LAHORE: Business success in Pakistan is rare but accumulation of wealth through unethical means is common. There are more wealthy crooks in Pakistan than genuine businessmen who created wealth legally through their produce and hard work.
It is surprising that smugglers, thugs, and manipulators showcase their wealth openly while those who attained huge success through legal means tend to operate low key. The society loves and respects smugglers and corrupt who are not afraid to reveal their wealth.
They command respect because of their high handedness. There are armed guards around them to make sure that no other thug tries to kidnap them for ransom or insult them.
Honest operators do not employ armed guards while they move around. Barring few wealthiest businessmen, most of them are not known to the general public.
Once I interviewed a successful entrepreneur who started his business by making plastic sandals at home on his small plastic moulding machine during the day, and selling them in the market in the evening. Now his company is listed in the Pakistan Stock Exchange.
He pays all his taxes honestly and many times corrupt officials slap unjust taxes by auditing his accounts. Each time he challenges them and wins all the appeals after years of struggle. But during the interview he requested that his actual worth should not be disclosed. On being asked why he said he does not want to become a target of kidnapers or criminal elements.
Then there were three brothers in the taxpayers list of FBR a few years back and one of them was the top taxpayer of that year, while the remaining two brothers were among the top ten. Even the likes of Mansha and Dawood or Baber Ali were behind them. They refused to give any interview that highlighted them. Again the simple reason was that they did not want to become a target of criminal elements.
So why is it that the smugglers and speculators openly display their wealth but genuine and honest taxpayers shy away from publicity? They do want to be appreciated but they do not desire to be victimised because of their wealth.
Since they work legally and honestly, they do not see the need to protect themselves. The thugs create wealth illegally and need to protect themselves and their illegal wealth so they hire and move in security.
We glorify crime, we pamper politicians when in power, smugglers are respected, tax evaders are revered but we ignore our economic heroes – the entrepreneurs who are providing jobs to fellow countrymen; earning foreign exchange and creating goodwill for Pakistan. There is a general tendency in Pakistan to doubt genuine success. People scoff at any successful and hardworking entrepreneur revealing his humble beginning.
Successful and genuine entrepreneurs never hide their humble beginning, but are proud of their entrepreneurship, innovation and hard work that resulted in their success. Look at Jang Group, it never hid its small beginning and sponsors feel proud about their success. The group weathered many storms in the past and came out stronger every time.
Opponents enjoyed the plight of this group whenever the chips were down, but had to eat their words when it bounced back. Common man knows stock market players, construction tycoons, and smugglers because they dispose charity openly. They are among the richest persons of Pakistan because the loopholes in the system allowed them to accumulate wealth without paying proportionate taxes.
The prevailing system has made Pakistan a heaven to conduct business without formally entering the documented economy. Those who whiten wealth through stocks or remittances can enter formal economy later, but they still continue to rely on the loopholes in law to whiten their black money.
General public is unaware of Seema Aziz, a businesswoman. Besides running Bareeze fabric and garments the world over, she provides quality education to over 127,000 students through her transparently managed NGO.
Similarly Ateed Riaz a successful businessman would be an unfamiliar name among the masses. He operates over 900 top quality schools throughout Pakistan imparting education to over 147,000 students. There are many unsung IT experts in Pakistan who are earning millions of dollars through their expertise for Pakistan.
Making money is not a sin but the way you generate wealth matters. An entrepreneur has to be respected even if he is earning 50 percent profit on investment through legal means and is paying due taxes. If the earning however is through illegal means; through cartel, monopoly or smuggling and under-invoicing that person should be shunned by the society.