Hashwani hails both Sharifs Says Pakistan is his passion

LONDON: Renowned Pakistani business magnate Sadruddin Hashwani has said that he doesn’t feel unsafe in Pakistan anymore and he had to shift his family abroad for 6 years during the PPP government for political reasons.

The renowned businessman was answering questions of the audience after delivering a lecture here at the think-tank, International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS). One of the most prominent businessmen of Pakistan, Hashwani spoke about his book “Truth Always Prevails” which explores Sadruddin Hashwani’s life from sleeping in the back of trucks in the cold deserts of Balochistan to now owning a brand of luxury hotels and numerous other businesses.

“I choose to live in Pakistan because Pakistan to me is not just a country. It’s my emotion, it’s my love affair. I have always fought for it and I always will. I will never leave Pakistan for anything else on this planet,” he answered when asked why he was doing business in Pakistan despite facing some difficulties in the past.

Hashwani said that the Marriot-Islamabad bombing of 2008 was not less than a near-death experience and shocking in every sense but he sent a strong message to the perpetrators of terror by re-building and re-opening the hotel in just 90 days.

“I wanted to make a statement that we Pakistanis are known for resilience and for dealing with extreme challenges,” he told the audience, explaining that he had to shift his family abroad because of political differences with someone powerful.

Sadruddin Hashwani, who is founder and chairman of the Hashoo Group, said that Pakistan’s economic situation is much better than before and he credited Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s economic policies for the economic turnaround. However, he said that the team around PM Sharif was not efficient and effective. “Things are better but the old rotten system is still there, there need to be a proper accountability in place, things can’t go on like this, the system has to deliver for the poor people, that’s not happening at the moment,” he held.  

Hashwani said that Pakistan’s security situation had improved a great deal and Army Chief General Raheel Sharif had played a leading role in bringing normalcy to areas of Balochistan, Sindh and tribal areas. “Raheel Sharif is a man of qualities. He has done an excellent job and deserves full credit for rooting out terrorists who were roaming around freely in vast parts of Pakistan. Raheel Sharif means business and nothing else,” he said.

“Raheel Sharif is an honest and clean man. He has done a superb job so far. Asif Nawaz was a brilliant soldier and after him it’s Raheel Shareef. I feel safe in Pakistan now because of the actions he has taken.” 

He said that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) offers great opportunities for Pakistan if exploited properly. He said it was encouraging that Pakistan Army had taken responsibility for the security of Chinese workers. 

Answering a question, Hashwani said that he was a Baloch himself, spent years in the province and it was a “sad fact” that Baloch chieftains had been the biggest hindrance in the way to peace and progress in Balochistan. “They enslaved their people, didn’t allow them any chances in life and now they are complaining.” 

Hashwani told Geo News that India had imposed three wars on Pakistan and sponsored Mukti Bahini. “India has done everything to destroy Pakistan and to create instability in the country. It helped create Bangladesh but thanks God we now have nuclear weapons. Our defence is impregnable now and I am sure India will not do any adventurism against Pakistan or it will be taught a tough lesson,” Hashwani remarked.