mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation in all spheres.”

“Expanding cooperation in the halal sector, including potential for export of meat and agricultural products from Pakistan, including rice was also discussed at the occasion,” the statement added.

Pakistan has been actively working to diversify its export destinations in recent years, seeking to promote agricultural goods, halal-certified meat, textiles and services as part of its broader strategy for export-led economic growth.

The Malaysian leader reaffirmed his country’s commitment to strengthening longstanding ties with Pakistan.

He said he looked forward to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s forthcoming visit to Malaysia.

During his visit, Dar also addressed the ASEAN Regional Forum, where he called for global peace, justice and urgent climate action in the face of escalating environmental and geopolitical challenges.

Topics: Pakistan Malaysia ties

Pakistan calls militant presence in Afghanistan a ‘challenge’ amid renewed diplomatic engagement

Updated 11 July 2025
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Pakistan calls militant presence in Afghanistan a ‘challenge’ amid renewed diplomatic engagement

  • Islamabad says cross-border militancy remains key obstacle to improved ties, regional integration
  • The two sides have sought to reset relations after a tripartite meeting with China earlier this year
Updated 11 July 2025
Muhammad Ibrahim

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan described the presence of militant outfits in Afghanistan as a “challenge” on Friday, calling it a critical hurdle in improving bilateral ties and advancing regional cooperation, even as both countries have tried to re-engage diplomatically in recent months.

Ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained strained since 2023, when Islamabad launched a crackdown on undocumented migrants, mostly Afghans, citing security concerns.

Pakistan has long said militant groups staging attacks in its western border provinces operate from Afghan territory, a claim denied by Taliban officials.

However, the two sides have sought to reset relations recently, agreeing to appoint ambassadors following a tripartite meeting with China and holding additional secretary-level talks in Islamabad earlier this month.

“About the question of sanctuaries in Afghanistan, as I mentioned it remains a challenge, and we are trying to address it in the context of bilateral relations with Afghanistan,” foreign office spokesperson, Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan, said during his weekly news briefing.

“This remains a critical impediment in preventing the relations to reach their full potential, and further impeding the full development of regional cooperation, particularly when other regions are moving toward greater regional integration involving businesses, investment, road and rail network,” he added.

Khan said the “issue of sanctuaries” was also discussed by the Afghan authorities in the recent talks.

“We stay engaged with the Afghan authorities and approach the dialogue with good faith,” he continued. “In terms of the commonalities between the two countries, two cultures, it should be the best of relationships. But the core point which you flagged remains sanctuaries enjoyed by the terrorists inside the Afghan territory.”

Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to take action against groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which it says uses Afghan soil to plan and launch attacks.

The Afghan Taliban, however, have always denied allowing any armed outfits to use their territory to target other countries.

Topics: Pakistan Afghanistan Ties Pakistan Afghanistan border

Pakistan’s top judicial body sets up committee to examine enforced disappearances

Updated 11 July 2025
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Pakistan’s top judicial body sets up committee to examine enforced disappearances

  • The National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee discusses issues to ensure ‘citizen-centric justice delivery’
  • The forum also looks into the ethical and policy implications of using generative AI in judicial functions
Updated 11 July 2025
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: Pakistan’s top judicial policy-making forum has set up a body to examine the issue of enforced disappearances, an official statement said on Friday, in a move to address one of the country’s most persistent human rights challenges.

The decision came during the 53rd meeting of the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (NJPMC), chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi and attended by top judges of all high courts and the additional attorney general in Islamabad.

Enforced disappearances have long been a contentious issue in Pakistan, particularly in regions like Balochistan, where families of missing persons and human rights groups accuse state institutions of arbitrary detentions and extrajudicial killings.

Pakistani authorities have frequently rejected these claims as “baseless allegations.”

“The NJPMC took serious notice of the enforced disappearances and unanimously resolved that the judiciary would not compromise on its constitutional duty to safeguard fundamental rights,” said the statement circulated by the Supreme Court after the meeting.

“A dedicated committee was constituted to formulate an institutional response, after taking into consideration concerns of the Executive, to be communicated through the Attorney General for Pakistan,” it added.

The statement said the forum deliberated on “key policy issues and adopted several significant measures to improve judicial performance, technology integration in judicial processes and citizen-centric justice delivery.”

Successive Pakistani governments have promised to look into the issue of enforced disappearances in the country and even set up a commission in 2011 to trace missing persons and fix responsibility for any wrongdoing.

However, rights groups and activists say the issue continues to persist.

The top judicial forum also acknowledged the growing presence of artificial intelligence in legal systems during the meeting and initiated work on a framework for its responsible use.

“The ethical and policy implications of using generative AI in judicial functions were discussed,” the statement said, adding the National Judicial Automation Committee (NJAC) had been tasked to “finalize a comprehensive charter on ethical use of AI in this regard.”

While several judicial systems around the world — including in the United States and the European Union — have begun exploring AI for research and case management, concerns persist over transparency, bias, and the potential erosion of human judgment in legal decision-making.

Topics: missing persons Supreme Court of Pakistan chief justice Yahya Afridi

Pakistan rejects Indian NSA’s claim of ‘zero damage’ in military standoff

Updated 11 July 2025
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Pakistan rejects Indian NSA’s claim of ‘zero damage’ in military standoff

  • The two nuclear-armed neighbors exchanged missile, drone and artillery strikes in May 2025
  • Pakistan says Ajit Doval’s statement is a ‘distortion and misrepresentation’ of actual facts
Updated 11 July 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday dismissed Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Kumar Doval’s remarks claiming “zero damage” to military targets inside his country during the four-day military standoff between the two South Asian nuclear states, calling it a “distortion and misrepresentation” that violated established norms of statecraft.

The remarks follow Doval’s comments at a university convocation in India, where he highlighted the precision and success of the Indian military operation against Pakistan, saying New Delhi did not suffer any collateral damage during Pakistan’s retaliation.

In May 2025, the most intense India–Pakistan military confrontation in decades erupted, with both states exchanging missile, drone and artillery strikes following an April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people.

India blamed Pakistan without providing evidence as the administration in Islamabad denied the charge and called for an impartial international probe.

“The remarks of the Indian NSA are replete with distortions and misrepresentations,” foreign office spokesperson, Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan, said during his weekly news briefing. “They not only reflect a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, but also violate the norms of responsible statecraft.”

“Boasting of military aggression against a sovereign nation is a grave breach of the United Nations Charter and established principles of international law,” he continued.

Khan urged India to acknowledge the downing of six fighter jets including three Rafales, as well as the damage inflicted on Indian military targets instead of peddling “fictitious narratives.”

He said that glorification of a conflict did not benefit anyone, highlighting that the path to a lasting peace was in “dialogue, mutual respect and adherence to international law.”

Doval said New Delhi’s initial operation against Pakistan had lasted for “23 minutes.”

“We hit nine terrorist targets deep inside Pakistan — not near the border, but across its crisscrossed terrain with pinpoint accuracy,” he told the students. “We missed none and we hit nothing else.”

He also criticized the international media for highlighting Pakistan’s strikes inside his country, saying there was no evidence that “even a glass pane was broken.”

After four days of intense conflict between India and Pakistan, a US-mediated ceasefire was agreed on May 10, halting the confrontation amid global alarm over the risk of escalation.

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