Companies in flight

The past three years have witnessed an alarming departure of over twenty major multinational companies from Pakistan including Shell, Procter & Gamble, Pfizer, Microsoft, Telenor, TotalEnergies, Eli Lilly and Yamaha Motors. This exodus reflects a deepening crisis of confidence triggered by prolonged economic instability.
Once symbols of modernisation and quality, these brands are either shutting plants, selling assets to local firms or shifting to import-only models.
The consequences are that thousands of direct jobs have vanished, ancillary industries face collapse, foreign direct investment has plummeted and Pakistan’s global reputation as an investment destination lies in tatters.
More critically, the country is losing technological knowledge and access to global supply chains, pushing it further toward economic isolation while neighbours like Bangladesh and Vietnam surge ahead.
Reversing this trend will reequire bold reforms and serious conviction from the government. Without decisive action within the next six months, Pakistan risks permanent exclusion from global value chains. Only a radical improvement in the ease of doing business can stem the flight and restore investor trust.
AAMIR KHAN WAGAN
LARKANA