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

[SecularNationalist]

LOL. One of the scions belonging to the 22 families. No thank you.

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.

 

[SQ8]

LOL. One of the scions belonging to the 22 families. No thank you.

Question is though - was 22 families better than the mess of nationalization that Bhutto did?
By not nationalizing and instead promoting a free market would these 22 families eventually faced competition later on?

 

[_NOBODY_]

Question is though - was 22 families better than the mess of nationalization that Bhutto did?
By not nationalizing and instead promoting a free market would these 22 families eventually faced competition later on?

Of course, they were better. Nationalization harmed our country more than India did.

 

[_NOBODY_]

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.

Of course, Musk and Bezos are brilliant people and we should learn from them but what makes you think that Musk and Bezos aren't corrupt and don't bribe government officials?

 

[SecularNationalist]

Of course, Musk and Bezos are brilliant people and we should learn from them but what makes you think that Musk and Bezos aren't corrupt and don't bribe government officials?

The US society and its system gave chance to plenty of lower, middle-class people to become big businessmen/billionaires. That's clearly not the case with Pakistan. Our system suppresses the weak and strengthens the rich. As a result the poor got poorer and the rich got filthy rich.

 

[Ssan]

Actually, if you go by those standards, they are doing just fine - for themselves. Hating them for low productivity and hunger is pointless since it is not their issue. What they do right is for themselves, if we are going to be fair.

The reason we have low productivity has nothing to do with businessman- but because the state apparatus is corrupted through and through. Human productivity increases come from schools and universities. Bhutto (and associated leftists) destroyed not only the productive businesses of the 22 families, he also destroyed our schools by nationalizing them.

Then he also destroyed the bureaucracy and the universities by enforcing quotas in them. The lack of human capital and productivity in our country squarely falls on the leftists who scapegoated the 22 families.

There is a world of difference between the products of the 22 families companies and now. Look at what PiA used to be- courtesy of that era and look at what it is now- after leftist takeover.

The US society and its system gave chance to plenty of lower, middle-class people to become big businessmen/billionaires. That's clearly not the case with Pakistan. Our system suppresses the weak and strengthens the rich. As a result the poor got poorer and the rich got filthy rich.

Our system became like this due to the same people that scapegoated the 22 families- the PPP leftists that is.

 

[SaadH]

They are so many reasons for them to bust their *** to attain more wealth and power. The more wealth and power you have the greater your capacity to shape this world to your liking becomes. Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos could have sold their first major successful business early on and lived a very peaceful life as multi-millionaires; however, their great vision and never-ending hunger made them bust their *** even harder when they became rich to become some of the wealthiest and most powerful people on Earth.

Musk didn't sell any successful businesses that he created himself. He's a classic example and beneficiary of crony capitalism and corporate socialism.

 

[peagle]

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

In tonight’s conversation with our special guest, Abdul Razak Dawood. What was his life pre-partition like? What difficulties did he face while trading? How did he set up the business? What was settling in Karachi like? What was his experience with studying abroad like? When did he start to see his life differently? What was his MBA like? How did he feel about being a Pakistani student at an American University? How Pakistani entrepreneurs have evolved over time? What was Pakistan in 1968 like? How did market segmentation help the growth of his business? The takeover of the New Bangladesh government in 1971? Why did he leave Lawrencepur in 1972? Getting exposure & rebuilding business? Selling Dawood Hercules to Fatima Group? Starting up DESCON? What was after DESCON? Abdul Razak’s advice to business owners? What is the mission behind BARD Foundation? Why did he choose to expand his business in South Africa & Central Asian Republic? Did Abdul Razak Dawood ever regret his choices? How does Abdul Razak Dawood envision Pakistan in 2050? Catch this and much more in tonight's episode.

00:00 Tonight’s guest: Abdul Razak Dawood
01:01 Abdul Razak’s early life pre-partition
02:10 Trading as a family
03:00 Establishing businesses post-partition
04:05 Settling in Karachi, Pakistan
04:30 Decision of his father & his uncle
05:37 Studying in English Public School
06:19 Growing up in England
07:39 When did he start to see his life differently?
10:48 Why did he choose to study engineering?
12:33 What was his MBA like?
14:54 How does he feel about being a Pakistani student in an American University?
16:29 What did he learn from studying in America?
19:28 What businesses did his uncles establish in Pakistan while he was in America for 18 years?
21:44 The evolution of Pakistani entrepreneurs
22:35 What was Pakistan in 1968 like?
24:20 Working in Lawrencepur
29:05 Work culture back then vs. now
31:30 How did market segmentation help the growth of his business?
33:08 The takeover of the New Bangladesh government in 1971
37:22 Why did he leave Lawrencepur in 1972?
38:48 Getting exposure & rebuilding business
41:57 Selling Dawood Hercules to Fatima Group
43:24 What did he do after leaving Dawood Hercules?
45:37 Starting up DESCON
52:17 What was after DESCON?
56:42 Getting into the agriculture business
01:00:23 Abdul Razak’s advice to the business owners
01:03:51 BARD Foundation
01:05:52 What is the mission behind BARD Foundation?
01:14:25 The concept of sports scholarship in Pakistan
01:15:28 Why have people not invested in sports in Pakistan?
01:22:20 His involvement in the education sector
01:23:57 Why did he choose to expand his business in South Africa & Central Asian Republic?
01:31:22 Problems in export growth strategy
1:40:24 The future of the export business of Pakistan
01:47:36 Does Abdul Razak Dawood ever regret his choices?
01:49:56 How does Abdul Razak Dawood envision Pakistan in 2050?

@ghazi52 @araz @The Eagle @The Accountant @That Guy @Irfan Baloch @PanzerKiel @AgNoStiC MuSliM @Imran Khan @PAKISTANFOREVER @waz @Windjammer @WinterFangs @KaiserX @niaz @farok84 @AZADPAKISTAN2009 @MastanKhan @krash @FOOLS_NIGHTMARE @Bilal Khan (Quwa) @Cookie Monster @Bratva @Foxtrot Alpha @Rafael @Rafi @Trango Towers @Indus Pakistan @Falcon26 @Norwegian @LeGenD @Iltutmish @notorious_eagle @Akh1112 @mingle @AZADPAKISTAN2009 @Horus @Ark_Angel @SQ8 @Goenitz @messiach @TaimiKhan @SecularNationalist @farok84 @Blacklight @Meengla @Ahmet Pasha @Dalit @ARMalik @Sainthood 101 @Zibago @Jango @untitled @Reichsmarschall @Bleek @Dual Wielder @Smoke @RescueRanger @Trango Towers @Asimzranger @FuturePAF @Imad.Khan @forcetrip @baqai @blain2 @khail007 @N.Siddiqui @kingQamaR @Wergeland @PakAlp @Khan2727 @Great Janjua @VCheng @Bleek @Sifar zero @Maula Jatt @PakSarZameen47 @Abid123

I am shocked that this ex federal minister is not aware of ECO, Economic Co-operation organisation.
He was complaining about Pakistan not being in regional blocks, but ECO is a fully functioning regional block with a broad structure.

You would think he would know, or should know, especially since he is pushing for greater trade with the Central Asian republics, they are already members of ECO, as is Turkiye, Iran and Afghanistan.

These leaders really do have a screw loose somewhere, really enjoyed the discussion, but I was shocked at this lack of awareness regarding the ECO. There is a mechanism, it is laying dormant, make it work, rather then crying about lack of this and that.

 

[VCheng]

They are so many reasons for them to bust their *** to attain more wealth and power. The more wealth and power you have the greater your capacity to shape this world to your liking becomes. Bill Gates, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos could have sold their first major successful business early on and lived a very peaceful life as multi-millionaires; however, their great vision and never-ending hunger made them bust their *** even harder when they became rich to become some of the wealthiest and most powerful people on Earth.

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.

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.

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

Question is though - was 22 families better than the mess of nationalization that Bhutto did?
By not nationalizing and instead promoting a free market would these 22 families eventually faced competition later on?

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.

Of course, they were better. Nationalization harmed our country more than India did.

Please see the above.

Bhutto (and associated leftists) destroyed not only the productive businesses of the 22 families, he also destroyed our schools by nationalizing them.

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.

 

[_NOBODY_]

I am shocked that this ex federal minister is not aware of ECO, Economic Co-operation organisation.
He was complaining about Pakistan not being in regional blocks, but ECO is a fully functioning regional block with a broad structure.

You would think he would know, or should know, especially since he is pushing for greater trade with the Central Asian republics, they are already members of ECO, as is Turkiye, Iran and Afghanistan.

These leaders really do have a screw loose somewhere, really enjoyed the discussion, but I was shocked at this lack of awareness regarding the ECO. There is a mechanism, it is laying dormant, make it work, rather then crying about lack of this and that.

The only fully functioning regional bloc that Pakistan is in is the SCO, ECO is a joke compared to major trading blocs around the world.

 

[Zarvan]

As I said: no thank you.

And your syndrome is hating everyone who is successful even if they have worked and made it legally.

 

[VCheng]

And your syndrome is hating everyone who is successful even if they have worked and made it legally.

Legally? Okay then. What is legal in Pakistan makes what is happening there okay, by that standard. Think about that for a moment.

 

[peagle]

The only fully functioning regional bloc that Pakistan is in is the SCO, ECO is a joke compared to major trading blocs around the world.

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.

 

[Ssan]

All I know is that the 22 families were actually industrializing Pakistan- they were doing a good job. Then Bhutto and the leftists screwed it all up. Which is why I am suspicious of anyone that scapegoats the 22 families.

We can have a philosophical conversation about class later. Suffice it to say that currently our elitist class are not capitalists but political affiliates of groups of landlords and feudals. With the exception of the PTI, their politics is one of ethnicity and regionalism because they are the lowest denominator in our society. They are leeches not capitalists.

Ofcourse, it is possible that business interests can eventually corrupt too like in the US but our corruption is not coming from capitalist types. Our state and judiciary is actually corrupted thanks to leftist marxists. So is our bureaucracy.

Except calling them leftists is even a joke. People are excluded because of what ethnicity they belong to. For example, the muhajirs in Karachi have been completely excluded from bureaucracy.

 

[VCheng]

Suffice it to say that currently our elitist class are not capitalists but political affiliates of groups of landlords and feudals.

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