Is Running a Business in Pakistan Actually “Karobar” or Is It “JIHAD”? Accept that business here is 30% actual work, 70% crisis management
I’m writing this while sitting in our half-finished new office, surrounded by broken taps, leaking pipes and the smell of disappointment. Let me tell you what happened in the last 14 days that made me question if entrepreneurship in Pakistan is business or survival warfare.
Story #1: The Vanishing Commitments
Two weeks ago, we finalized a deal with our landlord for the upper portion of our building. Everything was agreed:
He’d provide complete construction (tiles, washrooms, wiring)
We’d move in after 2 months
Rent, maintenance, everything was decided
Then the circus began:
Day 2: “Actually, I’ll only provide electricity to that floor. You handle wiring yourself.”
Cost: 10-12 lacs PKR extra.
Day 4: “Oh, and you can’t take anything you install when you leave. Those lights, wires? Mine forever.”
Day 6: “I won’t build walls either. You figure it out.”
Day 8: “I don’t have budget for what I promised. Let’s break this deal. There was no commitment anyway.”
Sir, there was NO commitment? We had meetings, we shook hands, we made plans!
Story #2: The 10-Year-Old Mess
Found a new place, 5,000 sq ft. Same story, different landlord.
The building was closed for 10-12 years. Everything broken:
Taps leaking
Pipes burst
Bathrooms destroyed
Tiles cracked everywhere
Landlord: “We will do complete maintenance in 1-2 days.”
Yesterday’s reality check: “This is beautification, not maintenance. You’re staying 5-10 years, so you fix everything.”
I’m like, sir, you’re supposed to give me the place in working condition. That is basic landlord responsibility anywhere in the world!
His response: “I’m not here to fulfill my commitments.”
The Uncomfortable Truth About Business in Pakistan:
After 5 years of running Uptech, I’m convinced business here isn’t “karobar”, it’s pure JIHAD:
Government Issues:
Tax complications that make your head spin
Policies changing every few months
Documentation nightmares
Infrastructure Problems:
No reliable internet (good luck with tech business!)
Load shedding in MAIN ISLAMABAD (since yesterday!)
Basic utilities are luxuries
The Biggest Problem: No Value of Agreements
Contracts mean nothing
Verbal commitments? Forget it
“There was no commitment” is the national motto
I have now spent millions on this office because I had no choice. We had already done partitions, moved equipment. What else could I do?
The Fear That Haunts Every Pakistani Entrepreneur:
You know what scares me most? In the next phases of this office setup, they will probably change terms again. Because there is no accountability system here.
In other countries:
Contracts are honored
Basic infrastructure works
Government supports business
In Pakistan:
Every day is a new battle
You’re fighting the system, not competing in it
Success happens DESPITE everything, not because of anything
So What’s the Solution?
Honestly? I don’t know anymore.
Maybe we need to:
Document EVERYTHING (though it still might not matter)
Have backup plans for our backup plans
Accept that business here is 30% actual work, 70% crisis management
To My Fellow Entrepreneurs
If you’re reading this from outside Pakistan thinking “this guy is exaggerating”, I wish I was.
If you’re a Pakistani entrepreneur nodding along, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
The sad part? We have incredible talent here. But the system is designed to exhaust you before you can succeed.
Every Pakistani business success story should have a subtitle: “Despite Everything.”
What do you think? Is running a business in Pakistan really this hard, or am I just having a particularly bad month?
Originally posted on Facebook on 30 June 2025.
