Page 288 - James Caan - The Real Deal

Chapter 29

Getting to Know

Pakistan (2003–present)

‘ The greatest force for change in Pakistan is commerce. ’

t one point while we were building the school I was really
A tearing my hair out trying to find teachers and get the
necessary responses from the education authorities: what I needed,
I decided, was some advice from someone who already had
experience of opening a school in Pakistan. I asked around and I
was put in touch with a woman called Seema Aziz, Pakistan’s
highest-profile female entrepreneur. She runs the country’s biggest
fashion company, Sarena Industries, and does a lot of philan-
thropic work in education.
‘Hi, I was wondering if you could spare a couple of minutes to
give me some advice about a school I’m opening,’ I said over the
phone.
‘Where are you?’
‘In Lahore.’
‘I’m chock-a-block; how are you fixed for next week?’
‘Actually, I’m returning to the UK tomorrow morning.’
‘OK, get your driver to bring you here straight away. I can see
you before my next meeting.’

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