Startup Guide Issue 16 | Page 21

F i r s t l y , t he r e wa s oc c upa t i on of Punj a b P ol i c e a nd t he mos t g l or i ous pa r t of t hi s wa s t ha t t he r e wa s a l ot of unde r l i ne d wor k t ha t we nt i n, t hi nk of 3 t o 4 y e a r s . Al l t he pol i c e s y s t e ms be l ong i ng t o e v e r y s t a t i on c oope r a t e d wi t h us . A PI TB a g e nt woul d s i t on a de s k pl a c e d a l ong s i de t he i ns pe c t or ’ s de s k , wi t h a l a pt op a nd f i l e d c ompl a i nt s not i ng down t he t i me t a k e n t o r e g i s t e r a n F I R or di s pos e i t of f . The r e i s c omput e r i z e d F I R a c r os s 716 s t a t i ons , but onl y 16 r e g i s t e r s i n one s t a t i on. Mor e ov e r , we bui l t a l ot of t e c hnol og y whi c h a l s o di g i t i z e d c r i mi na l r e c or d i n Punj a b . We di g i t i z e d t he whol e pr oc e s s of c r i me i n v e s t i g a t i on s uc h t ha t e v e n i f a me r e f i ng e r pr i nt wa s f ound s ome whe r e , i t woul d be ma t c he d i n t he whol e da t a ba s e we c ons t r uc t e d a nd t he n woul d l e a d t o t he pe r s on i t be l ong e d t o. He nc e , t hi s woul d me a n t ha t c r i me woul d g o down a l ong s i de c r i mi na l s . S o, n ume r ous di g i t i z e d r e c or ds of c r i mi na l s i s k e pt a nd t hus whe r e v e r c r i me i s l oc a t e d, i t i s i n v e s t i g a t e d i mme di a t e l y . Thi s wa s a l ot of s c i e nc e t ha t we ha d t o bui l d up , v e r y f e w c ount r i e s ha v e t hi s s or t of t e c hnol og y . S o, we bui l t hi g h pe r f or ma nc e c omput i ng a ppl i a nc e s a nd i don' t k now i f y ou k now t hi s or not , but i t ’ s us e d f or a l a r g e c omput i ng i nf r a s t r uc t ur e t ha t I ha v e bui l t i n a Ti e r - 3 da t a c e nt r e i n T e dPa k t hr oug h whi c h we c a n f i nd a l ot s i nc e we ha v e v e r i f i e d Af g ha n r e f ug e e s bi ome t r i c a l l y a nd t a g g e d t he m. Thi s r e s ul t e d i n a l ot of s e c ur i t y f or me a nd my or g a ni z a t i on a t t he t i me a nd a l ot of wor k we nt i nt o t r y i ng t o ma k e i t wor k . S o t ha t wa s a l ot of ha r d wor k ov e r s e v e r a l y e a r s . S e c ondl y , t he pr oj e c t t ha t ha d a hi g h i mpa c t wa s r e l a t e d t o he a l t hc a r e wor k . Whi l e t he f oc us of t he pr e v i ous wor k wa s s ol v i ng t he e ne r g y a nd e l e c t r i c i t y pr obl e m, i t wa s de c i de d t ha t t he ne xt e l e c t i on woul dn’ t be f oug ht on e ne r g y , but on c i v i c s e r v i c e s e . g uni v e r s i t i e s , hos pi t a l s . S o i t wa s de c i de d on t he g ov e r nme nt l e v e l t ha t we wi l l now wor k on t he he a l t h s e c t or , s o t he punj a b k i dne y a nd l i v e r i ns t i t ut e wa s bui l t i n t hi s t i me a nd a l ot of e f f or t we nt i nt o bui l di ng a wor l d c l a s s l i v e r t r a ns pl a nt a nd k i dne y t r a ns pl a nt c e nt e r . I t he n g a t he r e d a t e a m of 200- 250 pe opl e f or t hi s pur pos e a nd a ppoi nt e d a s e c r e t a r y of our c hoi c e a nd we we nt t o wor k . We t he n ph y s i c a l l y r e de e me d t e hs e e l l e v e l a nd di s t r i c t l e v e l hos pi t a l s . Al t houg h i t i s n’ t PI TB’ s t a s k t o c ons t r uc t bui l di ng s , but we s t i l l di d t ha t . I n or de r t o ma k e s ur e t ha t t he he a l t h s y s t e m wor k s a s a whol e , we c ha ng e d t he i nduc t i on s y s t e m, s o I ma de t hi s bi pa r t i t e c r a f t ma t c hi ng s y s t e m t o ma t c h t he de ma nd wi t h doc t or s ’ e xpe r t i s e i n or de r t o pl a c e doc t or s i n hos pi t a l s . I f i l l e d up a l l t he DHQs wi t h doc t or s . A l ot of wor k we nt i nt o t hi s a nd t he pe opl e who we r e i n v ol v e d i n i t r e a l l y wor k e d v e r y ha r d t o ma k e t hi s wor k a nd i f y ou e v e r g o t o a DHP or DHQ or DHU, y ou wi l l s e e how t he y ma na g e d t o t ur n i t a r ound. He nc e , my t wo f a v or i t e t hi ng s we r e t he s e , pol i c e a nd he a l t h, be c a us e of t he t e a ms i n v ol v e d i n i t , t he bur e a uc r a t s , my own t e a ms who we nt out of t he wa y a nd t ook t he l e a p t o wor k on t he s e . How hi gh have you s een t he l evel of ent r epr eneur s hi p i mpr ove i n Paki s t an? Thi s i s a phe nome na l i mpr ov e me nt . I n f a c t , t he e nt i r e s t a c k of odds , wa s a g a i ns t y ou, t he r e i s a n e c onomi c downt ur n a nd t he r e i s pol i t i c a l i ns t a bi l i t y . S o, I t hi nk t ha t t he f or c e of t he y out h wa nt i ng t o ma k e i t ha ppe n i s t he s t r ong e s t hol d of t hi s c ount r y a nd i ’ v e s e e n t hi s me t e or i c r i de , s o i t ’ s r e a l l y a n i mpr ov e me nt . I n t er ms of f undi ng, we t al k about VCs and f or ei gn VCs comi ng i n. How do you s ee t hi s t o be a mot i vat i on f or l ar ge bus i nes s hous es i n Paki s t an t o do vent ur e capi t al f or s uppor t i ng s t ar t ups i n Paki s t an? Y ou k now, pe opl e a r e e c onomi c a l l y r a t i ona l , t he y wa nt t o ma k e mone y out of a c t i v i t i e s . Now t he i s s ue i s i n e v e r y c ount r y , Pa k i s t a n t oo t ha t t he r e a r e a s s e t c l a s s e s . . . Wha t c oul d y ou do? Y ou woul d g o a nd buy a pl ot or i f y ou a r e mor e ope n t o t a k i ng r i s k , y ou woul d put i t i n t he s t oc k ma r k e t or i f y ou ha v e a n i ndus t r y ba c k g r ound, y ou woul d g o i n r e nt s e e k i ng bus i ne s s l i k e a s ug a r mi l l or a s pi nni ng mi l l , s o t ha t ’ s wha t a r a t i ona l e c onomi c a l a ppr oa c h i s . T e c hnol og y i n v e s t i ng i s a l s o a por t f ol i o i n v e s t me nt - y ou wa nt r e a l mone y c omi ng i n Pa k i s t a n.