Written by: Waseem Abbas
Posted on: November 04, 2022 | 
| 中文
Syed Babar Ali
A video recently went viral online, where Syed Babar Ali can be seen talking with a group of students, expressing his jubilation over the remarkable success in various fields of some National Outreach Program (NOP) scholars. NOP is a fully funded scholarship awarded to deserving students at LUMS, mainly sponsored by Syed Babar Ali Foundation. He was heard advising the attendees to focus on education, not only of their children but for others as well.
Perhaps no other business tycoon in Pakistan is as loved and respected as Syed Babar Ali, who is known for his services in business, education and philanthropy. Founder of the Packages Private Limited and the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Syed Babar Ali's story is a prime example of dedication, resilience and hard work for Pakistan's betterment.
Syed Maratib Ali, Syed Babar Ali's father
The 96-years-old Syed Babar Ali was born in Lahore. His father was Syed Maratib Ali, who was a contractor for the British Raj. His mother belonged to a landed family of Lahore, while her grandmother belonged to Afghanistan's royal family, so he had royal links. Syed Babar Ali's brothers, Syed Amjad Ali and Syed Wajid Ali were also prominent personalities in sports, business and diplomacy. He studied at Aitcheson College and the Government College, Lahore, before starting his professional journey as a businessman and educationist.
Syed Babar Ali at Aitchison College, 1942
Syed Babar Ali was the youngest in the family, and he credits his brothers for teaching him the art of business, and how to strike deals and build relationships, necessary for success in business. Syed Babar Ali calls himself a master learner, who learns from others' mistakes. The title of his autobiography "Learning from Others", captures his philosophy of life. While discussing his book, Syed Babar Ali argued: "the purpose of writing an autobiography is not that I want to be remembered or celebrated as to how accomplished I am, instead it would be great if someone takes my life as a case study and learns from my life and the mistakes I made."
An inclusive and plural Pakistan is Babar Ali's hope and goal, demonstrated by his words and deeds. He reminisces about his school days at Aitcheson, where his best friend, Harcharan Singh Brar, who later became the Chief Minister of Indian Punjab and remained Syed Babar Ali’s friend till his death, was a Sikh. "He would go to a Gurudwara and I would go to a masjid. Religion was a personal matter for us. I want to see the same spirit in the coming generations"
Babar Ali credits Swedish industrialist Ruben Rausing for having a profound impact on him, and helping him become who he is today. "I think what broke his reserve with me was my openness, truthfulness, my anxiety and eagerness to learn. I kept on asking him questions. This is what he himself did: he always asked people questions. He not only became my friend but also my mentor." With Rausing's support and guidance, Babar Ali founded Packages Limited and Nestle Pakistan, and in a few years, he made a name for himself. He believes in joint ventures and all his business projects are partnered with international brands, like Nestle, Mitsubishi, Tetra Pak and Coca-Cola, which helps him compete with and overpower local companies.
Syed Babar Ali and his family had already established a vast corporate empire when Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto nationalized industries in 1973. Of the family’s six industries, only Packages Limited was not nationalized and it helped them in building the business empire once again. He later joined the Bhutto government as Chairman of Pakistan Fertilizers Company, and helped in founding a fertilizers company in Pakistan. He considers the four years spent in the government as a great learning curve, and believes Bhutto never interfered in his work.
Hillary Clinton and Syed Babar Ali at LUMS on March 27, 1995
After working with the Bhutto government for four years, Syed Babar Ali joined Harvard University for a three-month-long management course. It is where he conceived the idea of LUMS. It was later materialized with the help of some of his businessman friends and foreign donors. The USA was investing heavily in Pakistan and Afghanistan in the 1980s because of the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan. Syed Babar Ali seized the opportunity to get donors to build a private university. Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) was founded in 1981 as a management sciences school. Various other schools were added later on, like the Humanities School, Law School, Science and Technology School and the School of Education. Various local businessmen like Suleman Dawood and others, helped him in establishing and managing LUMS.
Richard Nixon at Syed Babar Ali's wedding
At the age of ninety-six Syed Babar Ali is fit and healthy, and works five days a week. It is the spirit of a better Pakistan that keeps him going. As an accomplished educationist and successful businessman, he considers it to be his duty to help those in need. Recipient of many national and international awards, like the Order of the British Empire (OBE), Babar Ali is also the founder of the Babar Ali Foundation, which works for education and health in Pakistan, and the Ali Institute of Education, which trains primary and secondary school teachers. These are but a few of his accomplishments and the projects he has initiated. Pakistan, and the world, would be a much better place if we have a few more people like Syed Babar Ali.
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