By 2010, the Dewan Group had its fingerprints on nearly every major sector of Pakistan's economy. Textiles, cement, banking, real estate, and the booming automobile industry all bore the Dewan brand. Yet, there remained one area that had long fascinated Dewan Yousuf Farooqui: logistics infrastructure.
Pakistan's road networks were notoriously inefficient. With poor connectivity between ports and industrial zones, and overloaded highways damaging fragile supply chains, Dewan recognized a gap—a vital artery of trade left underdeveloped.
"If we don't build the highways of industry," Yousuf once told his senior board, "we remain landlocked in inefficiency."
Scene 1: The Vision
The idea crystallized during a 2009 visit to China, where Yousuf toured the Shanghai Industrial Belt. There, vast highways and freight corridors seamlessly connected factories to ports, railroads, and even airports.
"Everything moves here," he said to his delegation, standing on an overpass watching container trucks roll past like blood cells through veins. "We need this."
Upon returning, Dewan Logistics was formally registered. The group envisioned developing logistics parks, warehouse clusters, and even bidding for road construction contracts, backed by Dewan Cement and Dewan Motors for machinery and vehicles.
Scene 2: The Government Nexus
To realize this plan, government cooperation was essential. Dewan approached the Ministry of Communications, then headed by Dr. Arbab Alamgir Khan. Early meetings were hopeful.
"Pakistan is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)," Arbab explained in a 2010 closed-door session. "If you position your logistics business along the CPEC routes, you'll ride the wave."
Dewan offered to build logistics terminals near Gwadar and along the M-5 Motorway, promising to bring private financing and international standards. In return, they requested long-term land leases and tax concessions.
The proposal was submitted.
Scene 3: Conspiracies Begin
But as with all major initiatives in Pakistan, opposition wasn't far behind. A cabal of traditional freight contractors and politically-linked construction giants saw the Dewan proposal as a threat. Among them was a shadowy syndicate led by "The Alliance"—a network of business elites with rumored ties to powerful political families.
An informant inside the Ministry leaked details of Dewan's plan. Suddenly, other bidders emerged with eerily similar proposals. One such firm, PakTransit Corp, was linked to the brother-in-law of a sitting federal minister.
The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) unit within the Planning Commission began stalling Dewan's paperwork. Anonymous complaints surfaced.
Scene 4: The Karachi Port Fiasco
In 2011, Dewan Logistics secured a subcontract to manage inland container transportation from Karachi Port to industrial areas. The project, though minor, was symbolic. Within months, chaos erupted.
Delays in customs clearance. Trucks vandalized. Route permits withdrawn without warning.
In an emergency meeting at the Dewan Group's Karachi HQ, operations manager Riaz Hussain reported:
"This is no coincidence. Someone's orchestrating these bottlenecks."
Yousuf's face darkened. "We play clean. But if they drag us into the mud, we'll build a road through it."
Scene 5: Internal Debate
Tensions grew within the group.
CFO Khalid Anwar was skeptical. "This project may bleed us. With real estate still maturing, and our automotive line investing in hybrid engines, this could break our liquidity."
COO Batool Qureshi disagreed. "It's a strategic investment. The long game."
After hours of deliberation, the board voted 6-3 to continue.
Scene 6: Courtroom Drama
In 2012, Dewan filed a legal challenge against the National Logistics Cell (NLC), accusing it of monopolistic practices and contract violations. The courtroom saw fireworks.
NLC's legal team, backed by retired military officials, argued that Dewan was overstepping boundaries reserved for national security.
"These logistics nodes are part of sensitive trade routes. Civilian companies cannot be entrusted with strategic cargo," their lead counsel said.
The Dewan side argued back:
"Private enterprise, not state monopolies, will drive efficiency. If NLC fails, the economy fails."
The court deferred the decision.
Scene 7: Shadow of the ISI
Whispers began that the ISI had taken interest in Dewan's logistics maps. A retired Brigadier—once on the board of PakTransit Corp—openly stated at a Karachi Chamber of Commerce event:
"Some ambitions are better left untraveled."
Yousuf, always measured, responded the next day via a Dawn editorial:
"The highways of our industry must not be hostage to shadows."
Scene 8: The International Factor
By 2013, Chinese logistics firms began circling. China Harbour Engineering, China COSCO, and Sinotrans held discreet meetings with Dewan representatives. They were interested in joint ventures.
"We like your blueprint. But your political climate scares us," said one Chinese executive.
To lure investment, Dewan offered equity. Yet, their Pakistani rivals warned Beijing:
"The Dewans are under NAB. They're in litigation. Don't risk your capital."
Scene 9: A Road Paved in Resolve
Despite these headwinds, Dewan Logistics began operations on two inland dry ports and a mid-size freight corridor between Hub and Karachi industrial zones. They upgraded 65 trucks with GPS and launched Pakistan's first logistics management software in partnership with a Korean firm.
At the 2014 Pakistan Infrastructure Summit, Dewan Yousuf was honored with a citation for "Visionary Leadership in Private Sector Infrastructure."
He ended his speech with:
"We may not win every bid. We may lose routes. But every road we build—no matter how rough—brings Pakistan closer to its potential."
Scene 10: A Question of Survival
Still, profits remained elusive. By 2015, Dewan Logistics was barely breaking even. Some board members urged a partial sale. Others proposed pivoting entirely toward warehousing.
Yousuf, stubborn yet dignified, stood firm.
"We don't abandon foundations. We build on them."
Final Thoughts
Chapter 25 revealed the price of ambition—how trying to reshape the arteries of a nation's trade exposes you to sabotage, surveillance, and systemic resistance. The highways of industry weren't just roads—they were battlegrounds.
Question for Readers: Was Dewan's investment in logistics a visionary leap into Pakistan's future—or a miscalculated move that exposed them to powers too entrenched to overcome?