Abdul Razak Dawood: Founder DESCON, BARD Foundation, Columbia University & Lawrencepur

[Ssan]

And that elitist class includes said 22 families, they are not separate.

No- sorry - the 22 families are not that big anymore as they were in the 60s. World of difference between the elites now and what they were in the 60s. Abdurrazak Dawoods companies may be one of the few legitimate competent engineering companies in the country. If anything, he fully deserves to be in an elite class because he actually has companies that are value add for Pakistan.

Unlike your sugar mill baron politicians- where economic surveys actually suggest that producing sugar/rice lowers our GDP because it takes water away fro other crops that we could produce more of.

 

[villageidiot]

Yeah we only want to listen to self made men whose words powerful enough to give us real insights and motivation for starting from scratch. Someone like elon musk or Jeff bezos.
These big business names in Pakistan are the product of the corrupt system , you can only learn from them how to beat your competition by bribing government officials, politicians and create a barrier to entry for less affluent and poor talented Pakistanis.

No one exists out of the system. If Razzak Dawood tried to be honest in uncompetitive environment, he'd be a nobody today and the guest being interviewed in the OP would be some other rent-seeking industrialist.

And if you think people like Musk and Bezos are angels and firm believers in the free market.
There mofos literally bankroll entire careers on politicians to make laws that suit them.
The fact the US justice system are strong enough that petty bribery doesn't work there is no feather in US capitalists' cap.

 

[villageidiot]

I am not concerned with SCO here, I was referring to the ECO, yes it is a joke, because we are not working to make it effective. If this ex trade minister isn't even aware, then it's shame on him. He spent a lot of time in the program discussing trade with central Asian republics, but he does not know about the ECO, it is beyond ridiculous.

Trade does not happen in thin air, effective trade requires following structures, agreements and mechanism, he has highlighted this point, ECO is the body that can deliver. If fools like him don't remember that it exists, then he's just wasting his time, blowing his own trumpet.

European Union took a lot of time and effort to make it effective, as did the ASEAN, that didn't happen by ignoring they exist after signing few documents, it took serious time and serious effort. Clearly this brilliant trade minister has forgotten that we are part of that trade block. These Pakistani officials never fail to surprise me. Bloody jokers.

ok, bro. Time to come clean.
How much is ECO paying you?

 

[_NOBODY_]

In an open market with fair playing rules that does not protect existing players from new entrants, your argument would hold true. Which is why all the individuals you mention were successful elsewhere and not in Pakistan.



Pakistan's markets are limited clubs run for members' benefit only. By design.



Bhutto's nationalization was an utter disaster because it was done to further the personal ambitions of one man, and not to develop the country. If that step would not have been taken, then perhaps Pakistan's markets could have matured into some form of gradually opening up of fair competition. In any case, that step by Quaid-e-Awam created the opening that the Mard-e-Momin Mard-e-Haq needed to install the Army as the ultimate arbiter of religion, patriotism and justice over all else for all times to come. The rest, as they say, is history, and here we are.



Please see the above.



The destruction of the economy was Bhutto's doing, but the destruction of education was really done by General Zia. The final blow was the introduction of the jihadi culture with AK-47s and hard drugs due to the war next door, where the Generals made their billions.

The market wasn't like this during Ayub's era. If that was the case then how come the Dawood family was able to build immense wealth from nothing? Even now the situation isn't that bad. I have seen so many rags to riches stories in the last four years here in Lahore. If what you say is true then how come so many startups have successfully disrupted the market? Yes, it is very hard to succeed in this market but it is far from impossible.

 

[_NOBODY_]

I am not concerned with SCO here, I was referring to the ECO, yes it is a joke, because we are not working to make it effective. If this ex trade minister isn't even aware, then it's shame on him. He spent a lot of time in the program discussing trade with central Asian republics, but he does not know about the ECO, it is beyond ridiculous.

Trade does not happen in thin air, effective trade requires following structures, agreements and mechanism, he has highlighted this point, ECO is the body that can deliver. If fools like him don't remember that it exists, then he's just wasting his time, blowing his own trumpet.

European Union took a lot of time and effort to make it effective, as did the ASEAN, that didn't happen by ignoring they exist after signing few documents, it took serious time and serious effort. Clearly this brilliant trade minister has forgotten that we are part of that trade block. These Pakistani officials never fail to surprise me. Bloody jokers.

Abdul Razak Dawood is well aware of the ECO but it is useless to mention this joke of an organization. ECO can't do sh*t because of the regional geopolitical situation. ECO needed a superpower like China or at least a major power like Japan to get all the countries in line and focus on economic cooperation. Countries that are currently EU members weren't being forced by foreign powers to not have economic relations with XYZ country. SEA wasn't anywhere near as unstable as the Middle East hence it was possible for ASEAN to be successful, having South Korea, Japan and southern and eastern parts of China right next to you also tremendously helps. As long as this region remains unstable so will ECO.

 

[VCheng]

If what you say is true then how come so many startups have successfully disrupted the market? Yes, it is very hard to succeed in this market but it is far from impossible.

Please read up on what "disruption of the market" actually means first. And the only way to succeed is to have the right connections and be part of the system before anyone is allowed to participate. This is a very cozy system, no disruptions allowed.

 

[_NOBODY_]

Please read up on what "disruption of the market" actually means first. And the only way to succeed is to have the right connections and be part of the system before anyone is allowed to participate. This is a very cozy system, no disruptions allowed.

I am well aware of what disrupting the market means. Having the right connections to succeed applies to all markets, not just Pakistan. I disagree with the last sentence. The transport mafia got shredded by the arrival of Uber and Careem in the market, is this not disruption? Several other mafias are being challenged right now by various startups and we will see in a few years whether they win or fail.

 

[VCheng]

we will see in a few years whether they win or fail.

Sure, we will know is a few years. I can predict, but what is the rush?