Thought Behind Things

Find out more about Endeavor: https://pakistan.endeavor.org

In this episode of Thought Behind Things, we’re joined by Jawwad Hasan, CEO & co-founder of Agrilift, and Salar Malik, Chief Innovation & Sustainability Officer at FFC. Together, they unpack how corporate partnerships are attempting to transform Pakistan’s outdated agriculture sector through farmer-friendly technology, data, and modern infrastructure.

We dive into:

• Why Pakistan’s agriculture is so inefficient
• How timely data insights are reshaping farming practices
• The Agrilift x FFC partnership model
• What's next for this partnership
• Why agri startups often leave Pakistan to scale globally

Socials:

TBT’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings⁠⁠⁠

TBT Clips: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@tbtpodcastclips⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠

Jawwad's LinkedIn: ⁠https://linkedin.com/in/jawwad-hasan⁠

Salar's LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/salar-malik/⁠

Endeavor's LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/endeavor-pakistan⁠⁠

Credits:

Executive Producer: Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi

Associate Producer: Saad Shehryar

Publisher: Talha Shaikh

Editor: Jawad Sajid

Find out more about Endeavor: ⁠https://pakistan.endeavor.org⁠

In this episode of Thought Behind Things, we're joined by Saad Farrukh, founder of EVEE, Pakistan’s fastest-growing electric scooter company. Coming from a conventional motorcycle spare parts business on McLeod Road, Saad transitioned into the EV space after years of importing parts from China and setting up local assembly.

We dive into:

• The origin story of EVEE
• Why Saad chose scooters over bikes
• Comparing innovation in China vs Pakistan
• Government policies, localization challenges, and B2B market potential

Socials:

TBT’s Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/⁠

TBT’s TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil⁠

TBT’s Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings⁠

TBT Clips: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@tbtpodcastclips⁠

Muzamil's Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/⁠

Muzamil's LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/⁠

Guest's LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/saad-farrukh-038b3a198/

Endeavor's LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/endeavor-pakistan⁠

DaftarKhwan: ⁠https://www.daftarkhwan.com/⁠

Credits:

Executive Producer: Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi

Associate Producer: Saad Shehryar

Publisher: Talha Shaikh

Editor: Jawad Sajid

Find out more about Endeavor: https://pakistan.endeavor.org

In this episode of Thought Behind Things, we’re joined by Muhammad Omer Khan, Founder & CEO of PostEx, Pakistan’s largest e-commerce logistics & cashflow solutions provider — operating across Tier 1 to Tier 3 cities with over 11,000 employees and handling 3x more COD cash than any competitor.

This episode answers:

• Why PostEx skipped the traditional franchise model
• What goes into delivering to Pakistan’s most remote towns
• How tech, data, and credit scoring drive modern logistics

We also talk about team scale, investor interest, data monetization, and what it really takes to operate in low-trust, high-cash economies like Pakistan.

Socials:

TBT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/

TBT’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil

TBT’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings

TBT Clips: https://www.youtube.com/@tbtpodcastclips

Muzamil's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/

Muzamil's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/

Guest's LinkedIn: pk.linkedin.com/in/muhammadomer56

Endeavor's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/endeavor-pakistan

DaftarKhwan: https://www.daftarkhwan.com/

Credits:

Executive Producer: Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi

Associate Producer: Saad Shehryar

Publisher: Talha Shaikh

Editor: Jawad Sajid

Find out more about Endeavor: https://pakistan.endeavor.org

In this episode of Thought Behind Things, we’re joined by Adnan Shaffi, Co-Founder of PriceOye — Pakistan’s leading online tech marketplace that's processing over 5% of the country's total mobile phone purchases.

This episode answers:

• What makes Pakistan a high-risk, high-reward market for startups
• How to attract global VC interest in a volatile economy
• The early hustle, exit, and reinvention of Adnan's personal journey

We also discuss venture funding, consumer behavior, the stigma of buying online in Pakistan, and the massive opportunity still left to unlock.

Socials:

TBT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/

TBT’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil

TBT’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings

TBT Clips: https://www.youtube.com/@tbtpodcastclips

Muzamil's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/

Muzamil's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/

Guest's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adnanshaffi

Endeavor's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/endeavor-pakistan

Credits:

Executive Producer: Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi

Associate Producer: Saad Shehryar

Publisher: Talha Shaikh

Editor: Jawad Sajid

In this episode of Thought Behind Things, we’re joined by Dr. Saira Siddique, Founder & +CEO of medIQ Smart Healthcare, a digital health platform revolutionizing healthcare access in Pakistan. Before founding medIQ, Dr. Saira led several major health initiatives with the Government of Pakistan until a tragic road accident left her paralyzed from the neck down. But that wasn’t the end, it was the start of a bigger mission.

This episode answers:

• How a life-threatening accident changed her mission
• Why she left government to build something bigger
• What medIQ actually does, and how it’s scaling globally

We also explore the tension between staying small vs fundraising, the reality of equity dilution, and what it takes to build Pakistan’s first digital health startup 

Socials:

TBT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/

TBT’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil

TBT’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings

TBT Clips: https://www.youtube.com/@tbtpodcastclips

Muzamil's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/

Muzamil's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/

Guest's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-saira-siddique-62130b1ab/

Endeavor: https://pakistan.endeavor.org/

DaftarKhwan: https://www.daftarkhwan.com/

In this episode of Thought Behind Things, we’re joined by Miral Sharif, the Country Head of Yango Pakistan, who previously held leadership roles at Swvl, Daraz, and Zong. Miral shares her personal journey, the challenges of working in male-dominated industries, and the future of ride-sharing in Pakistan.

This episode answers:

• What is Yango doing differently in Pakistan?
• Can we actually build a one-app-for-everything solution here?
• How does ride-sharing help everyday Pakistanis?
• Will we see delivery, logistics, and rides merge into one ecosystem?

Make sure to watch till the end for a deep dive into the startup ecosystem and tech adoption in Pakistan.

Socials:

TBT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/

TBT’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil

TBT’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings

Muzamil's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/

Muzamil's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/

Miral's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miral-sharif-3b5976a2/

Joining us today is Jahanzeb Burana, Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of National Institute of Technology (NIT), Pakistan’s first American-affiliated university launching in 2025. With an MBA from Harvard and a decade of experience in public policy, investments, and education reform, Jahanzeb shares the vision behind building a globally competitive, student-centric university in Pakistan.

In this episode, we dive deep into how traditional universities are failing students, why NIT is offering an entirely new model, and how they’ve partnered with Arizona State University to deliver a modern, globally aligned curriculum. We explore course quality, the 3+1 international transfer program, and how Pakistan can solve its talent redundancy crisis amidst global AI disruption.

This episode answers:

1. Why is Pakistan’s current university system outdated?
2. How will NIT ensure job-ready graduates?
3. What is the future of global education?
4. Can we fix the skill gap in the Pakistani workforce?

Watch till the end to hear about NIT’s collaboration with Arizona State University, student career pathways, and the future of education in Pakistan.

Don’t forget to subscribe and press the bell icon to catch more future-facing conversations.

Socials:

TBT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/

TBT’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil

TBT’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings

Muzamil's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/

Muzamil's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/

Jahanzeb's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jahanzebburana/

Joining us today is Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, the current Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan, with decades of experience leading Pakistan’s education reform. Dr. Mukhtar offers an unfiltered view on the gaps in our current system and what needs to change.

In this episode, we dive deep into why Pakistan’s degrees are becoming irrelevant, how outdated policies are killing innovation, and what steps HEC is taking to fix this broken system. We also explore future plans for AI, local internet infra, EdTech, and what a truly skilled youth could look like by 2050.

This episode answers:

• Why are our degrees not helping us build careers?
• How does HEC plan to bridge the talent gap?
• What’s the future of higher education in Pakistan?
• Is EdTech the answer?

Stay till the end to understand how Pakistan’s education system can evolve and what's holding it back.Don’t forget to subscribe and press the bell icon to catch more unfiltered conversations like this!

#thoughtbehindthings #muzamilhasan #hecpakistan #pakistanieducation #degrees

Socials:

TBT’s Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/

TBT’s Official TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil

TBT’s Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings

Muzamil's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/

Muzamil's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/

Dr. Mukhtar's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-mukhtar-ahmed-046408247/

Joining us today is Jonathan Mark Tatti, the Co founder & CEO of Begin Watch, a new Pakistani OTT platform competing with global giants like Netflix and HBO. With over 20 years in the media industry, Jonathan played key roles at Zee TV, CNBC Pakistan, and SAMAA TV, launching some of the region’s most iconic content and channels.

In this episode, we dive into the real story behind Pakistan’s streaming challenges, how Begin Watch was started, the legal and content roadblocks, and how the team plans to build a platform that can rival global players. We also explore sports distribution, E-sports, content licensing, and what it really takes to build a media business in Pakistan today.

This episode answers:

• Why build a streaming platform in Pakistan?
• How does Begin compete with Netflix, HBO & others?
• What’s the biggest challenge in acquiring content rights?
• Can subscription-based platforms survive here?
• What does Pakistan’s future look like?

Stay till the end to hear about Shark Tank Pakistan, Pakistan Idol, and Jonathan’s vision for Pakistan in 2050.

Socials:

TBT’s Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/

TBT’s Official TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil

TBT’s Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings

Muzamil's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/

Muzamil's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/

Jonathan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mark-t/

Joining us today is Ivana Bajamic, Chief People & Corporate Reputation Officer at National Foods Limited (NFL). She has a global background across adidas, Chalhoub, and BRF, and brings over a decade of experience in talent strategy, organizational culture, and people transformation.

In this episode, we explore Pakistan’s talent pool, what’s working, where the gaps are, and how global standards can be adapted locally. Ivana shares her honest perspective on hiring in Pakistan, building accountability systems, the impact of AI on legacy companies, and why diversity and culture are no longer soft topics.

This episode answers:

• What are the real strengths in Pakistan’s talent pool?
• Why do companies struggle with accountability?
• How can legacy companies adapt to AI?
• What’s needed to prepare agencies for global work?
• Where does Ivana see Pakistan in 2050?

Watch till the end for book recommendations from Ivana.

Socials:

TBT’s Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/

TBT’s Official TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil

TBT’s Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings

Muzamil's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/

Muzamil's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/

Ivana’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivana-bajamic-2781579/