European work ethic in Pakistan

E-Paper | June 13, 2026

EUROPEANS are known for their fair business practices or at least that is what they preach. But it seems that is definitely not true when they do business in other countries.

A good example exists in Pakistan where ethics seem to be different for them. The case in point is a promotional advertisement campaign of a telecommunications company that is deliberately misguiding its customers. I ask at the cost of what.

The publicity campaign gives the impression that its customers can enjoy on net telephone calls anywhere in Pakistan for free during 24 hours after subscribing to the offer for Rs9.99 plus tax, whereas in reality the total duration given within 24 hours is 150 minutes, but that is not mentioned in TVCs and outside advertisements.

Apart from this, Nov 1 onwards these 150 minutes will be reduced to 50 minutes which is not mentioned in their advertisements either. Disenchanted with this foul play, I am porting out my number to another network but I would request the company to adopt fair business practices and stop cheating us customers.

MUSTAFA KHURRAM Lahore

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Faraz

Oct 19, 2012 12:24pm

Any multi-national that comes to Pakistan becomes a Pakistani organization.. and practices what is prevalent in Pakistan.. Corruption, that is.

Recommend 0

PeopleInGlassHouses

Oct 21, 2012 01:02am

"EUROPEANS are known for their fair business practices or at least that is what they preach" off course they are,therefore their colonial empires were the best run,their slave holds the best used,their decimation of indigenous people the most comprehensive and their Worlds Wars the most bloody in the history of the world, and lest not forget they count for 80 % of the world pollution since the start of the industrial revolution.

Recommend 0

umer

Oct 19, 2012 05:41am

Businesses are profit driven. In Europe they are kept on the straight and narrow due to the strength of their legal system.

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Igloo

Oct 20, 2012 12:40am

There is a saying in the UK: 'where there's a will there's a way'. The tendency to corruption is (to steal a phrase from Gibbon) endemic to the human condition. When there is systemic accountability and public vigilance corruption is reduced, and when either of these is missing corruption increases.

Recommend 0

Ali

Oct 19, 2012 06:30am

Name the company. If some business organisation is fleecing customers, some one has to take the role of whistle blower.

Recommend 0

wahid

Oct 19, 2012 12:39pm

It is the usual practice in the West that adverts are accompanied with small print that indicates various terms and conditions attached to the offer in the advertisement.Hence the saying that the big print gives and the small print takes it away!Also the legal regime and the Regulator over-seeing the advertisement industry ensure that any breach of its regulations is dealt with.Unfortunately no such environment exists in Pakistan and hence these companies have free ride over the interests of the consumers.It is important that when evidence is found of malpractices it must be made public to enable people to avoid such companies and the writer has failed to do so in his letter.

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