In 1975, a easy transaction was about to inextricably change the fates of two enterprise households in Lahore, launching them in a three-decade-long authorized dispute over a reputation — Shezan.
In September 1974, the Bhutto administration declared the Ahmadiyya group non-Muslims, and a variety of distinguished Ahmadiyya group members, amongst them main enterprise house owners, ready to pack up their belongings and go away the nation.
Whereas the group was no stranger to persecution, for a lot of the constitutional enshrinement towards their religion was the final straw. Amongst these seeking to promote their enterprise was Shezan Eating places and Bakeries. Owned by Shahnawaz Ltd, Shezan was very a lot a household affair and had been round for the reason that late Nineteen Fifties. They have been pioneers of bringing desi and continental meals along with high quality eating. They’d two eating places in Lahore, Shezan Continental and Shezan Clay Oven, each on the decrease mall.
This was a time when there weren’t many eating choices out there to a rising higher middle-class. The decrease mall was a swanky space surrounded by each authorities and personal places of work, which made eating places that supplied good, acquainted meals in a spot with a trendy ambiance a thriving enterprise. So when the Ahmadiyya household that owned Shezan determined to promote, Chaudhry Meher-ud-Din determined to purchase each eating places from them.
A shrewd businessman who owned vehicle showrooms in Lahore, Meher-ud-Din recognised the potential of Shezan. It was a recognisable model identify, had a legacy, and had been constructed through the years over stable enterprise fundamentals and catered to a particular want. He additionally knew that contained in the restaurant was a bakery as nicely, which he might separate and increase the enterprise. Meher-ud-Din’s ambitions prolonged past this. He additionally needed to accumulate a 3rd asset that Shahnawaz Ltd had — the Shezan Worldwide manufacturing facility which produced and packaged merchandise like the enduring Shezan Mango juice, squashes, pickles, jams, marmalades, ketchup and so forth.
That is the place issues get a little bit sophisticated.
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