Biryani - the unanimous favourite food of the Indo-Pakistani sub-continent is undeniably important in Pakistan's political and election culture.
Large pots of mouthwatering biryani, fragrant with aromatic spices, serve the appetites of voters, political agents and party workers.
According to Muhammad Shakir, manager of a renowned pulao-kebab outlet with restaurants in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, he has already received an order of 15,000 pulao kebab lunch boxes, and the number is expected to increase greatly on polling day.
Can a plate of biryani buy a vote? Political supporters and campaigners think differently.
Pulao kabab lunch boxes Source: SBS
Fouzia Arshad, president of the PTI's women's wing in Islamabad, says that voters who believes their leader would not sell their vote for a plate of pulao or biryani.
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However, Pakistan People Party's supporter Riaz Ali believes it's a shadow of our eastern culture and a positive attraction for voters.
He says that in a rural situation, polling stations are generally miles away from voters' residences, sometimes poor voters don't feel it worthy to venture out on polling day, but if a plate of biryani could entice them to come out and increase the voters turn out then what's wrong in it?
Cooked biryani ready for packing Source: SBS
For polling day, political activists and supporters ordered Biryani Daigs (big cooking Pots) from local caterers and Pakwaan centres.
Some restaurants owners have planned to distribute biryani for free.
Yasir Kiyani is a restaurant owner in Rawalpindi. He's an Imran Khan supporter, and says he plans to distribute biryani at his native town on polling day during the lunch hour.
He stresses that he will not urge voters to favour the PTI, instead, he says he only wants to serve his people for a much awaited political process.
Although some political analysts criticise this "biryani vote" mantra, others think of it as a colour of Pakistani political culture.
Yasir kiyani with his beef biryani boxes Source: SBS
