Pakistani model and actress Saheefa Jabbar Khattak has shared candid insights into the struggles of managing her restaurant in Lahore, sparking widespread discussion online. In a series of Instagram stories, she highlighted the financial and personal toll of entrepreneurship, as well as the backlash she faced over controversial remarks regarding staff hiring.
Saheefa revealed that she officially took over the business as a sole proprietor on February 1, coinciding with her father’s birthday. Despite initial optimism, the restaurant struggled financially, operating at a loss for months from its leasing in September through late February. She also explained that commissions and taxes from food delivery platforms consume nearly half of revenue, and after rent, salaries, and ingredient costs, profit margins remain slim.
The venture has come with a personal cost. Saheefa described working continuously for nearly two months without a day off, experiencing high fever, body aches, and extreme exhaustion. She even recalled briefly falling asleep in her car due to fatigue, during which another vehicle hit one of her parked cars. Despite these hardships, she maintained her focus on building a sustainable business.
Controversy also arose after Saheefa expressed a hiring preference for Pashtun staff, describing them as more reliable. Critics accused her of promoting ethnic stereotypes, and she claimed that her restaurant subsequently received a wave of negative online reviews, some of which she alleged were fake and coordinated to harm her business’s reputation.
Despite these challenges, Saheefa emphasized the importance of patience, consistent quality, and strong operational systems for long-term success. She concluded by sharing plans to rest briefly before resuming work, with a vision to grow her brand locally and eventually reach a global audience.
