A Pakistani expatriates-run restaurant in Sharjah provides free meals to needy people.

After meeting a Pakistani worker who was going hungry, the proprietor of Karachi Star started providing free meals.

When disadvantaged guests ask for assistance, restaurant personnel ensures they are treated with decency.

A Pakistani immigrant in the UAE started offering free meals to those who could not afford them eight years ago after encountering a famished fellow citizen nearby his restaurant. He made sure that his employees never turned away anyone in need.

Shahid Asghar Bangash, a native of Peshawar, founded Karachi Star in 2008; it is a well-known restaurant in Sharjah's Muweilah and Saja neighborhoods. Karachi Star specializes in South Asian cuisine, including biryani, nihari, karahi, and kebabs.

The proprietor of Karachi Star told Arab News that an experience years ago made him aware that people did travel to the UAE in quest of employment without following the correct procedures. Several of them consequently found themselves stranded with no place to work and no way to pay for even meals.

In a phone conversation on Saturday, he explained that the free meal program was created to react to the tragic circumstance of people who arrived in the UAE through dishonest agents and were left stuck without jobs or money.

Since we couldn't hire them, we gave them free meals to lessen their suffering.

He continued by claiming that at Karachi Star, complimentary meals are given to at least 50 individuals each day and that there is no restriction on the number of people who can receive them.

For these customers, there are no restrictions because they are free to order everything on the menu that day, according to Bangash.

"We have devised a system of code words that the staff utilizes to preserve the dignity of people who cannot pay...

In this manner, it is hidden from other customers that someone is receiving free food.

Karachi Star provided not just wholesome food and the decency to carry on to some, like Pakistani worker Afzal Khan, who was left with no means of supporting himself owing to a scam but also hope.

He was originally hesitant to enter the restaurant because he thought the personnel would mistake him for a beggar.

But, he added, "the personnel was incredibly friendly and warm, and the meal was delectable and filling.

It provided me with the motivation I required to resume my job search.

The eatery is open to everyone and offers free takeout and onsite dining.

"I was able to acquire the sustenance I needed to keep going through a difficult moment, thanks to this restaurant," said Faisal Iqbal, another Pakistani expatriate worker who Karachi Star helped stay afloat during a difficult time.

I was taken aback by how the employees treated me with the same decency as paying clients, and their generosity touched me.