Daily Times

Ever wonder what made Steve Jobs, the most celebrated chief executive officer of Apple, Steve Jobs? He was neither a scientist nor a mathematician, neither an engineer nor a telecommunication expert. He did not even have a college degree. Then why was he so successful? Instead of traditional university degrees, his talent rested in the power of his imagination, his ability to peep into the future, and of course, his aesthetics, a gift that could not have been taught in a conventional university programme.

So how big an impact did Jobs make? In a way, the world we live in today is the world that Jobs had once envisioned for us: a planet interconnected with iPhones, iPods, iPads, loaded with iMessages, iPhotos, iTunes and iBooks. Each device, though portable, fragile and lightweight, can carry the load of our lifetime: music collection, electronic library, movies, work schedule, bank accounts, financial statements, sticky notes, phone numbers, and photo albums. And that is why we must see him as a phenomenon, an era of business entrepreneurship, and not as an individual, a mortal human being who fell ill and passed away. Once his strengths are identified, it would be easy to make comparisons, draw some basic conclusions, and analyse how other people across the globe have seized success.

With that in mind, I think every nation including Pakistan has produced some version of its own Steve Jobs, not as impressive or influential, but maybe as brilliant and as successful locally as the former CEO of Apple. Now tell me among all the business icons who do you think best describe Pakistan’s Steve Jobs? Hold your horses and do not answer just yet; let me clarify some misconceptions before you jump.

First about appearances: do you imagine a Pakistani man, tall, lean and bearded, wearing a black turtle neck sweatshirt, and a pair of blue jeans, standing on the stage introducing his new product? If so, you are mistaken. Remember, Pakistan is not the US. Each country’s Steve Jobs represents the ethos of his own society. If simplicity, elegance, and assertiveness defined American norms, then pomposity, piety and philanthropy defines ours, which means our candidate would be a little loud, a bit uncouth and slightly haughty, boasting about the number of people he fed last week, or the hospital that he built for the poor and the needy.

Second: are you thinking of a college dropout in this race? If you responded with a nod, then again you miscalculated. Remember, not every genius fails college! Pakistanis enjoy various ways to pass their examinations without ever showing up in class, and obtain a degree with flying colours. The bottom-line is that bare minimum in education would do just fine, while the Oxford degrees can be overrated.

Third: what language should he speak? Jobs spoke English because English was the official language of his country. Our businessman, therefore, speaks one of the dialects, or at best may impress us with his fluency in the national language, Urdu, with a thick accent. But do not pay too much attention to his accent. Just notice if he uses religious phrases while speaking or not. To be a good Pakistani we must use InshAllah, MashAllah and other Arabic terms frequently, and the more we insert them in our sentences, the better Muslims we are considered to be.

Fourth: are you looking for “Mr Clean” in here? A person who does not know how to push a file from one desk to the next? It is just not possible in Pakistan. Honestly, the way the official system has been set up, only a miracle can bring a favourable outcome if he followed all the rules. These rules are enacted only to be broken in order to help government officials to live an extraordinary life, for their children to drive BMWs, and their spouses to fly to Dubai for shopping, minds crammed with designer stuff.

Fifth: do you think he would be internationally recognised from day one? Nope. Even Jobs’ popularity transcended beyond borders very late in his life. In our case, nationwide appreciation already exists if his company’s new projects succeed, and worldwide fame would be knocking at his door step, without any doubt.

The last: what is the biggest barrier to become Jobs? It is to have a powerful opponent, an established company that already rules the market. While it can be a hindrance for some, but for a confident innovator it is an opportunity. In the case of Apple, that powerful opponent was Microsoft. For Mac to break the hegemony of Windows, it had to work in collaboration with its rival to avoid a bitter conflict on one hand; and on the other, it had to build its own reputation as a better, more reliable, virus-free alternative. I think the Pakistani Steve Jobs faced a similar challenge, and yes, he worked hand in hand with his business competitor.

Now tell me who do you think fits this picture? Yes, you got it right! None other than the property mogul and the chairman of Bahria Town, Malik Riaz, can be pitted against Steve Jobs in Pakistan. The only entrepreneur who embarked on a journey of real estate development to compete with the Defence Housing Authority — an organisation backed by Pakistan’s military — and which has presence in every major city. And the key Riaz’s success? He follows the golden principle that Michael Corleone in The Godfather once laid out: “Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.”

The writer is a US-based freelance columnist. He tweets at @KaamranHashmi and can be reached at skamranhashmi@gmail.com