Daily Times

KARACHI: Zuhair Usmani is an industrialist. Before starting his business, he went through many professions and got rich experience. Currently, he is fighting for his right to do business smoothly, as he is facing hurdles in expanding his business.

Daily Times interviewed him on his business, its future and bottlenecks and also asked his views on our socio-politico-economic problems.

Let us know about your early years as a young man?

I Born in Peshawar, completed schooling at Lawrence College Murree and represented the country in Australian Scout Jamboree at age of 12. I played all major games for college, but will never forget the year 1965 when we went to Aitchison College Lahore where we lost cricket match.

I completed graduation from the Karachi University and got master’s degree in geology.

What was your first job and how did you find it?

Before going into my business venture, I was associated with a number of jobs. My first job was with Resource Development Corporation (copper and gold project) and within two years in profession a geological formation was named on me as ‘ZU Formation’ that was my first achievement.

In 1980, I got appointed as general manager to establish a sanitary ware and tiles industry with German partners for a private sector company. After successful completion and operation, I proposed my management to enter cement business, which they happily accepted. In 1985, we were in cement operation – a project financed by National Development Finance Corporation and first private sector plant. The company also introduced Heavy Mechanical Complex entering into private business.

I was appointed as general manager for a Pak-German joint venture company; thereafter held a number of public and executive positions such as president/MD/executive director/CEO/senior general manage and honorary director finance for education institute.

When you start mushroom business, reasons and future of mushroom industry in Pakistan?

I started agri-business in 1985. (I’m first commercial oyster mushroom grower in Pakistan, a product 100 percent export based).

We were the first commercial producer as neither people have the technology or the government provides facility. However, there is a huge export market all over the world, some private sector do export few thousands at a very high price of over $1,000 for a kilogramme. There may be few on very small scale producing for local market.

Pakistan exported around 201,000 kilogrammes of mushroom with total export price of $12.930 million in 2016. Not only the increase in the value of mushroom exports was phenomenal, but mushroom export also contributed over 25 percent to the overall vegetables exports of over $101 million the same year.

In Pakistan, mushroom is grown in farmhouses, including but not limited to state-owned national logistic cell.

Farm production contributes around 1 percent to overall mushroom exports, while the rest comes from the natural production in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The global mushroom production according to Food and Agriculture Organisation’s statistics was estimated at 4.99 million tonnes in 2016 with major producers are China with 60 percent production, followed by United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Ireland, Indonesia and India.

Not only meeting the demand of the local, but also use to earn foreign exchange by selling fresh and dehydrated mushroom to Europe and America.

The export market rate while in the Canadian stores was $14 for a kilogramme against our cost of $4. We got our product quality approval from a German firm, took export permission from US.

In Punjab and Sindh, it is found after the monsoon rains, while in Balochistan valley it is found to grow in large numbers in March and April. Local people refer to it as “khamiri”.

What type of problems you faced as a businessman or consultant in Pakistan?

As a businessman, in the year 1985, I got 16 acres of land from the Sindh government for the project.

After we received a court letter, the Sindh government allotted the same land to the Pakistan Refinery and us. The refinery claimed the land through court. We spent millions on the project all equity contribution in construction, implementation and operation and marketing and in one night we were zero. We had to sell some of my property to pay some of the shareholders, who wanted their money back.

We fought in court for 12 years, our business suffered a lot and we lost millions. The court requested us to go for alternate (remedy) land, which we had to accept, as we had no other way to fight Refinery.

When you visited Canada and what was your experience?

In 1992, I migrated to Canada and established ATZS International Canada – an industrial and management consultancy firm. I came back just after four years and again went there in 2008. That was the year for general election in Canada; thinking that I should learn about the political system of Canada, just walk in the office of one of the candidates from Mississauga, who was labour minister for Ontario (Peter Fonseca) at the time; got introduced and in minutes we were in his car for door-to-door visit.

In 2010, I myself was candidate for city council from city of Mississauga Ontario Canada. The first thing I learnt was that in Canada the council elections are not held on party basis. If the candidate is independent, he or she works for everyone and not only for his/her party.

Along your business what are your other socio-economic interests?

Other engagements with current business is as a consultant we give proposal to President Government of Azad Kashmir, other than Mayor of Haripur from KP Government for a joint venture, wherein we will establish an amusement park of international standard, 50 megawatts power plant and 6-lane 100 kilometre highway.

We had meetings with the Balochistan government for establishment of a smelting plant for gold, as our gold in shape of ore does not go out (Reko Diq).

I did not forget my own province, when in 1998 I had a meeting with than the provincial secretary finance, now she is federal secretary. I submitted a complete development plan to her who very much appreciated and one morning she asked me for having a meeting with one political figure of that time; I said I’m interested to do welfare work and not to go into unfair means to become more richer.

I remember when PM visited Balochistan for power plants, under IIPB, the next day of his visit I called MD of IIPB to help arrange the funding and take fifty percent of the project. MD did response with negative approach and within three months it was in the newspaper that there is a case against him in the National Accountability Bureau.

Do you like to comments on economic policies?

Shouldn’t we start thinking for next 40/50 years? By 2040 we expect that only those countries will survive who will be self-sufficient in its food, water and own resources. The countries need to come up with the new economic policy for the survival of the world. Serious and sincere effects need to be taken by Islamic countries of the world to meet the prevailing crisis.

What steps are needed for the welfare of our country?

Corruption is the biggest problem of Pakistan. To get rid of corrupt elites of this country is the need of the hour. Immediate steps should be taken to ban political parties, as they are more harmful.

The country should have 16 provinces (if so required details could be provided). There should be unity among provinces regardless of being Punjabi, Baloch, Pathan and Urdu speaking to name a few. Every MNA/MPA elected should be educated and needs to do a six months course also.

Referring to the Kalabage Dam, he said, “If we can sign an agreement with Hindus why not with the provinces. We should implement the Islamic laws, especially in case of theft.

“The Supreme Court is requested to draft own laws to dispense justice. At present, this country needs two supreme courts – one for corrupt elites of this country, because all the year the courts are involved with their issues and second one for us, the common man.”

Talking about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, he said the CEPE would be more beneficial for China. “We should have good relations with all the countries of the world, however. We need to show our strength, especially to India and in Afghanistan so as to keep India and their allies away.”