Chairman Senate Mohammedmian Soomro has said that the desire to create jobs and serve people is rarely found among industrialists with money and resources whereas Mohammad Hussain Dadabhoy could rightly be distinguished as not one of them amongst the present-day industrialists of Pakistan.
Soomro was speaking as chief guest at the launch of biography of Mohammad Hussain Dadabhoy: A life of courage and dedication - held at a local hotel on Thursday.
He said that Dadabhoy had always remained undeterred by the oddities that defeat men of weaker nerves in their pursuit of laborious tasks aimed at serving people through entrepreneurial operations.
Soomro said that Dadabhoy group of industries had strengthen industrial base in Pakistan, created employment opportunities, taken initiative of going to barren land and putting in money in hitherto not much patronised cement sector. His decision to select Nooriabad as an industrial site has taken off pressure from Karachi and has helped grow a new industrial site in Pakistan.
He said his biography contained his experiences and reminiscences rich in lessons to be learnt from and used as guidance by the younger generation. It seemed plausible to suggest that from where Dadabhoy had left his journey, others might begin, he added.
Soomro recollected the initiative Dadabhoy's sons (Amin and Fazal) had taken when he (Soomro) was governor of Sindh and persuaded him to create adequate infrastructure so that industrialists/investors could be motivated to inhabit Nooriabad and make it a booming industrial site. Such a persuasion could only be taken only with a force of conviction; and that Dadabhoy's sons exhibited to its maximum.
In his remarks former Sindh Governor General Moinuddin Haider said that industrialisation is difficult Pakistan. There is inadequate infrastructure, shortage of power, gas, road network and transportation. He said that land is becoming expensive and making it difficult for investors to set up industrial units.
Haider said that bureaucratic hurdle and time consuming procedures are in addition to inadequate infrastructure that discourage initiatives. He said that improvement in agricultural, power generation, water conservation sectors should be taken up on priority basis. He said that financial institution should look at its project financing policies and re-examine bank charges for doing business.
In all, Haider said, there is a need to come up with enabling policies in all sectors and extend facilities to those who propose to set up industrial units. It is the only way to move forward, create jobs, alleviate poverty and lay firm foundation for massive industrialisation in Pakistan. He lauded the services of Dadabhoy and said his biography is a rich collection of experiences that should serve as an instructional manual for the younger generation.
Dadabhoy in his brief remarks said he had recorded his experiences for the younger generation. It would tell them how to overcome difficulties, how to face challenges, how to take decisions and initiatives and how to set goals for others. "This book is not in self glorification but has been written with the intention to tell the simple truth about the realities of life."
He said he still had to go a long way and serve Pakistan, its people and return them whatever was due to them. Senator Amin Dadabhoy in his address of welcome talked about the investment initiatives, switching over to coal as fuel for cement plants, selection of Pakistani plants for his projects, financial pressures on the Dadabhoy group of industries and its solutions.
Fazal Karim Dadabhoy presented vote of thanks and elaborated upon the contents of the book. He said that the book should be read with a view to examining experiences of Dadbhoy and drawing lessons to hasten process of development. A large number of diplomats based in Karachi, leading businessmen and industrialists, bankers, senators, members of the assemblies, writers, academics and elite of the city attended the function. Writers of the biography Ambassador Maqbool Bhatti and Naunahal Zaidi also spoke on the occasion.
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