Expatriates in Pakistan

When going to Pakistan, one of the most important things to keep in mind is that one is entering a highly Islamic country. Customs and culture differs enormously from that of Western cultures, and the need for respect and understanding is imperative for an expatriates stay to be successful. For example, one should keep in mind that religious and social issues have extremely high importance, and this often comes at the cost of business issues. Following this, many have gone wrong by putting time-pressure on Pakistanis. This is a no-no, as there is not much focus on time, and pressing this issue is considered very impolite and disrespectful. Thus, one should be very patient.

Having conducted an interview with one of the authors, who has had extensive experience with foreign expatriates in Pakistan, it has been identified certain desirable qualities and personal characteristics that might increase the likelihood of a successful expatriate stay in Pakistan.

As Pakistan have a colonial legacy from the time of the British, there are certain things that might make life a whole lot easier if only aware of those. For example, Pakistanis drink a lot of tea. Furthermore, there is a strong emphasis on relationship building, meaning Pakistanis like to chat and interact. So, when drinking ones tea and chatting along, one is likely to score many points amongst the locals if one has some knowledge of either cricket or field-hockey. Pakistan cannot seem to get enough of these two sports left behind by the British. If one is well informed about the role of religion (Islam), the

role of the family and the clan, one will receive great respect as knowledge of this is highly valued. What is also considered important when interacting socially is to have something to boast and brag about, especially when interacting with the social-elite. If, for example, a Pakistani boasts about his family or wealth (i.e., past family used to be Royal), this should not be taken as an attempt to compete for status. Rather, it is a compliment to the receiver of the boast, meaning the receiver has been found worthy of receiving such information. Therefore, if one boasts about something to a Pakistani, it helps build the relationships that they so much appreciate. Also, when interacting it is important to have a basic understanding of non-verbal behaviour, as the interaction is not restricted to the literal. For example, one must always take the situation in consideration. Furthermore, negotiation is considered a national sport and past time in Pakistan. As such, they have developed excellent techniques for this. One should not be offended nor let oneself be carried away when this happens, but rather tag along and participate.

There also needs to be words of caution regarding being an expatriate in Pakistan. This pertains particularly to the role of religion and that of women in the society. To put it in the extreme, if the expatriate wife is a feminist there is bound to be problems! One cannot escape the fact that there are differences between men and women in the Pakistani society. This is socially accepted in Pakistan, and expatriates are expected to respect this. For example, one must never talk to a woman without the husband being around. This is considered very inappropriate. If having female employees, one needs to be very sensitive to their needs. The boss, who is usually male, is expected to protect the women and their interests. What is more, one cannot question a womans integrity nor insult a

woman in public, as it is the generally accepted view that women do not do anything wrong. There is also the issue of alcohol. Islamic law prohibits consumption of alcohol, however, this only pertains to Muslims. Expatriates are allowed to drink alcohol, but are expected to show consideration for the locals and keep it out of sight. Furthermore, when having a party or social gathering, one needs to consider who the guests are before deciding to serve alcohol or not.