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Mayrik have established security and commercial partners in many countries where cultural and business etiquette is critical to the development and success of business deal's, in order to help our clients progress their business opportunities we would like to share the information below with you, please click on the map points highlighted for an insight into the business etiquette of the countries we and our partners, have experience in.

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Pakistan

Introduction

Pakistan extends along either side of the historic Indus River, following its course from the mountain valleys of the Himalayas down to the Arabian Sea. Bordering on India, China, Afghanistan and Iran, it is strategically located astride the ancient trade routes between Asia and Europe. Pakistan's 796,095 square kilometres of territory include a wide variety of landscapes, from arid deserts to lush, green valleys to stark mountain peaks.

Geographically, Pakistan can be divided into three regions: the lowlands along the Indus in the south and east, the arid plateau of Baluchistan in the southwest, and the mountains of the north. The provinces of Punjab and Sindh, in the east and south, are well irrigated by the Indus and its tributaries. The land is fertile and produces most of Pakistan's food. This area, which includes the cities of Karachi, Islamabad (the capital), Lahore and Rawalpindi, is the most densely-populated in the country.

The south western province of Baluchistan covers almost half Pakistan's territory. The land consists of a stony plateau, sparsely populated and very dry. Outside of the provincial capital of Quetta, travel in Baluchistan is extremely restricted.

Pakistan's mountainous north contains the second tallest peak on Earth, K2 (28,250 ft., 8611 m), and over 300 glaciers. Three great mountain ranges stretch across this part of the country: the Himalayas, the Karakorams and the Hindu Kush. The region's topography is constantly changing, as frequent earthquakes help the mountains grow at the remarkable rate of 7 mm (1/4 inch) a year.

Pakistan's climate varies according to elevation. April through September are the most pleasant months in the mountains, although they bring oppressive heat to the low-lying plains of the Indus Valley, where midday temperatures can exceed 40 degrees Celsius (100 degrees F). December through February are the coolest months, as lowland temperatures drop to between 10-25 degrees C (50-77 degrees F) and the air in the mountains falls below freezing. Monsoons reach the southern areas of the country in late summer, although precipitation is minimal in Baluchistan and in the north and limited in most of the interior.

History and People

While Pakistan as a country is relatively new, the Indus River region is known as a cradle of civilization. Archaeologists have found fossils of Homo sapiens in the area which date back 50,000 years. An urban society known as the Indus Civilization developed around 3,000 BC and flourished for a period of about fifteen hundred years. One of the reasons for the rise and the prosperity of the Indus Civilization was its situation right along a natural trade route between central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. While this position encouraged the rise of an urban trading society, it also encouraged wave after wave of invasion, making Pakistan's history a mind-boggling tapestry of successive conquests.

The first of these incursions was that of the Aryans, who arrived from Central Asia around 1,700 BC, displacing the Indus Civilization and bringing Hinduism to the region.

Twelve hundred years later, the Aryans yielded in turn to the armies of Cyrus the Great, and the Indus region became a part of his Achaemenid Persian Empire. The next conqueror to arrive was Alexander the Great, who passed through the Khyber Pass in 326 BC, built a fleet of ships, and sailed down the Indus to conquer what is now the Punjab state. It was in the Punjab that Alexander's soldiers refused to go any further east, prompting an enormously difficult march homeward through the harsh desert regions of Baluchistan, Afghanistan, and Iran.

Alexander's successors, the Seleucids, survived for about a century, until they capitulated to Ashoka, emperor of the great Mauryan Empire of India. It was Ashoka who, in an act of remorse for the suffering caused by his many conquests, brought Buddhism to Pakistan (and to much of Asia). The Mauryans were then succeeded by the Bactrians, the Saka (Scythian nomads), the Parthians, and, in the 2nd century AD, by the Kushans. Kanishka, the greatest of the Kushan kings, ruled from Peshawar over an empire that stretched across much of India. As the Kushan Empire declined, various Hindu kingdoms based in India asserted their power, dividing up the territory between them. Islam was introduced in the 8th century and quickly spread throughout the region.

The Turkish rulers of Afghanistan invaded Pakistan as they began their conquest of India. Pakistan then passed under the control of the Muslim sultans of Delhi.

Early in the 16th century, Pakistan became part of the Mughal Empire. Under the emperors Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan, art and architecture flourished. By the early 19th century, the Sikhs had consolidated their power and declared Lahore their capital.

Within a few decades, however, the Sikhs were defeated in battle by the English, and Pakistan became part of the British Raj. When India prepared for independence from the British in the 1940s, Muslim Indians pushed for their own independent state, and the republic of Pakistan came into being on August 14, 1947 as a Muslim homeland.

Unfortunately, the birth of both Pakistan and India was marked by massive bloodshed, when violence broke out between Muslims and Hindus migrating from one country to the other. About 500,000 people are believed to have died.

Pakistan's population of 128 million is one of the fastest-growing in Asia. The two largest ethnic groups are the Punjabis, an Indo-Aryan people who dominate political and business life, and the Pashtuns, who work mainly as herders and farmers. The northern areas are home to many distinct ethnic groups, whose eclectic heritage is the result of intermarriage between local peoples and invaders from elsewhere in Europe and Asia.

The official language is Urdu, and English is used extensively in business.

Religion

A census held by the Pakistan International Bureau indicates that over 96% of the population of Pakistan are Muslims. There are small non-Muslim religious groups: Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis, Bahá'ís, Kalash and others totalling 4%.

Islam arrived in the Sindh province of Pakistan in 711 AD, when the Umayyad dynasty sent a Muslim Arab army led by Muhammad bin Qasim against the ruler of Sindh, Raja Dahir, whose pirates attacked Arab ships. The army conquered the north western part of Indus Valley from Kashmir to the Arabian Sea.

The arrival of the Arab Muslims to the provinces of Sindh and Punjab, along with subsequent Muslim dynasties, set the stage for the religious boundaries of South Asia that would lead to the development of the modern state of Pakistan as well as forming the foundation for Islamic rule which quickly spread across much of South Asia.

Following the rule of various Islamic empires, including the Ghaznavid Empire, the Ghorid kingdom, and the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals controlled the region from 1526 until 1739. The Muslim technocrats, bureaucrats, soldiers, traders, scientists, architects, teachers, theologians and Sufis flocked from the rest of the Muslim world to Islamic Sultanate and Mughal Empire in South Asia and in the land that became Pakistan. The Muslim Sufi missionaries played a pivotal role in converting the millions of native people to Islam. As in other areas where Sufis introduced it, Islam to some extent syncretised with pre-Islamic influences, resulting in a religion with some traditions distinct from those of the Arab world. Two Sufis whose shrines receive much national attention are Data Ganj Baksh (Ali Hajweri) in Lahore (ca. eleventh century) and Shahbaz Qalander in Sehwan, Sindh (ca. twelfth century).

Census data indicates that over 96% of the population are Muslims; therefore it is considered by many general Pakistanis as the national religion. The Muslims are divided into different sects which are called Madhab (Mazhab) i.e., schools of jurisprudence (also 'Maktab-e-Fikr' (School of Thought) in Urdu).

Nearly 75% of Pakistani Muslims are Sunnis and 20% are Shi'as. Nearly all Pakistani Sunni Muslims belong to Hanafi school with a small group of Ahle Hadith. The Hanafi school is divided into Barelvis and Deobandis schools.

Religious minorities may only form four percent of Pakistan's population, but in business, education, medicine, and the arts their contribution is significant. All religions enjoy equal status under the Pakistani constitution. The largest minority are the Pakistani Hindus at 1.85%. Over 90% of Hindus reside in Sindh province.

Christians are the second biggest minority group in Pakistan; they are distributed throughout the country and represent a wide cross-section of ethnic and linguistic stocks. Churches of virtually every denomination embellish the architectural horizon of most Pakistani cities. Although Pakistani Christians have not restricted themselves to any one area of activity, they have traditionally made an outstanding contribution in health, education, railways and the police force. They are also playing a growing role in the civil service and defence services.

Pakistani Society & Culture

Islam

Islam is practised by the majority of Pakistanis and governs their personal, political, economic and legal lives.

Among certain obligations for Muslims are to pray five times a day - at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and evening.

Friday is the Muslim holy day. Everything is closed.

During the holy month of Ramadan all Muslims must fast from dawn to dusk and are only permitted to work six hours per day. Fasting includes no eating, drinking, cigarette smoking, or gum chewing.

The Family

The extended family is the basis of the social structure and individual identity.
It includes the nuclear family, immediate relatives, distant relatives, tribe members, friends, and neighbours.
Loyalty to the family comes before other social relationships, even business.
Nepotism is viewed positively, since it guarantees hiring people who can be trusted, which is crucial in a country where working with people one knows and trusts is of primary importance.
The family is more private than in many other cultures.
Female relatives are protected from outside influences. It is considered inappropriate to ask questions about a Pakistani's wife or other female relatives.
Families are quite large by western standards, often having up to 6 children.

Hierarchical Society

Pakistan is a hierarchical society.
People are respected because of their age and position.
Older people are viewed as wise and are granted respect. In a social situation, they are served first and their drinks may be poured for them. Elders are introduced first, are provided with the choicest cuts of meat, and in general are treated much like royalty.
Pakistanis expect the most senior person, by age or position, to make decisions that are in the best interest of the group.
Titles are very important and denote respect. It is expected that you will use a person's title and their surname until invited to use their first name. Etiquette & Customs in Pakistan.

Meeting and Greeting

Greetings are therefore often between members of the same sex; however, when dealing with people in the middle class, greetings may be across sex lines.
Men shake hands with each other. Once a relationship is developed, they may hug as well as shake hands.
Women generally hug and kiss. Pakistanis take their time during greetings and ask about the person's health, family, and business success.
Pakistani names often include a name that denotes a person's class, tribe, occupation, or other status indicator.
They may also include two names that have a specific meaning when used together, and the meaning is lost if the names are separated. . It is best to ask a person how they wish to be addressed.
In general, this is not a culture where first names are commonly used, except among close friends.

Gift Giving Etiquette

If invited to a Pakistani's home, bring the hostess a small gift such as flowers or good quality chocolates.
Men should avoid giving flowers to women.
Do not give white flowers as they are used at weddings.
If a man must give a gift to a woman, he should say that it is from his wife, mother, sister, or some other female relative.
Do not give alcohol.
Gifts are not opened when received.
Gifts are given with two hands.

Dining Etiquette

If invited to a home you will most likely have to remove your shoes. Check to see if the host is wearing shoes. If not, remove yours at the door.
Dress conservatively.
Arrive approximately 15 minutes later than the stipulated time when invited to dinner or a small gathering.
You may arrive up to one hour later than the stipulated time when invited to a party.
Show respect for the elders by greeting them first.
In more rural areas, it is still common to eat meals from a knee-high round table while sitting on the floor.
Many people in urban areas do not use eating utensils, although more westernized families do.
When in doubt, watch what others are doing and emulate their behaviour.
Guests are served first. Then the oldest, continuing in some rough approximation of age order until the youngest is served.
Do not start eating until the oldest person at the table begins.
You will be urged to take second and even third helpings. Saying "I'm full" will be taken as a polite gesture and not accepted at face value.
Eat only with the right hand. Business Etiquette & Protocol in Pakistan.

Building Relationships & Communication

Third-party introductions are a necessity in this relationship-driven culture.
Pakistanis prefer to work with people they know and trust and will spend a great deal of time on the getting-to-know-you part of relationship building.
You must not appear frustrated by what may appear to be purely social conversation. Pakistanis are hospitable and enjoy hosting foreign guests.
Relationships take time to grow and must be nurtured. This may require several visits.
Pakistanis often ask personal questions as a way to get to know you as a person. If possible, it is best to answer these questions.
Pakistanis do not require as much personal space as most western cultures. As such, they will stand close to you while conversing and you may feel as if your personal space has been violated. Do not back away.
Pakistanis are generally indirect communicators.
Always demonstrate deference to the most senior person in the group.
In general, Pakistanis speak in a roundabout or circuitous fashion. Direct statements are made only to those with whom they have a long-standing personal relationship.
They also use a great deal of hyperbole and similes, and go out of their way to find something to praise.
Be prepared to flatter and be flattered.
Pakistanis prefer to converse in a non-controversial manner, so they will say they "will try" rather than admit that they cannot or will not be able to do something.
Therefore, it is important to ask questions in several ways so you can be certain what was meant by a vague response. Silence is often used as a communication tool.
Pakistanis prefer to do business in person. They see the telephone as too impersonal a medium for business communication.

Business Meeting Etiquette

Appointments are necessary and should be made, in writing, 3 to 4 weeks in advance, although meetings with private companies can often be arranged with less notice.
The best time to schedule meetings is in the late morning or early afternoon.
If at all possible, try not to schedule meetings during Ramadan. The workday is shortened, and since Muslims fast, they could not offer you tea, which is a sign of hospitality.
You should arrive at meetings on time and be prepared to be kept waiting.
Pakistanis in the private sector who are accustomed to working with international companies often strive for punctuality, but are not always successful.
It is not uncommon to have a meeting cancelled at the last minute or even once you have arrived.
In general, Pakistanis have an open-door policy, even when they are in a meeting. This means there may be frequent interruptions. Other people may wander into the room and start a different discussion.
Meetings are formal.
Business meetings start after prolonged inquiries about health, family, etc.
Never inquire about a colleague's wife or daughters.
During the first several meetings, business may not be discussed at all as the relationship is still being developed.
Maintain indirect eye contact while speaking.

Negotiating

Companies are hierarchical. Decisions are made by the highest-ranking person.
Decisions are reached slowly. If you try to rush things, you will give offense and jeopardize your business relationship.
The society is extremely bureaucratic. Most decisions require several layers of approval.
It often takes several visits to accomplish simple tasks.
If you change negotiators, negotiations will have to start over since relationships are to the person and not the company that they represent.
Pakistanis are highly skilled negotiators.
Price is often a determining factor in closing a deal.
Pakistanis strive for win-win outcomes.
Maintain indirect eye contact while speaking.
Do not use high-pressure tactics.
Pakistanis can become highly emotional during negotiations. Discussions may become heated and even revert to Urdu (the national language). It is imperative that you remain calm.

Business Card Etiquette

Business cards are exchanged after the initial introduction.
Include any advanced university degrees or professional honours on your card, as they denote status.
Business cards are exchanged using the right hand only or with two hands.
Make a point of studying any business card you receive before putting into your business card holder.