Growing up in Faisalabad, Pakistan, I learned the power of ideas and the importance of personal relationships. It was my parents who instilled in me a respect for great thinkers and philosophers. From the time I was very young, my siblings and I were read bedtime stories from Sadi, Rumi, and Allama Muhammad Iqbal; my love of philosophy undoubtedly stems from these early inspirations. Similarly, my business acumen likely comes from my father, an entrepreneur with interests in real estate and transportation industries throughout Punjab. In thought and action, he set a compelling example for myself and for my brothers and sisters; we are all now businesspeople in our own right.
My story is, perhaps, a typical immigrant story—a young man’s journey in the pursuit of the American dream. Before coming to the United States from Pakistan in 1979, I had no real sense of civic responsibility; I was coasting through my studies in the British education system, largely uninterested in politics or the broader workings of the world around me. Once I moved to this country, however, I began to see what it meant to be a citizen of the United States—and a citizen of the world. I saw my colleagues at the university studying hard; I saw other immigrants struggle for prosperity and succeed. I saw the difference one person could make in his school, in his family, and in his community. The United States, without a doubt, is a testament to the idea that personal freedom can lead to civic responsibility. Motivated by the endless possibilities this country seemed to offer, I strove to better myself and contribute to the community as a responsible, conscientious adult. Given similar opportunities in their own country, I feel certain that other Pakistanis can also elevate their circumstances and help their fellow citizens to create a cohesive, peaceful society.
While I lived for four years in Seattle when I first arrived in the United States, I settled on Chicago as an ideal place to live. The city is large enough to have a lively cultural, business, and political life but small enough to retain a strong sense of community. After studying philosophy and business and earning my degree from the College of Business Administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago, I began a small chain of coffeehouses and named them for my favorite philosopher, René Descartes. Café Descartes began as a small cart on the UIC campus. That first cart was custom-built, complete with plumbing and electrical systems; it quickly became a hub of campus life. From there, I expanded to storefront locations downtown, in Rogers Park, and in Lincoln Square, and I hope to open several more stores in the next few years.
Images of philosophers—both Eastern and Western—decorate the walls of my cafés. Surrounded by the visages of these great men, I have found I can compete with chain stores by providing exceptional customer service and a congenial, intellectual atmosphere. My cafés are places for people to meet, relax, and reflect. Coffeehouses have always had a special place in my experiences of the world; in my travels throughout Europe, Asia, and Central America, I discovered coffeehouses were always a key part of local culture, and an essential gathering place for open-minded discussions between students and philosophers alike. I have a passion for bringing people together, for catalyzing interactions between people and across cultures, and it is this passion that drives my business and personal life.
I meet a lot of people in my line of work—Pakistanis as well as Americans—young, educated students, and professionals with optimistic outlooks and fresh ideas. My own optimism was shaken to the core after the terrible attacks of September 11th, 2001. However, my faith in humanity and my belief in the ability of one person to make a positive difference in the world led me to host formal discussuion groups at my Café Descartes location in Rogers Park. By bringing together people of different backgrounds and promoting a better understanding of Islam and the world, I furthered my goal of contributing to the intellectual life of the country that has taught me so much. I take advantage of my location on the campus of UIC by regularly inviting professors from that University’s Political Science and Philosophy departments to speak in my café there. It is my wish to continue to help further intellectual discourse in this country that has given me so much to think about.
I continue to dedicate much of my energies to sharing my successes with those less fortunate, particularly in these trying economic times. As an activist in the Pakistani community, I helped build a school for girls in my father-in-law’s village in Punjab. Here in the United States, I sponsor low-income families and help them put their children through school. Because the younger generation carries the key to our future, I have adopted a number of children and have established a scholarship fund at the University of Illinois at Chicago, my alma mater. Though there is much hatred and frustration in the world today, I remain optimistic, grateful to the two countries that have made me who I am today, and to the many friends and teachers throughout the world to whom I owe my deepest gratitude.