Beyond Pakistan
Every now and then, Aurora has looked further afield on the advertising and business front. Dubai is not only one of the major regional hubs (the other is Singapore) for a large proportion of the multinational advertising that lands up in Pakistan. It has also become a location of choice for many new age Pakistan ad agencies that service local Pakistani clients.
More recently, in 2024, Nukta was launched in Dubai by a largely Pakistani team. In this respect, Dubai is increasingly seen as a location of opportunity for many Pakistani advertising and media professionals, if only as a stepping stone to better career choices. Dubai is also a prime event and conference location, and the top choice for international advertising association gatherings, awards and high-profile events. A case in point was Expo 2020 Dubai in 2021-22, the first world expo to be held in the MENA region. Expo 2020 Dubai was an opportunity for Pakistan to shine. Marketed by top Aurora contributor Shoaib Qureshy and his team at the Bulls Eye DDB Group, the Pakistan Pavilion made it to the international media lists as one of the must-see pavilions. Based on the theme of “Hidden Treasure”, the Pavilion showcased the best of Pakistan, starting with the spectacular façade designed by Rashid Rana. A best-in-class example of the effective marketing of ‘brand Pakistan’, the Pavilion was strongly supported by the country’s leading private sector companies.
China is a frenetic hub of industrial development. The second largest economy in the world, verging on becoming the first. China has always been of interest to Pakistan. Apart from the historic friendship forged between the two countries, China in the last 20 years has had a significant impact on Pakistan’s economy and its consumers.
Led by the promise of CPEC (not yet tangible to most Pakistanis), Pakistan was at first a dumping ground for mediocre Chinese products. In fact, there was a time when begums and plumbers alike found common ground over the poor quality of the said products. But things changed and Chinese products rapidly improved and today most of what we purchase are either completely made or contain key components made there. Quality is no longer an issue. The extent of this transformation and its impact are Chinese cars, with both the Changan and BYD close to displacing the dominance of the ‘big three’ – Pak Suzuki, Honda and Toyota. China is also leading Pakistan’s new energy revolution, not only in the domain of EVs, but in solar panels. According to China Briefing, in 2024, total bilateral trade reached $23.1 billion; Chinese exports to Pakistan accounted for $20.2 billion and imports from Pakistan were $2.8 billion. The threatened Trump tariffs are unlikely to affect trade with China, However, Pakistan’s economic managers should be mindful of the widening trade imbalance.
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