Tell us a bit about yourself and your success journey?
I completed my Masters in International Business from the European Business School in London. After returning from London I was inducted into the family business, Real estate was a huge part of our group’s empire and I was tasked with learning the ins and outs of the Local industry, Given my education in business I was already very well versed on making significant decisions but thanks to my father’s guidance and the people who have been with us since so long in the company’s history I was able to better manage and excel in this field. From here on forward the journey has been moving ahead at the speed of success.
What are your responsibilities as the CEO of Kohistan Group?
As the CEO of Kohistan Group, my role is to help my company move forward, not just in Pakistan but I want my business to compete all over the world. I want to adopt new trends and ideas related to our business and also invest in those ideas and our employees as well, so that they also have complete knowledge about our notions and philosophies.
What hurdles did you face in your initial years while stepping into the professional life?
Earlier in 2009 when I came back from London after completing my education, real estate market had a lot of slump and I had to face a lot of hurdles as it was my first project and I had no idea about the real estate sector as I had never worked in this industry before. My father was alive at that time and was leading the group whereas I was dealing with real estate. There was no social media at that time so we had to face a lot of problems in advertising our company. Advertisement ways were very different at that time rather than today, but by the grace of Almighty we have developed our own brand hence things are a lot better now.
How did your company come into being?
The Kohistan group has been in existence since 1971, our business has had a very rich history and started from humble beginnings. My father started this organization through a transport business which is currently one of Pakistan’s biggest logistics and service providers and a big part of our revenues come from this wing. I joined the Organization after my return to Pakistan and was able to further amplify our reach in the real estate sector of Pakistan by launching newer projects and excelling on existing ones.
We were not in real estate before, we had our transport business, than we entered into the steel business and various others. In 1997, my father started his first project in sector F-11 and from their real estate business started developing and now all our projects are in front of you. City Centre, Midway, Kohistan Tower & Kohistan Enclave are all projects we are working on. Some of these are joint ventures while others are our own.
How do you make sure to maintain the legacy attached to your company?
The legacy attached to our company is to take care of our old people, to fulfill all the demands of our clients and keep up to our commitments. We always try our best & deliver the best which is the main legacy of my father as he always believed in fulfilling all the commitments made. As mentioned before, The Company’s rich history with my father’s hard work and dedication is something that is very important to me. Since the torch has been passed over to me my mission is to preserve the legacy at all cost. To instill the values and moral codes that have been passed on through my Father’s teaching not only to me but the people who have been with us throughout our journey.
Who would you call your Mentor?
This answer is pretty easy, My Father. He was not just a mentor to me but I’ve seen him be a source of inspiration for a lot of people. Our immediate family and our work family still miss his presence every day. He was a man of pure optimism and one of the most kind-hearted personalities I’ve personally known in my life.
Tell us about your ongoing projects?
We have a multitude of ongoing projects right now alongside some very exciting new launches in the twin cities which are upcoming. To name a few of the top ones right now: Kohistan Enclave, which is one of the most prestigious housing societies in the Wahh area. We’re currently launching the latest extension for Kohistan Enclave which will have multiple entry points from the G.T road and Motorway as well. K.B.D Tower is also launching very soon at Eighteen. It’s going to be a luxurious and hi-tech commercial tower that adds to the Margala skyline. In vertical living our iconic Zarkon heights is also going to be handing over the remaining towers anytime now as development work is going on in full swing. There are multiply other projects that I can share the details about as well, but it would make this interview very lengthy.
What is your vision for Kohistan Group in the future?
I see the future to be very successful not just for our group but the country as well. Pakistan’s real estate industry is one of the most booming sectors of our economy. I have a good feeling that in the future our investments in multiple sectors of the Pakistani industry will bear fruit and make our mark stronger domestically and globally as well. We plan to move operations on a global scale and make the country proud with our service.
What is your message for all the inspiring youngsters who tend to enter this field?
Well, it is a very good field I actually enjoy working in the real estate sector. You just have to work hard and fulfill all the commitments that you do and success will surely be yours.
