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LUMS Grad Narrates His Journey from the Khoka to the
Monal
March 10, 2014

Luqman Afzal is a graduate from the BSc Class of 2002. He graduated with a Major
in Economics and Minor in Social Sciences. During his time at LUMS, his
entrepreneurial spirit was nurtured and to date he has continued to cultivate his zest
for entrepreneurship. He is fast paving his way up the hospitality industry in
Islamabad. Here he talks about his journey, from managing a cafe at LUMS to
establishing a fine dining restaurant.
It still seems like yesterday, though it is been fourteen years, when I asked my father
for money to buy the LUMS Khokha Inc. shares. Buying shares of this facility and
operating it for 18 months provided me with my first practical exposure to the real
world of business, very early in life."
Afzal recalls going to the LUMS GM Administration's office every day, to get a
telephone extension sanctioned for the Khokha in order to start free delivery to
hostels. He is very proud of his achievements during his first venture because he
transformed a plain snack bar into an elaborate caf, offering both ready-to-serve and
gourmet meals, with the price of its shares having increased more than five-fold by
the time he graduated in 2002.
After completing my BSc, I continued my business career by developing, on lease
from the Government of the Punjab, a family recreational area at Saint Marys Park,
Gulberg, Lahore in October 2002. I wanted to offer entertainment opportunities for
families; something more than just dining out. F-1 Traxx offered recreational
facilities catering to all ages: remote control cars on tracks, battery-operated cars for
children to drive, E-scooters and petrol quad bikes for teenagers to ride, a
snooker/pool lounge, and many other others," said Afzal.
Along with these facilities, he also set up a restaurant, based on the traditional village
theme, which offered a complete range of barbeque, Pakistani gourmet cuisine, fast
food, and pizza, along with a large variety of drinks. The meals were served on the
best quality clay crockery, provided immaculate service and most importantly the
hygiene and sanitation of the kitchens were ensured to maintain the food quality.
In August 2004, Afzal leased another project within the premises of the same park.
This was a skeletal cement structure, which, in conformity with the country theme, he
transformed into a tree house by decorating it with wooden logs, timber planks, rope
and by letting Jacarandas and Gold Mores grow all around it. Within this tree house,
he placed chimes that tinkled with the breeze and subtle lights that created an ethereal
ambience. A unique concept in Lahore, the tree house turned out to be a huge success.
In June 2005, Afzal decided to bid for a project in Islamabad which changed the
course of his life. The Capital Development Authority published an advertisement in
leading national newspapers in June 2005 inviting expressions of interest from parties
with relevant experience to lease and operate a restaurant at Pir Sohawa. This was a
great opportunity for me, not merely in terms of business, but to achieve my dream
of establishing a world-class, fine dining restaurant. I was apprehensive that not many
people would want to travel so far, on a perilous climb, just to eat out. I reconsidered
my plans but there was something about the verdant serenity of the silent Margallas
that allured me and I took the plunge, and sent in my bid. Twelve parties submitted
their proposals and after detailed evaluations and various presentations, three parties
were short listed and I won the bid.
My first task after getting the official possession of the restaurant was to equip the
designated kitchen areas with the best and the most modern kitchen machineries so
that it could serve a menu which would suit the cosmopolitan city of Islamabad and
the people who would visit it from within and outside Pakistan. The kitchens
comprised different food sections and were made to serve Pakistani dishes as well as
International cuisine.
Afzal recalls the various issues he had to resolve while setting up the restaurant. The
first task was acquiring water for the restaurant. We used mineral water for cooking,
but tap water was required for dishwashing, for washrooms and for the cleaning of the
huge outdoor area. Cleanliness and hygiene, especially of the washrooms, is one of
critical importance in the hospitality industry. However, water was not available
anywhere near the premises, so he had to procure it from the Gokina Village, which is
situated 4 kms downhill.
Since the restaurant was required to meet international culinary standards, the next
most crucial requirement was Sui gas for the kitchens. A multinational company was
taken on board to provide bulk cylinders of liquid LPG. To date, liquid gas comes in
tankers to Monal and costs six times as much as the commonly used Sui Gas. The
pressure declines in the winters as liquid LPG freezes, owing to which, extra
commercial cylinders have to be used in winters to maintain the pressure.
Initially, approximately 150 people were hired from the surrounding villages. The
intention behind hiring local staff was to integrate the local people with the Monal in
such a way that the social and economic benefits that the restaurant would generate
could flow down directly to the local populace and contribute towards its
socioeconomic uplift. Apart from direct recruitment, the locals were also involved in
indirect ways. For instance, the contract for managing laundry (clean linen and
uniforms for the staff on a daily basis) was given to them along with contracts for
other supplies of local produce such as milk, seasonal vegetables etc.
The experienced restaurant managers trained and groomed the raw, and sometimes
uncouth, staff that was not even aware of the basic norms of the hospitality industry.
An eight-hour course was designed for them on personal hygiene, proper wearing of
uniforms, professional body language, posture discipline, table layout, service
manners etc. They were trained not just through instruction, but also through
practicals.
The Monal had only just started gaining popularity amongst the residents and
diplomats of Islamabad, when the Marriot Attack took place in September 2008. With
this tragic event, the scenario of Islamabads social life changed altogether. A police
check post was created on every major road, as the terrorists continuously threatened
to target important public spots and official buildings. During this period, the
restaurant incurred heavy losses - both in financial terms as well in terms of morale.
However, the situation eventually improved and the Monal once again started taking
flight towards the mid of 2010.
The Monal emerged as an ambassador of Pakistan. Any foreign delegation visiting
Pakistan on the invitation of the Foreign Office, Board of Investment and many other
Ministries, was brought here to experience the positive side of Pakistan. Any foreigner
who came with the impression of Pakistanis being terrorists, witnessed a perfect civic
society, which could live in harmony and coherence, and tolerate each others
different religious beliefs and backgrounds. The restaurant displayed the human face
of Pakistan people from different parts of the country, speaking different languages,
sitting together with families and enjoying the environment in the most civilised
manner.
Afzal shared that a significant reason underlying the Monals attraction and success is
its affordability. This factor was, in fact, kept in mind while pricing the menu. The
restaurant has expanded to catering events as well, with its two Marquee Halls. Apart
from that the company is also involved with amusement project at Lake View Park
under the name of F-1 Traxx, Islamabad.
The company presently employs 900 people, which I consider as my biggest
achievement. The most interesting fact is that the Monals team of 450 people is
being headed by the same person who used to warm pizza slices at the Khokha and F-
1 Traxx, Islamabads team, which comprises 150 people, is being headed by the
person who used to be cashier at the Khokha at LUMS. I am proud to have groomed
people to hold higher positions.
Talking about entrepreneurship, Afzal said that it is all about consistency. He
advised aspiring entrepreneurs to not get disappointed if the business does not start
paying back from the first day as no business starts paying back immediately. Take
initiatives, work hard with clear intentions, and then leave the rest to God. A strong
belief in your ideas and then a continuous struggle to make other people believe in
them, coupled with the ability to fearlessly execute these ideas in a professional
manner is perhaps what turns your dreams into reality. Your success is not just the
amount of money you are making at the end of the day but also the social
contributions you are making and the job opportunities your business is creating,
said Afzal.