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Mobilizing Airwaves

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Mobilizing Airwaves

By Noor Ul Ain Hanif  with Hiba Moeen

Over the years, radio has played a pivotal role in rapidly bringing a wide range of international and local news over the airwaves. In the meanwhile, it has groomed and shifted from the traditional radio device and has been able to integrate itself into other devices, making it one of the most easy to reach mediums.

Radio Asia Conference is annually arranged by Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) with an aim to provide a platform to all the member countries that come under Asia Pacific region to share new ideas, experiences, and grab fruitful results out of the challenges they face. The aim is to bring leading media practitioners, community and commercial radio, policy makers, communication specialists and public service academics together across Asia-Pacific and beyond. ABU was formed in 1964, and this year, partnering with MBC Radio, it conducted its 10th annual session in Sri Lanka considering the country’s vibrant history in broadcasting radio. The conference was themed, RadioAsia2014 – It’s all about content: Positioning new radio in the knowledge society.

The RadioAsia2014 Conference was held from 22 to 24 May in Colombo. It comprised of a two and a half day conference and four workshops. It was further encompassed with rousing speeches, thought provoking panel discussions, and sessions that were more towards exploring innovative ideas, and success theories that will contribute in producing good content for listeners were also shared among the members. At the conference, the future of radio and its role in generating revenues remained the main agenda.

The first workshop titled, ‘Exciting! The power of words – best storytelling on radio’ addressed the art of storytelling than merely introducing a topic on air. The facilitators comprising of BCI Media Experts shed light upon expressing a personality through fact collection and authenticity of content. They further discussed about the utmost importance of the DJ being thoroughly equipped with the knowledge of the topic being discussed while giving substance to the listener’s imagination.

The following workshop, ‘Generating New Revenues through New Media Facilitators’, discussed about innovative ways of revenue generation for radio.

The two day conference comprised of eight sessions proactively planned to bring about an enhanced shift in radio broadcasting and it’s sound utilization through technology innovation. Innovative strategies being employed was another feature that can be used in the mobilization of this medium; such as the tools for promoting radio to media buyers and the use of modern equipment in content creation. While radio cannot remain an unorthodox channel, quite a lot of useful discussion took place regarding targeting smart phone users.

Furthermore, radio journalism and social media need to play a responsible role in shaping the society that they are a part of, this turned out to be a much debatable session followed by discussion attributed to marketing strategies for standing out in a crowded media and market leadership being the area in focus.

Pakistan is also a proud member of ABU and Zulfiqar Shah, CEO of Hot FM 105 attended the conference. Likewise, different members from Middle East, Korea, Australia and other countries also participated. Among the workshop facilitators were some renowned personalities, such as, Nedra Weerasinghe, Steve Ahern and Wolfarm Tech from Srilanka, Australia and Germany respectively, and 37 speakers representing a diverse set of fields. This year WorldDMB displayed a large range of DAB and DAB+ receivers at the event. The Conference was sponsored by different companies classified as principle, major, gold sponsors, supporters, and online media partners.

The conference also shed light over the role of radio in disaster management – how it coordinates to highlight the problems and sufferings of the affected people so that fundraising campaigns could be launched to help the affected communities. Radio is a savior and voice of the regions that fall under war zones or face other social issues. It has remained an effective medium of communication and has a strong history behind the development of any country, however, when it comes to countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh, freedom of speech is limited and the voice of radio is always kept to limited areas of discussions by the regulating authorities.

The second edition of the ABU Radio Song Festival Gala Night was also arranged which was held parallel to the RadioAsia2014 Conference. The Gala night was illuminated by the performance of some of the best unseen and unheard melodious artists of the Asia Pacific region. This unique cultural event provides opportunities for hidden singing talent to prosper.

This conference is a great initiative that brings all the member countries on a single platform where professionals can learn from each other’s experience. The new techniques acquired can thus be applied within their own country and for developing countries like Pakistan, such forums play a significant role in improving radio content and broadcasting.

 

KE – Illuminating Kolachi’s Pride

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KE – Illuminating Kolachi’s Pride

By Sanna Malik

The ‘city of lights’ as Karachi is called, owes its magnificence and its metaphorical brightness to its folks; including the founding- parents of modern Karachi who worked through encumbrances from rampant corruption, unwarranted censorship of intellectual discourse to propagation thriving in the face of weakened faith and growing mindlessness. They toiled resiliently; using their ingenuity in the face of the ever-increasing madness delivering for life and passionately accounting to those responsibilities they have taken on themselves, envisioning and creating, sporting and achieving; chiseling their unique identities in the process.

K-Electric, the city’s electric power utility company since the past 100 years, honored 25 such individuals in a grand ceremony held at the historic Mohatta Palace. Also, published at the occasion was the “KE Pride of Karachi Awards” which pays homage to the city and its pride.

Written by the eloquent Imran Aslam, the book starts off with a personal tribute to the history of Kolachi in it’s hey days of pre- and post-partition splendor. He traces the birth of this thriving metropolis to the famed, Mai Kolachi, the (mythical?) founder of the city and narrates the landing of different races on the shores of Kolachi, the somewhat remaining effect of British bourgeois on the city, the pre-partition ownership commanded by the likes of Dayaram Jethmal (DJ), Nadirshaw Eduljee Dinshaw (NED) and other Hindus, Parsis and Christians alongside Muslims who wanted to see the city prosper.

Imran has delved into the after effects of partition and the culture of the Indian Muslim inhabitants most of whom came as refugees from riverside valleys, going on to describe how that evolved the Karachi society; its traditions and intellectual landscape.The narrative is powerful enough to move the reader emotionally while pressing on any passionate Karachiite’s appetite to know more about the ever transitioning and shredded city that is now our home making one question; how could we allow a culture of loathing to prosper in such a happening city that always spread its arms to take all in? On a lighter note, his recollection for points and places of the era gone by is enough to rouse any Karachiwala’s nostalgia. It also brought to my mind Mehdi Zaheer’s poem written in the ‘50s, ‘Bandar Road Say Keamari’, sung by Ahmed Rushdi; creating an image of the old peaceful city and the well-ordered discipline that it was imagined with, which was allowed to die out as times progressed.

With a message of hope, the book progresses on to the five award categories and council members who nominated and chose the award winners. The first category, ‘Leaders, Visionaries & Social Change-makers’ was chaired by Dr. Abdul Bari Khan of Dow’s blood bank; Abdul Majid Bhatti, the senior journalist and sports correspondent; CPLC founder Jameel Yusuf; and the prolific and diverse Javed Jabbar. The next one, ‘Literature’, was manned by the famed journalist, Ghazi Salahuddin, and Asif Farrukhi the fiction writer, critic and translator. Seema Taher Khan of Interflow Group and Arshad Mahmud, the legendary figure of our music and entertainment industry, judged the third category, ‘Performing & Visual Arts’. Durriya Qazi, Shahab Ghani Khan and Tariq A. Qaiser; the prominent artist and architects, respectively, were council for ‘Arts & Architecture’, the fourth category. Last but not the least, the ‘Sports’ category was advised by Salahuddin Mulla, the former test cricketer and Chief Selector for PCB; Samiullah Khan, Pakistan Hockey’s ‘Flying Horse’; Chishty Mujahid, the Cricket journalist and broadcaster; and Abdul Majid Bhatti.

The book presents the winners in its signature mesmerizing style, powerful enough to move the reader to take a bow to each. Starting with Abdul Sattar Edhi calling him ‘the living saint of Mithadar’; the book includes late Akhtar Hameed Khan, founder of the Orangi Pilot Project; Dr. Adibul Hassan Rizvi, the visionary behind SIUT; the committed gynecologist, Dr. Shershah Syed; the grand tibbimahir late Hakim Muhammad Said; and Dr. Nadira Panjwani who seeks to educate the blind. The list moves on to Dr. Ruth Pfau, the German lady behind the Mary Adelaide Leprosy Centre; Sister Ruth Lewis, Dar-ul-Sukun’s angel; and Zubeida A. Dossal, the teaching methodology genius behind the Teacher’s Resource Centre. Relentless wordsmiths and poets having the craft to pull the strings of any reader’s sensibilities; Amar Jaleel, the late Jon Elia, Mushtaq Ahmed Yousufi and Zehra Nigah follow the leaders and social change-makers. Performers and visual artists include the phenomenal Moin Akhtar; followed by the entertainment maverick Zia Mohyeddin; the melodious and soothing Mehdi Hassan Khan and Ustaad Naseeruddin Sami of the classical Delhi Gharana. Architects, Arshad Abdulla and Habib Fida Ali are featured next along with the art conservationist and critic, Marjorie Husain; and sculptor, Shahid Sajjad. The Sports awards were given to the late Hockey player, Anwar Ahmed Khan; cricketer Hanif Muhammad; Squash legend Jahangir Khan and Snooker world champion, Mohammad Yousuf.

Another worth reading aspect of the book is the message from the Chairman of K-Electric, Tabish Gauhar. While it does glorify the utility organization, considering the controversies surrounding it, the message is written in a down-to-earth tone of a missionary at work, which adds believability to Tabish’s claim of safeguarding long-term interests of Karachiites. It also gives an insight into how an organization like K-Electric has a challenging role to play towards its ever-increasing stakeholders in an environment of decreasing investor confidence.

Noting a part of his message, “Public service is a…thankless job by definition…”, I started thinking; if K-Electric could talk to us more, could tell us more about its dedication towards this city, may be educate us on why power breakdowns happen the way they happen and what all is needed to restore the ‘light’ back on; us Karachiwalas may see the method to the madness and be more forgiving for our times of darkness, don’t you think?

 

Integrating NOKIA

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Integrating NOKIA

In 2013, Nokia decided to beef up sales by countering the challenge of getting non-Nokia users to consider the brand when deciding on buying a cellular device and eventually become Nokia users.

To carry out this strategy, Nokia integrated itself quite innovatively across different platforms while becoming a part of the content that has pleased its target audience.

The journey has been a splendid one that has delighted its target audience while the brand intelligently interacted with them.

Scanning the Pace of Trendsetters: Nokia at PAS Awards

Nokia wanted to engage the trendsetters of the industry through an interactive and an exciting activity to create brand awareness and build upon the brand recall value for Nokia Lumia 820. Creating an engagement activity for the industry’s trend setters at PAS Awards – Pakistan Advertisers Society Awards – Pakistan’s biggest advertising awards, was nothing less than a challenge.

Nokia, therefore, used a communication strategy based on a Wi-Fi password, #switchtolumia. Attendees were asked to scan the QR Codes on tables which then redirected them to a specially designed app for participation in the competition based on a simple question related to award nominations. The first 10 winners giving correct answers were given Nokia Lumia 820 and were announced on Nokia’s Facebook page as well as the PAS newsletter.

The impact was outstanding with 100% visibility and exclusive integration throughout the event resulting in audience engagement over 25% compared to preceding events’ 2%. This, in a nutshell was the highest engagement rate in Pakistan for the brand.

Nokia Accessorizing Fashion Shows 

Having a premium yet cost effective presence for a bull’s eye audience gathered at one place is not an easy task.

In order to create demand for a vibrant smart phone by making it a fashion statement for the youth, Nokia Lumia unveiled itself in Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC) show which is one of the most glamorous events, attended by fashion enthusiasts from metropolitan cities.

Nokia explored the opportunity to brand the collection of contemporary designer, Mohsin Ali as the brightly dressed models flaunted the colorful sets on the ramp as a prized possession. Also strategically deployed was a banner placement that read, ‘Perfect Photos in Low Light’ thus specifically highlighting the brand’s camera feature for photography enthusiasts. Among the branded highlights were Nokia Lumia sponsored integrated fashion segment and photographer’s pit, entrance branding and experience zone.

The event sponsorship not only turned out to be unique in terms of its execution and idea but also helped in penetrating the market by churning out 100% brand visibility and over 10% audience engagement rate. Apart from the captivating experience zone, Nokia was able to get more than 20,000 views via live streaming and 10,000 + likes on Facebook photos.

Talking about an amalgamation of celebrity endorsements, HUM Awards were also capitalized upon with branded interview spots.

Nokia with ‘The Man of Steel’

With the aim of promoting Nokia Lumia 720 and building an association with ‘The Man of Steel’ as part of being the global partner, Nokia planned a comprehensive campaign to entice the audience with awe.

The deal was initiated by Carat with Geo Films which was the official distributor for the movie. This included an exclusive red carpet movie premier and promos the airing of which was done on Geo Entertainment’s platform alongside renowned celebrities like Momal Sheikh, Shahzad Roy, Faisal Qureshi, and Iraj Manzoor. This also included a month’s worth of cinema branding by Carat starting from the launch date. Meanwhile, an exclusive TV campaign on some of the top rated channels, OOH sites at strategic locations and a digital campaign on top portals were also Launched.

The results were outstanding, facilitating a 75% TV audience reach and an increase in sales of Nokia Lumia by 50% while the number of clicks and Click though Rate were 5,786 and 0.15% respectively.

Expressing through Celebrity Endorsement: Chennai Express

In-film branding or placements are on the rise also because of high endorsement fees associated with actors. In order to create hype among the target audience and make Nokia Lumia 720 a must have gadget, an association with Shahrukh Khan and his movie, Chennai Express became a perfect blend for brand integration.

Knowing the massive fan following of the actor, it seemed like a perfectly timed strategy for persuasive advertising for a mature brand. This served the purpose of reminding the target audience regarding the prompt functionality of a Windows phone that is already in tough competition with Andriod phones. Also as a result of this celebrity endorsement, Nokia educated the consumers about the phone’s features in the form of a TVC.

Eventually, movie integration and celebrity endorsement created great hype for the already user friendly brand.

‘KUCH KAR DIKHA’: The Travel Show on Pakistan

Local research suggested that opportunity lied with high-end youth who lack access and exposure to content derived in Pakistan that they can relate to. Hence an execution that will involve young opinion leaders from Pakistan was the need of the hour.

Lumia range comprises of extremely innovative smartphones meant for tech savvy and socially connected people who want to stay ahead. The youngsters falling in this area are adventurous, daring and willing to explore.

There could not have been a better execution than a travel show and ‘Kuch Kar Dikha’ – Show the World You Can – was born, having flavors of drama and youthfulness. The Lumia 1020 was integrated into the show content with its imaging capabilities as the ‘hero’ of the show.

Nokia left no platform unattended and planned a 360 degree marketing approach. The two million Facebook fans of Nokia Pakistan were integrated into the effort and a drive was conducted on Facebook to select a talent representative of the target audience. Aqeel Malik happened to be the lucky recruit from the social media community for the 38 day travel show. Nine exotic locations across Pakistan were chosen to emphasize on the tourism potential of the country as well as bring out any adventure lover’s passion.

A press event was carried out that also launched the Lumia 1520. A photo gallery consisting of vibrant images of beautiful locations from around Pakistan captured with Lumia phones was also a part of the event that showcased the camera capabilities of the phones. A photo calendar was published along with the travel fact book. Bloggers and prominent personalities were invited to the event which got 818 seconds of TV coverage on 11 channels and was talked about on 42 blogs and 39 print publications.

To amplify the show, a melodious theme based song was sung by the renowned Bollywood singer, Shankar Mahadevan. The well written lyrics and beautifully composed song touched the hearts and souls of many which is evident from the impact it created through a reach of 59%, 10.2 million radio listeners, 3.88 million impressions, and social actions of 5,073 likes, 2,178 shares and a massive 880,000 plus views.

Kuch Kar Dikha was broadcasted on ARY Digital along with the teaser and song promo, which were also cross-promoted over the network’s channels; ARY News, ARY Zauq, ARY Musik and HBO.

A digital hub was created on Nokia Pakistan’s Facebook page cross-linked to a Windows app that would keep the content available for the users even when it went off air, which included weekly episodes, behind the scene videos, pictures, wallpapers and caricatures of the cast as well as images captured through Lumia phones. The impact turned out to be as promising as the efforts put into the entire campaign with the hub reaching more than five million people, 175,000 plus clicks, 22,600,000 plus likes, 3,800,000 plus shares and 1,300,000 plus comments.

Eventually, Nokia Pakistan has been able to generate a profound impact by tapping into its target audience of fun loving, young enthusiasts through which a lucrative customer lifetime value can be achieved. When you think of a smartphone, you think of Nokia.

 

Can Brands Help Revive Cinema Culture In Pakistan

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Can Brands Help Revive Cinema Culture In Pakistan

Maria Mahesar

Cinema, often considered by experts as a tool that can either make or break the perception of the country of the movie’s originates from, is currently in the process of continuous evolution in Pakistan. Yet, this powerful tool still has to be capitalized to the fullest; especially since Pakistan is often the victim of negative perception in the eyes of the western media. We are a nation where talent is growing as fast as the economy of any developed country but the lack of platforms and opportunities to showcase that talent remains the main obstacle in the way of taking cinema culture in Pakistan to the next level.

One of the areas where this talent needs major support is a rapidly growing interest in our youth i.e. Filmmaking. With the right corporate infrastructure in place, brands indeed have a pivotal role to play in reviving the cinema culture; once perceived as the pride of Pakistan. We’ve seen support in the recent past from brands but monetary support has often been compensated by forced, in-the-face promotion of the brand and product placement throughout the movie. But with no sense of assurity or support from the government, often aspiring filmmakers have fallen victim to the corporate wish-list that has often hampered the creativity of filmmaking. Instead of jeopardizing creativity of the filmmaking process, brands should look into areas that can further enhance and nurture the art of filmmaking in Pakistan.

We’ve seen more people joining the filmmaking bandwagon but have they been able to showcase their talent and release their film is a question that remains unanswered. We’ve even seen rise in state-of-the-art cinema houses in urban outlets across Pakistan but foreign films remain the center of attention of cinemagoers. This is the perfect opportunity for brands to fill the gap by cashing in an area that is of an interest to many in Pakistan. Initiating workshops, supporting scripts with a strong message, showcasing films at international film festivals can help generate interest by large in Pakistan that in turn can result in majorly reviving the cinema culture of Pakistan.

We’ve seen films making it to the top in recent years; Khuda Kay Liye and Bol, to name a few. But it is only after these films are appreciated in other countries that encourages brands to support the release of the same film in Pakistan, usually after the response from international film festivals before we start appreciating and applauding the hard work invested by our local filmmakers. Given the competitive nature of filmmaking today, the attitude and mindset of the brand custodians has to change before it’s too late. There should definitely be a win-win-situation for both, film and brand; however it shouldn’t be over and above the prime objective which is to revive the cinema culture of Pakistan. For once, brands must stop over-branding the film where over-display of logos, frequent and unnatural verbal and written mention and POS material of the brand overshadows and takes over the limelight from the film. Supporting a film can also be handled in a credible and authentic fashion that can also win support and loyalty from the movie-watchers. We need to start believing in our talent, our culture and look into ways to support them since day one instead of acknowledging their talent only when they make it big internationally. Brands instead should increase their involvement within the movie by looking into ways such as conducting acting workshops, bringing in international production expertise and more to further help improve the overall look and feel of the movie.

The once popular entertainment medium ‘cinema’ needs to be revived so that we can see more of Pakistan films instead of foreign content. We’ve seen some great movies in the last few years, Khuda Kay Liye, Bol and Mein Hoon Shahid Afridi to name a few. With increased support from brands, the number of films made locally yet recognized internationally may tilt to made and recognized locally.

Brands for once need to keep their interest aside and look into areas such as cinema to not only revive the culture but to also improve the image of the country. It is high time brands look into creative, subtle ways to integrate their presence within a script; leaving the creativity to the film’s craftspeople making it standout as the king of the film.

Maria Mahesar is the National Communications Manager for Red Bull Operations in Pakistan. She can be reached at maria.mahesar@pk.redbull.com

 

Now Moven to Pakistan

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Now Moven to Pakistan

Mirza Mansoor Ahmed, a seasoned veteran with 26 years of experience in the hotel industry of Pakistan talks about the recent challenge Mövenpick Hotels have taken up in the country.

Synergyzer: You’ve been in the hotel industry for more than 26 years, what have been some of the most memorable moments of your career? What made you choose this industry as a profession?

Mirza Mansoor Ahmed: I used to visit a lot of hotels in my childhood; the places, the people, the ambience and the décor would always fascinate me. When the time came for me to choose my career, I had two options, either the hotel industry or finance. I chose the hotel industry and have been here since.

The profession is very interesting; every day is a new day. Many jobs turn monotonous after a certain amount of time but a hotelier meets different kinds of people and comes across different sets of challenges.

We meet dignitaries, bureaucrats, government officials, national and international celebrities and the list continues.

Under the challenging times, there have been some bad memories also but I like to remember the good ones such as receiving the president of Turkey, meeting dignitaries from the Army, Admirals, Chief of General Staff etc. It’s all about cherishing the old memories.

Synergyzer: How would you define the Mövenpick Hotels chain and resorts?

Mansoor: Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts is a Swiss chain of upscale 5 star hotels. It was founded in the year 1974. To date we operate 80 hotels in the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Africa.

Mövenpick has a strong hold in the Middle East where we have 6 hotels in Dubai alone. We also stand strong in Saudi Arabia, Mecca and Medina where we have hotels with 1200 to 1400 rooms.
The chain is growing steadily and by 2015; we plan to have 100 hotels under our brand.

Synergyzer: Why did Mövenpick take so long to enter Pakistan?

Mansoor: Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts is a collection of hotels. We are present in almost all the major cities of the world and it was just a matter of the right time and opportunity.

Perhaps the timings clicked in June 2013 and the contract between Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts was signed with the Arabian Sea Enterprises. Since then we are working on processes, planning for rebranding and converting and taking over the Sheraton Hotel thereby establishing Mövenpick Hotel Karachi.

Synergyzer: What competition would Mövenpick face with established names like PC and Marriott in Pakistan?

Mansoor: PC and Marriott have co-existed for 32 years now. They’ve been together in the same boat during good and bad times.

Mövenpick, although new, can be a very powerful hotel in the country, so competition is always healthy.
Since we have co-existed for 32 years, they have their share of business and we have our share of business. More importantly, Mövenpick is now the largest hotel of the city with 407 rooms, so we have to go a couple of miles extra to fill our business appetite.

Synergyzer: What is your target market?

Mansoor: As a 5 star hotels chain, our targeted customers are corporate travellers. Included in these, we have a segment of businessmen, traders and corporate executives and we also cater to conferences, meetings, exhibitions and seminars. This forms the main majority as Karachi is a business hub. Whether it is dining, banquets or room accommodation, we don’t distinguish ourselves to only cater to the elite class.

Synergyzer: What new attractions has this chain brought to the hotel industry in Pakistan?

Mansoor: Since our takeover from 1st of January 2014, our first priority has been to address the standard of quality and service. We are continuously working on this aspect with the entire team of the hotel to give a better experience to our guests who are coming to avail our hotel services.

As for the changes, we are training our resources and have major renovation plans, initially starting with the first two floors.

We are also in the process of meeting interior designers and project management companies to finalize the arrangement. We hope to start the renovation of the lobby, Al-Bustan and Lamama restaurant, the public toilets and the elevators from the second half of May 2014.

Synergyzer: What price changes are expected to be seen at Mövenpick? Have there been any changes in the management and employees, including the Hotel’s Chef?

Mansoor: The prices are determined by the market. We plan to continue with the same pricing strategy and will adjust it according to market dynamics.

The management has changed from 1st January, 2014 but we have taken on the earlier team as they have been a valuable asset of the hotel and have been working for years within the premises.
We do have an opening for a chef and are also sourcing out an expat chef. We plan to finalize this position within the month.

Synergyzer: How do you plan to deal with the volatile law and order situation in Karachi?

Mansoor: If you look at it in terms of the global scenario, unfortunately, there are many countries that are under similar turmoil. We also have our share of issues and challenges in the city but life goes on.
This city has a population of 20 million people and there are intermittent disturbances but it looks as though it is thriving and robust and from the business point of view everything is as usual.
From the security point of view, we have e-vigilance, security personnel and technical equipment to safeguard our hotel.

6 months ago the owners built an anti-blast wall around the hotel which has further strengthened up the security.

When we took over, our first task was to get ourselves audited from the experts at United Nations Department of Safety and Security. All their inspections were clear so we are a preferred hotel of UNDSS.

Synergyzer: Most corporate meetings have also changed their venues to Dubai, Singapore or Malaysia. What would be your comments on that?

Mansoor: This is not a recent scenario – this has been there since the last 15 years. Generally, when companies plan their annual conferences and management meetings they look for different venues.
In this part of the world, the new hotels or resorts are not coming as frequently as they are coming to other major cities of the world, so the existing companies look for different options every time.

Synergyzer: Do you think your complete renovation plans are going to affect business?

Mansoor: We are reconciling our renovation plans and business development with due precision. On one hand, we’ll deal with one operation, while on the other we will be dealing with the renovation, thus business will be running smoothly.

Synergyzer: Are you planning to take out any promotional campaign for Mövenpick’s marketing in Pakistan?

Mansoor: The process of enforcing the brand of Mövenpick is on-going. We did a pre-takeover and post-takeover marketing campaign. For now, we are planning to promote the family weekend package and the recently launched Sunday Brunch. We also launched our High Tea in March.

Synergyzer: Which promotional methods do you usually prefer?

Mansoor: Primarily, the digital medium because its time efficient and cost efficient. We also use e-mail marketing using the database of more than 10,000 customers. Print Media is very selective.

In the long term we will focus on corporate alliance with multinational and national companies so that they can cater to our clients while we cater to theirs’.

We have a Facebook page that started on 1st January 2014 and within a matter of two months we have received 18,000 fans. This makes us feel awed and warmly welcomed.

Synergyzer: Tell us about your future plans? How many chains are you planning to open in Pakistan and in which cities?

Mansoor: We are here to stay. In a very short span of time we have received many proposals from hotel developers in Lahore and Islamabad and we are currently in dialogue with them. Initially, our target is to begin our expansion from major cities like Lahore and Islamabad.

 

Kuch Kar Dikha

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Kuch Kar Dikha

Synergyzer goes behind the scenes at the NOKIA travel game show to explore Pakistan’s exotica

When conversing about an unpredictable country, such as Pakistan, one normally visualizes a lot of guns, blood and gore. To add fire to the fuel, the news channels go out of their way to showcase violence in a way almost parallel to that of Grand Theft Auto, completely neglecting the other side of the story.

With such channels up our alley and 70% of the content comprising of news, it is only natural to desire something much calmer, more relaxing and maybe a tad bit entertaining.

Nokia, a well-established brand in the smartphone market utilized this insight to achieve its objective for the year 2013 which was to increase the level of consideration of the phone itself as well as to translate this level into an exceeding level of preference, which is where Nokia faced its biggest challenge.

The Lumia consumer is mostly the high-end youth who is tech-savvy, stylish and socially active. These young people are willing to take new risks, indulge in thrilling adventures and are not afraid to exhibit their daring side. However, our youth seldom gets the opportunity to showcase their adventurous side, due to the obviously detrimental conditions of our country. Combining this insight with a huge gap in the entertainment sector to provide any mindful content for the youth, Nokia came to the conclusion that this void in the entertainment sector needs to be filled.

Capturing this longing for more amusing and engaging television standards, the strategy wizards for Nokia created an enthralling campaign which was further developed into an activation idea with a television show, “KuchKarDikha”, based specifically on the youth of Pakistan.

Based on the lines of a travel game show with a hint of mystery and drama, this show is a voyage of 9 participants onboard a 38 day journey through exotic and striking locations of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. In each episode these individuals compete in a series of challenges examining their skills, courage and determination. The Nokia Lumia 1520, was used as one of the primary gadgets throughout the show, leaving a lot of people spell bound by its six-inch HD display, a vibrant interface and a series of impressive features; the key being its 20MP Pure View camera, a must have accessory for spirited individuals who want to capture high-resolution photos of their escapades.

The show thrived to depict the other side of Pakistan that is rarely known to the world while also managing to exhibit Lumia devices and their camera capabilities.

Nokia’s KuchKarDikha also became a trend-setter in the telecommunication category as for the first time ever, branded entertainment content was specifically developed to enhance the key features of a tech device.

This smart approach was the framework of the success of Nokia Lumia as it integrated a brilliant strategy of a youth based approach while associating the usage of a trendy phone to go along with it. It was then of course, not a wonder that this strategy was awarded with the Best Strategy Award, 2013 in Shanghai during the annual Nokia Strategy Meeting.

This creative brainpower, however needed an extensive amount of fuel which was engineered by the leading television channel, ARY NETWORK through which, the show and its teasers were promoted quite expansively. The identity of the show ‘KuchKarDikha’ translating to ‘Show the world you can’ was then created which managed to live up to its name.

The digital campaign was launched through social media websites like Facebook and Twitter. Nokia’s Facebook community of 2.0 million helped in the initial promotion and recruitment drive which gave Aqeel Malik, an enthusiastic young fan, a chance to live a captivating journey through the KKD platform. Chosen through a Facebook competition, Aqeel represented millions of adventure loving youth throughout Pakistan.

The actual execution wasn’t really a piece of cake and it took more than just layers to combat the harsh cold weather. But fighting against all odds, this committed team of 50 members captured some of the most spellbinding shots of Pakistan & Azad Kashmir, taken through the impressive high definition Lumia Camera and also created some valuable assets such as hyper lapse and panoramas.

With the most important task under the way, it was time to uphold the entire strategy and take it to the audience. 18th February 2014 was the day when the travel reality show was announced in a well-attended media launch event of Nokia Lumia 1520. 42 bloggers, 39 magazines/newspapers and as many as 11 news channels covered the launch event, providing up to 818 seconds of coverage. Leading marketing and entertainment portals like Brandsynario and Mediapoondi also covered the launch event. The travel fact book, created as part of the press kit received special mention and appreciation on these portals.

Music wasn’t forgotten and an awe-inspiring song was designed as the original sound track of the show, which was sung by the renowned Bollywood singer, Shankar Madhevan. It was promoted expansively on Facebook and Twitter as well as on ARY Network and managed to acquire high acclaims and accolades. The song reached 59% of the audience, and attained 2.97 million impressions through television and 10.2 million impressions through Radio channels.

A digital hub was created on Facebook and Twitter page to interact with the audience and to keep them glued to the show. The hub included episodes from the show, promos, behind the scenes, production stills and images captured through the Lumia phones.

Although, a proper research will be required after the completion of the show to evaluate if the impact of this campaign is aligned with its objectives but in totality, Nokia Lumia has managed to build a vast amount of recognition and has been able to convey a better image of Pakistan. With an exceptional strategic management approach to its credit, Nokia has once again, managed to rise against the odds.

 

PAKISTAN IDOL: A Reckoning Force

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PAKISTAN IDOL: A Reckoning Force

It’s a common adage that if you really want something, the whole universe conspires and helps you achieve it. When you have nothing to hide and lots to show, destiny gives you unexpected but clear avenues to get what you want.
Scores of individuals across Pakistan took part in the Pakistan Idol auditions. Some were lucky enough to get acknowledgement from esteemed judges and some were unable to set the right impression. Also, there were those who, despite their efforts, could not make it to the auditions. For such candidates, who regardless wanted to shine and be in the spotlight, the last chance audition came as a miraculous surprise. They were given the opportunity to showcase their confidence and singing talent through these auditions.

One such individual for whom the last chance audition proved to be a clear path to reach closer to her ultimate destination of being the first ever Pakistan Idol is Rose Mary. The power packed performances on stage of this talented girl has taken her to the top five; allowing her to craft an edge for herself from the close and lucky break she got.

In addition to the last chance auditions, immense support and guidance that Pakistani singers are extending to the contestants is also lending a helping hand to them to bring improvement in their singing. Mentoring sessions with classy and talented, Zoe Viccaji, and renowned pop band, Strings, are helping these youngsters rock the stage with their performances and win the hearts of their fans. The mentoring sessions with Zoe and Strings not only improves their singing but also provides them tips to be charismatic and charming. These sessions are designed to instill star power in the contestants which will allow them to give their best shot combined with their confidence and talent.
Now, that the mega contest has entered its final stages, our message to the contestants is, “Tau Phir Dar Kaisa, Bas Ker Jao Meray Yaar!”

 

The Art of Leading Excellence

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The Art of Leading Excellence

Social entrepreneurship guru, Faraz Khan, talks to Synergyzer about the need for fostering socially viable projects and rebranding Pakistan.

Synergyzer: Tell us about your achievements as a business leader and details about the role that you have played with different organizations.

Faraz Khan: Firstly, I simply consider myself as a person who strives to live by his beliefs and supports others, especially the youth, to become leaders in their own respect. I believe that the revolutionary streak that many of us have does not always need to be too blatant; rather one has the opportunity to create a stir in smaller circles, which when amalgamated can become a whole new gigantic sphere. Hence, I left a rapidly progressing corporate job eleven years ago and started out with my partner to follow certain mandates that I had in my mind which are now represented in the very core of our belief system at SEED, our company.

Starting off with an outdoor media advertising company, Gizelle Communications (Pvt.) Ltd., we revolutionized this stream of advertising, creating the first public-private sector partnership and in turn churning out a completely novel way of transit media advertising amongst our other community-centric projects. This earned the company Pakistan’s largest CSR award by Standard Chartered Bank and also paved way for a number of social enterprises and companies that addressed gaps in a number of prominent sectors.

In 2009, SEED – Social, Entrepreneurship & Equity Development, was formed. A holdings company for all of our companies, projects and initiatives, SEED is the only platform for a number of social enterprises in Pakistan. Equity Development is also a very important mandate at SEED as we believe in providing opportunities, encouraging individuals and communities to take ownership of any initiative and making such ideas self-sufficient.

Apart from my own companies and initiatives, I work to support and promote bridging gaps between nations and communities as well as develop entrepreneurship especially for times to come. I also sit on the Advisory Boards of several global organizations such as APPGE – All Party Parliamentary Group for Entrepreneurship, and Atlantic Council US and am a member of Catalyst UKTI. Being a part of these organizations in this capacity gives me the freedom to ‘nurture’ those initiatives or individuals that have the potential to bring about a difference.

Synergyzer: Please give details about the concept of social entrepreneurship.

Faraz: Entrepreneurship in its conventional sense means taking economic risks to fulfill a market need, with the objective of scaling business through profits. In contrast, social entrepreneurship is applied to bring improvement in community well-being instead of only maximizing profits. When we talk about profits here, it is important to understand that money is simply treated as a means to an end and not as the final product. Finances are resources which help maintain costs and drive operations. Whether constituted as for profit or not for profit, the primary goals of social entrepreneurs are to achieve social or environmental improvement.

The philosophy that drives such entrepreneurs is ‘bringing about transformational change in society’ and their vision is fiercely social in nature. All activity is driven to create maximum social impact which creates room for social innovation. The scalability of social enterprises is dependent on empowering the beneficiaries of such a program to a level where they are able to take ownership of the initiative and drive it forth thus expanding the circle of impact.

Synergyzer: How did the concept of social entrepreneurship come about and who are the main drivers for this concept?

Faraz: Interestingly, the term ‘social entrepreneurship’ is still in its infant phase in Pakistan and perhaps in its adolescence in the more developed countries of the world; yet its practice has existed for a long time. It is important to understand that gaps and issues in the socio-economic setup and environment exist in every country with varying intensity. The sect called social entrepreneurs is a very interesting breed if I may say so. Their minds work to bridge widening gaps by acknowledging and comprehending these issues at an individual level. It is an established fact that when the public sector is looking at theoretical solutions for any problem or at times even oblivious to the requirements of the environment and community, it is people from within the community who take a step forward and initiate change to address the gaps that seem to have no solution on the surface. These people base their entrepreneurial efforts, on passion, an innovative mindset and extreme yet practical optimism keeping long-term sustainability in mind and emerge as the real change agents or social entrepreneurs.

Synergyzer: What potential does SEED have to bring about change and what impact has it created?

Faraz: SEED is the umbrella company with a number of companies and initiatives under its banner. As the only platform for various social enterprises in Pakistan, its novelty lies in the fact that it invests in ideas with a potential of being turned into commercially viable ventures with a long-term sustainability factor in mind. There is a simple formula that we follow at SEED – if there is a need and so far no substantial effort has been taken, we come up with an entrepreneurial solution. It’s no rocket science really. Many of these gaps are in front of us; but it has become our second nature to ignore them or to create a pessimistic scenario in our minds. SEED has initiatives that cater to sectors ranging from education, environment and heritage, socio-economic development, microenterprises, bilateral trade, media and advertising, art, and most of all, entrepreneurship. For initiatives that are more socially inclined and people-oriented, we start with extensive research to understand the dynamics of the situation and the community, and identify gaps, stakeholders, and provide the way forward. Devising a business model for these projects is next on the agenda, which is essential for the longevity and effectiveness of these ventures long after we are gone. It is then that measures are taken accordingly, whether they are training programs for grass-root entrepreneurs through PEMS – Potential Enterprise Mapping Strategy; or incubating, mentoring, accelerating and scaling up startups through SEED Incubation Centre and Startup Dosti; creating awareness and conservation of architectural and cultural heritage through Reimagining Pakistan (RPK); or reviving the culture of reading and writing through FK Squared. These are just a few of the initiatives by SEED, yet if mimicked by others by joining hands with us, their impact would be colossal.

Synergyzer: How has the organization impacted different communities, especially the Pakistani diaspora in UK and Pakistanis living in Pakistan?

Faraz: Since SEED has a strong presence in the UK, UAE and Sri Lanka besides Pakistan, and we have collaborations and partnerships with organizations in the USA, it gives us more opportunity and a far wider reach to introduce and promote issues that exist within any society, whether developed or developing. It is only after awareness is created that solutions can be suggested and implemented. Human nature is the same everywhere; the requirement and desire for better lives, brighter future, scaling up, widening horizons, bringing dreams to life, are also the same. Governments, state and business community understand that the gap between nations and communities, public and private sector needs to be bridged. We can make one humble claim that we bring people together regardless of boundaries, borders, class or creed. For us, creating networks that people in any part of the world can make use of, we encourage the exchange of ideas that creates a sphere of academic, theoretical practical and/or experiential information. We provide a platform for entrepreneurs and visionaries all across the world, particularly those with a social mandate.

Synergyzer: According to the Arabia Fast Growth 500 in 2012, Pakistan seems to have a high number of entrepreneurial ventures and startups. In your opinion, what are the core reasons for this?

Faraz: If you view the statistics in Pakistan of the ratio of jobs offered by the top few multinationals to fresh business graduates in the last two decades, the drop in numbers would be alarming. To top that, the once passive youth has found a voice and needs an outlet to create, develop, and perhaps run its own show. A large number of youngsters realize that to bring about change and live a better, more rewarding life, they will have to be the ones to bring about that change. As a nation, no one can doubt our enterprising nature, and with relatively more awareness being created about entrepreneurship, Pakistan has recently witnessed a large number of startups and newer ventures as people now accept it as an important option that they have besides going for the conventional job-hunt. I feel that the young generation now has finally mustered enough courage to shed its inhibitions and face its fears that one always has before plunging into one’s own entrepreneurial venture. The risks are great, but then the rewards are even greater if the venture takes off, which it does in most cases.

Synergyzer: What needs to be done to equip them with the necessary skills?

Faraz: I have three simple phrases for this: Provide them with mentoring, create or make use of an existing platform for exchange of ideas, and try to bring out the entrepreneur in them from a very early stage.

I know that there are courses on entrepreneurship in business schools now, but young children often start their ventures from their early years. Lemonade stands, small personal libraries where often barter is applied, a 12-year old amateur magician who puts up a show and makes money out of selling magic show tickets to friends and family, young boys selling wares on the streets, aren’t they all entrepreneurs? The question is, do we understand the need for skill development and capacity building at all of these different levels of entrepreneurship? We need to first have a break up of these enterprises: grass-root, SMEs, startups, and those that have an aspiring entrepreneur in them but are facing lack of capital or proper guidance and mentoring. Perhaps what helps the most after understanding that the needs and problems of various levels and types of entrepreneurship are different is that we need to link them to the gurus of this industry. It is for this purpose that we have launched SEED Incubation Centre and PEMS for startups and grass-root entrepreneurs respectively.

Synergyzer: If you were to rebrand Pakistan for Pakistanis themselves, what would you choose at its core strength that can be a source of pride?

Faraz: We are an extremely resilient nation. Yet resilience is not always a good quality, because where it does give us the strength to get back on our feet when something goes wrong, it does not equip us with the aptitude to really change things around us. In spite of all the political instability, economic challenges and security issues we face on a daily basis, we are still working our way through it all. That is the problem, because over a passage of time, I presume we have become complacent to the issues around us and have lost the will to change things. This is one of the primary reasons that majority of us and things in general are stuck in a rut. In order to break the status quo and revolutionize the way things are done, we need to change our mindsets and realize the potential that lies within us.

In order to rebrand Pakistan for Pakistanis themselves, we need to step back in time and understand what it was that we were doing in the 1950s that led to Pakistan being recognized as a symbol of economic growth and prosperity. We need to re-create that image today, and it cannot happen unless we are truly grateful for the freedom that we have and loyal to what it really means to be a Pakistani.
Pakistan today is one of the youngest nations in the world considering it has the third largest youth population on the planet. 65% of Pakistan’s population comprises of individuals below the age of 35. That is a huge strength in itself and is the core quality we need to capitalize on. Rebranding ourselves means stepping away from old paradigms and conventional thinking and understanding that we are a young nation. This youth population has immense potential and drive, their intention of wanting to bring about a change was evident from the voters’ turnout of the 2013 Elections where almost 48% of the voters according to ECP fell in the 18 to 35 age bracket.

We need to recognize this fresh talent and potential that exist within us, and collectively create avenues that can capitalize on this strength. The next age of entrepreneurs, revolutionaries, political leaders and opinion leaders will come from this pool of young people. This part of the population which exists in both rural and urban centers of Pakistan will be responsible for re-creating the glory that was ours in the 1950s. Luckily, we have enough passion and drive for fast paced, sustainable growth, and with the right kind of mentoring, guidance and opportunities this passion can turn into something meaningful which will be the source of our pride for the coming time.

Synergyzer: What measures can Pakistanis studying and living abroad should undertake to convert the country’s image into a positive one?

Faraz: We aren’t short of potential, ideas, passion or drive. What we lack is pride in our sense of identity, which means to truly love this country and value the freedom we have, with all that we have. If we cannot learn to take pride in who we are, and what we stand for, we cannot expect other people to think differently of us. How we feel about our own country is eventually reflected in our attitude, and that attitude speaks multitudes of what Pakistan really is. If you are a Pakistani student living abroad, understand that you are Pakistan’s brand ambassador by default. How you behave and the information you disseminate about Pakistan, is unconsciously creating a picture about your country in the minds of foreigners.

Students living abroad should start with changing this mindset, they should propagate that the reason that they have come abroad is to gain additional value education and not because it is an escape route. Once that happens, people will begin to see that Pakistanis are hardworking and ambitious people.
The Pakistani student Diaspora needs to connect with each other over geographical boundaries and start a movement which is focused on rebranding Pakistan. They must create a network amongst them and start a campaign highlighting the hidden potential that Pakistan has. This means talking about the creative industries, the entrepreneurial talent, the youth population, the hardworking rural community, our natural resources, our heritage and the country’s literary talent. It is important to bring to light the things that are not discussed in general about the country to move away with the negative image that is connected to us.

Students living abroad should collaborate with Pakistani consulates in the countries where they are residing and conduct seminars and talks about Pakistan, with the objective of engaging the communities living in those countries. There is a perspective that is relayed via the media about Pakistan; this may not always be true and complete. Hence, it is the responsibility of every Pakistani living abroad, particularly the student body to change this perspective through meaningful action by creating awareness about the potential Pakistan has. An interactive dialogue about Pakistan’s strengths with the communities living abroad may open up avenues of collaboration in diverse areas.

 

Pakistan’s IT Nexus

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Pakistan’s IT Nexus

Jehan Ara, President,(P@SHA) – Pakistan Software Houses Association

Synergyzer: Tell us about PASHA-Pakistan Software Houses Association for IT & ITES and its main objectives. How does the PASHA ICT award initiative help our IT industry?

Jehan Ara: Registered under the Ministry of Commerce, PASHA is a private sector organization that operates with a multi-faceted mandate; first, to work alongside the government to ensure policies are conducive for the growth of the IT sector, second, to organize training programs for skill development of local human capital and third to promote these individuals and their ideas on the local and international platform via various marketing programs – such as the ICT awards.

The PASHA ICT award platform aims to promote and acknowledge Pakistani entrepreneurs, who are working in different capacities for the betterment of the IT sector in Pakistan. This is an encouraging initiative for the youth to continue their efforts in using technology to find efficient solutions in improving IT standards. The start to this journey was full of challenges and drawbacks, but our constant commitment and rich pool of talent has turned this venture in to an 11 year success story.

Our credentials speak for themselves as we have participated in several regional award competitions such as the Asia Pacific ICT awards – APICTA, and this year we aim even higher as we are set to host the Asia Pacific ICT awards that will have 17 countries battling out for different awards in the IT sector. This event will be big a big boost for Pakistan, especially our local IT industry, and is an immense opportunity to promote our local talent.

Synergyzer: Tell us about the PASHA Fund Program

Jehan Ara: The PASHA fund program is a platform supported by Google Pakistan that provides monetary and technical support to talented Pakistani youth in their pursuit to design innovative IT solutions. The program aims to unconditionally support the individuals to generate and execute technology products and services that can have a productive and positive impact on our economy.
Google Pakistan initially granted $250,000 for to the PASHA Fund Program to sponsor ground-breaking technological projects that would not have been possible otherwise due to capital constraints of the participants. One of the success stories made possible through this program was the introduction of an Urdu website; www.urdustudio.com, that gives access to Urdu novels and poetry in audio format for downloadable purposes on all mp3 players. This idea that was well received by the masses and even recognized by Amazon.com, offered a benchmark of success for Google Pakistan to further grant 12 more fund packages for future product plans.

Synergyzer: Provincial growth in the IT sector varies in Pakistan, with Punjab leading the industry. What in your opinion are its causes, and what is PASHA’s role in bridging this gap?

Jehan Ara: Since our initiation with PASHA, Sindh was well ahead in comparison to the rest of the provinces. However, recently Punjab has gotten ahead in terms of IT product innovation; major reason is Punjab’s superior IT education setup and financial support. Moreover, the Punjab IT board is very active with its IT initiatives within the province; such as the setup of e-governance and initiation of incubation centers to encourage new enterprises within the province. Also, they are training the youth to become entrepreneurs rather than mere employees; this paradigm shift is obvious and has contributed to Punjab’s economical progress. Sindh and KPK have realized this advancement and are gradually adopting the idea of supporting the youth for the progress of their province and more importantly that of Pakistan.

We at PASHA are constantly working with the government of Sindh and the Ministry of Commerce in developing IT policies that are beneficial for the progress and prosperity of the IT sector and all involved stakeholders. Moreover, via the PASHA Fund Program, we are constantly providing talented individuals monetary support and technical expertise to design and execute IT solutions.

Synergyzer: Tell us about Women on the Web. How does the initiative aim to provide women a platform through which they can grow their businesses?

Jehan Ara: Women on the Web, a project in collaboration with Google Business Group and partnered with SMEDA, is a community driven project that aims to support current women who require support to run their online businesses. The project assists current business women in acquiring local and international markets for their products/services as well as new graduates who are looking for monetary or technical support to start their online business. This program truly empowers Pakistani women of today and tomorrow by helping them start and expand their online business for the benefit of the individual as well the economy.

The Women on the Web project was launched in Islamabad and Google Business Group will soon be launching a web page that will give access to training programs that will equip women with the expertise to grow their online businessES and draw a bigger market share.

Synergyzer: What challenges does the Pakistani IT sector face in the export market? How difficult is it to attract foreign investment due to security concerns?

Jehan Ara: Yes, we face a number of challenges and each time we have to have a different strategy to not only sell the product but to also rebrand Pakistan.

Before getting into business, investors have a number of reservations on the security and business continuity due to instability, but we have promised to let no hazard natural or man-made effect business continuity. We take the responsibility onto ourselves to not let disasters be an excuse for our commitment. We have had earthquakes and strikes; the Software Technology Park is right besides Marriott where the bombing took place, but we haven’t let any of these incidents become an excuse for us. We equipped ourselves for the best and the worst, never letting our business suffer. I believe it was for this commitment that businesses have continued on and aren’t hesitant anymore.

There have been times where convincing a new client seemed a hard chore, but our track record spoke for itself and once they got onboard, they were comfortable continuing business with us. We ensured our human resource was well equipped, attended conferences and event to promise a sustainable growth. We projected a positive image of Pakistan, one of hard workers, believers of deadlines and headstrong in delivering.

Synergyzer: In which regions have you interacted with people to promote Pakistan’s IT sector?

Jehan Ara: We have religiously engaged more with Asia Pacific due to being a part of two regional associations. However, our primary market has always been the US, while we have also engaged with UK, Europe, Australia, Africa and Middle East.

Middle East, Bangladesh and Africa have a large export market as new technology is being implemented there for different industries like finance, telecom and infrastructure and most of our products have huge applicability and are easily implemented.

Most of the exports usually take place in US, UK, the Far East, Middle East and Africa. But of course businesses keep changing due to the economic conditions of the exporting economy; during the financial crisis in the US, business was impacted, however, new business opportunities cropped up elsewhere. It all depends on how well we choose to utilize market knowledge and information to seize opportunities during different periods.

Synergyzer: Despite conflicts between India and Pakistan, PASHA made efforts to create synergy between the two countries, especially within the IT sectors. What were the problems that you faced? How were you able to overcome them?

Jehan Ara: The business between India and Pakistan is close to zero, I have been visiting India for the past ten years, made great friends, but the only reservation companies on both sides have is of ease to travel, issuance of visas and transfer of money. This problem persists due to the ongoing political rift between both these nations which is ongoing. When nations work on a project, it is imperative that mobility be easy for the stakeholders involved.

Yet, companies on both sides of the border have been working together in other markets like Middle East, Africa and US for the ease of transfer of resource and talent, ease of rises & funds tranfer; including native Indian companies with subsidiaries elsewhere.

India known for its IT power houses is currently running out of resources and is getting exponentially expensive due to hike in employee salaries, this has in turn raised demand for Pakistani individuals that are equally talented and relatively cheaper to hire.

Synergyzer: What is the current situation of investment in Pakistan?

Jehan Ara: Have you ever wondered why multinationals are still operating in the country despite the economic situation? It is because regardless of the unrest they manage to make huge profits. Firstly, we have a huge pool of talent, secondly sectors like IT are continuously growing and the stock exchange continues to move stealthily upward regardless of the dire situation. It is vital for all of us to understand, as soon as we address our national issues like infrastructure, security, telecom, public transport, stringent economic policies, our investment returns will be even greater and Pakistan will climb the economic ladder at a much rapid pace.

Synergyzer: What measures are needed to be taken to promote Pakistan’s IT sector in the international arena?

Jehan Ara: The most important challenge facing the Pakistan IT industry is the lack of knowledge of technology and its benefits to the economy. Additionally, there is also a lack of interest as most stakeholders consider IT a second tier industry as compared to other bigger giants such as textile, sport goods and agriculture.

To successfully promote the IT sector on the international front we require support from legal authorities such as the Ministry of IT and National ICT to provide us with the resources to compete internationally and make Pakistan proud. We need such support from our local organizations. Whether it is IT, music, culture, food or business, we need to work together to show what Pakistanis are made of, their talent, their determination and their ingenuity; to change perceptions in our respective fields and change the tonality of our news.

 

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