The controversy surrounding Saheefa Jabbar Khattak and her Lahore burger café Picky Patty and Pizza Place Roni’s Pizzeria escalated dramatically after a viral clip circulated online in which she was interpreted as expressing frustration with staff reliability and stating a preference for hiring Pashtun workers rather than Punjabi or Urdu-speaking employees. The clip, ignited a fierce backlash on March 5, 2026, with critics accusing the actress-turned-entrepreneur of ethnic discrimination inside Punjab itself. Within hours, the debate expanded beyond the video and became a broader online campaign urging boycotts, negative reviews, and reputational pressure against the restaurant located in DHA Phase 3 Lahore (Y-block mini notorious market for food startup failures).
The thread that circulated alongside screenshots of the café’s Instagram page and Google Maps listing quickly filled with hostile responses, many of which framed the remarks as an insult to Punjabis and Urdu-speaking workers in a province where Punjabis form the overwhelming majority of the local population. These replies formed the backbone of the boycott campaign, as users repeatedly argued that a business owner operating in Lahore should not be able to profit from the local economy while allegedly disparaging the community from which most customers and workers come.
Across the thread, ten recurring remarks emerged that supporters of the boycott used to justify calls for consequences such as negative reviews, reputational pressure, or demands that the business relocate outside Punjab.
First, several replies insisted that if the owner truly preferred Pashtun labor then the restaurant should move to cities like Mardan, Nowshera, Bannu, or Waziristan, arguing that a business that distrusts Punjabis should not operate in Punjab. Second, critics said the remarks revealed overt racism toward Punjabi and Urdu-speaking workers, which they argued justified a collective boycott of the café. Third, multiple users demanded that Punjabis and Urdu speakers leave one-star Google reviews to demonstrate economic consequences for discriminatory comments. Fourth, some commenters framed the controversy as an attack on Punjabi dignity, asserting that local communities must defend their honor when insulted by business owners operating on their soil.
