Monal Restaurant Closure Leaves Employees in Tears: Viral Video Emerges

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the closure of Monal Restaurant and all other restaurants within Margalla Hills National Park on June 11 this year. Following the ruling, Monal Restaurant’s management announced via social media that the restaurant would be completely shut down until September 11, 2024.
On Wednesday, Monal Restaurant owner, Luqman Ali Afzal, wrote a poignant letter to his employees, requesting them to collect their dues and seek alternative employment opportunities. The letter has reached the affected employees, leading to a viral video on social media showing them visibly distressed while holding the letter.
In the brief video, employees are seen reading the termination notice and crying over the situation. The emotional letter expressed Afzal’s deep sense of regret over the job losses, economic hardship, and frustration caused by the restaurant’s closure. He acknowledged the impossibility of providing alternative employment for the 700 employees under the current economic conditions but urged them to start searching for new job opportunities before the specified date and to collect all pending payments.
Afzal reflected on the shared journey with his employees since 2006, expressing his sorrow over the separation after 18 years of companionship. He lamented his inability to provide immediate job solutions and described the closure as a decision made by fate and divine will.
The Supreme Court’s decision also required all restaurants within the national park to be completely dismantled within three months, a timeline that Monal Restaurant had initially agreed to comply with voluntarily.