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    Food Street - A Calling to the Lahori Heart

    Written by: Ayamma Mohsin
    Posted on: May 25, 2020 |

    Late night at the Lahore Food Street

    “Kinna sohna tenu Rab nay banayaa, Dil karay dekhda rawaan
    Kinna sohna tenu Rab nay banayaa, Dil murda nahin lakh samjhayaa
    Dil karay dekhda rawaan, Kinna sohna tenu Rab nay banayaa    ...”

    Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s melodies fill the air, adding to the magic of the sight before you: a restless ocean of people moving from stall to stall, entranced by the sights and smells of what is arguably one of Lahore’s most popular destinations.

    With the Lahore Fort looming in the background and the Minar-e-Pakistan standing tall further afield, this is truly a hub of culture and heritage. It is said that Lahoris love food. You would know just how true that is if you’ve ever had the fortune of knowing a true Lahori (or are one yourself?) Food is to a Lahori heart, what paint is to an artist, and what the guitar or piano is to a musician. No funny business when it comes to food, mind you, or you won’t make it very far along the road to social acceptance here! And rightly so – for what better way is there to spend an evening than to enjoy a platter of tikkas and seekh kebabs, barbequed to perfection? And what better place to cater to these needs than the music, laughter and tantalizing aroma that pervades the atmosphere of Lahore’s very own Food Street?

    Lahore Food Street

    (photo by kamranonbike)

    A foodie’s haven, an ordinary man’s escape, a family’s perfect night out. The frying pans sizzling, the drum-like beating that signifies a Tukka Tukk being cooked, and a swarm of people walking through this food paradise, wide-eyed and overwhelmed by the perfection of what stands before them. From the enormous variety of barbeque fresh off the coals – seekh kebabs, tikkas and malai boti, to name but a few, served with fresh naans – roghni naan, garlic naan, kalonji naan (take your pick!) to heavenly desserts for those with a sweet tooth. After all, who could say no to those hot, crispy jalebis curved to perfection, or the classic thoothee with its thin lining of chandni?

    There you stand, in the midst of it all, surrounded by the glorious flurry of activities that is a hallmark of the Food Street: chefs, in their aprons and tall hats, flipping tikka seekhs as the meat turns just the right shade of gold, rushed waiters expertly balancing dish upon dish as they run to the seated customers anxiously awaiting their slices of heaven. It’s like your own desi version of ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’, minus the food falling from the sky.

    Lahore Food Street

    The crowd pours in as the sun begins to set

    Stand by the entrance for a few minutes, and you can very well divide the unending stream of people into a few broad categories: the wide-eyed first timers, faculties overwhelmed by the sights and sounds they behold, the veterans expertly weaving their way through the crowd (perhaps navigating towards their favorite table), and those that are headed for the exit, casting longing looks backwards at what they’re leaving behind – untried delicacies and savory treasures waiting to be discovered on the next trip.


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    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021