Muhammad Khalid Majeed

Executive Director of CLLB, Karachi

Investing in education is something we here at the Mekotex group of companies believe strongly in. As a pillar of the Karachi business community, we have always strived to give back to society, be it through community outreach, serving on the boards of educational and health institutions, or developing and implementing charitable initiatives. Our efforts are both in our personal capacities as well as at the group level. With the latter, we also take care to engender the same approach and mindset in our employees in order to ensure continuity and upholding of our core values.

In over five decades of conducting business, I have had the opportunity to meet and build relationships with a wide variety of individuals across all strata of society. These have included policymakers, entrepreneurs, educators, students, social workers, as well as political and religious leaders; they represent some of Pakistan’s most educated minds and innovative thinkers. My engagement with them has always focused on seeking avenues to empower our youth and contribute where possible. To my mind, there is no better effort in this regard than investing in education and on capacity building. For me, it speaks to a larger purpose of nation-building, something I firmly believe is the responsibility of each individual who finds himself or herself in a position to contribute.

When the idea of an institution that would impart education on both the law and business, was being conceptualized, it seemed to form the perfect conflux of training and capacitation that I have long been an advocate of. The flagship centre will be based in Peshawar; however, I see tremendous potential for a similar institution in Karachi. The latter is a city with a large and talented youth population, hungry for opportunities to learn and grow. Nearly 52% of Karachi’s population is under 25 years of age. Despite that, there are not enough quality institutions to cater to the needs of a youth coming of age. For a growing economy like Pakistan, the need and demand for qualified individuals in the workforce continue to increase; particularly when we consider the legislative requirements of transparency and documentation of the economy. The corresponding need for institutions to train and capacitate them must be met.

If we can succeed in providing our youth with a platform to acquire and hone their skills, and use it not only to sustain themselves but to pay it forward by supporting others, we will have succeeded in building something of true value and worth. Moreover, in building an institution such as this, there lies tremendous potential for bridging communities by encouraging a broader exchange of ideas, intellect, creativity, and a passion for excellence.

My hope for this institution is that it provides a platform for learning and building something greater. I envision it as a place not only for accessing a high level of professional education and training, but also a nucleus for engendering positive values such as belief in empowering others, creating benchmarks of excellence in mind and spirit, working with empathy and honour, forging a shared sense of community, and inculcating the desire to give back to society.