As the Eid announcement steamrolled through from the now Mufti Munnebless Ruet-e-Hilal committee, the business and economic twitterverse in Pakistan had more than a few topics on hand last week. There was Careem fleecing its customers’ bank accounts and being in no hurry to fix the mistake, and we talked about certain cultural business practices like business dinners and how tiring interviews and meetings can be.
There were also the Eid baskets, and while we would begrudgingly say we are happy for all the corporate employees getting these little trinkets, we would also like to remind them not to be too distracted by this. Solutions to Pakistan’s energy woes, Sania Nishtar in the senate, and more as Profit’s Ariba Shahid brings you this week’s social media roundup.
- Careem giving customers a ride (not the ride you think)
JUST IN: Careem has charged massive amounts to multiple users in random global currencies because of some malfunction. I was charged about one lac Pakistani rupees ($660) for two rides! 1/3 pic.twitter.com/WLhCYux1K6
— Faseeh Mangi (@FaseehMangi) May 14, 2021
On the second day of Eid in Pakistan, the biggest scandal in the tech startup sphere has emerged. Apparently, Careem wrongly charged large amounts of global currencies from debit and credit cards saved on their app. One of the victims of this is Faseeh Mangi, a fellow business and economics journalist. Another victim of a similar situation is Jibran Peshimam, who also happens to be a journalist. We know causation and correlation are different, but to be safe, we’re removing our cards from apps for the time being too. We would also urge our readers, journalists or not, to do the same for the time being until this whole business is sorted out. As for Careem, they’re processing a refund that will take approximately half a month and have also given Faseeh a free ride.
- The wine and dine litmus test
With startup frenzy at crazy levels, word of advice to the founders looking for board members.Not every 1 adds value. The litmus test? Overheard something that resonated with me, ‘don’t invite some one to your board that you won’t pay for, to have dinner with.’ u know when u know
— Faizan Siddiqi (@faizansiddiqi) May 15, 2021
If you can’t eat with them, don’t bring them on board. If you wouldn’t want to pay for them, don’t invite them to your board. This litmus test sounds fair. However, we think it is unfair for people with larger appetites that run the food bill through the roof, or individuals with good personality and experience that are loud chewers. A messy eater is not necessarily a bad business partner or short on intellectual capital.
It reminds us of one of the senior editors of this media group, who once expressed how one of their greatest fears was being stuck at a dawat where their in-laws might offer (and then insist) that they eat a mango. If the resulting carnage can cause marriages to crack and engagements to be called off, messy eaters won’t fare well in the world of business.
But on a serious note, it is true. You’ll make better progress with people you generally want to be around or appreciate. Without that, there is no point of having a fancy name on the board whom you resent.
- Winter is coming
Time to celebrate Pakistan’s timely decision to go for fixed LNG dollar rate. LNG prices have touched $10 while Pakistan got lucky securing contracts below $7/mmbtu. One relief worth $100s million for Pakistans.
It’s time to have more RLNG plants. Winter & Gas crisis is coming. https://t.co/HtTiIaQlX8
— A A H Soomro (@AAHSoomro) May 12, 2021
While one should celebrate a good decision, securing contracts is tricky business and you don’t always come out on top. So we’ll save the party poppers for something more celebratory. As for the latter half of the tweet, an energy dependent and starved nation like Pakistan definitely needs to work on capacity development and mull more RLNG plants. Winter is coming. Best be prepared.
- Can this be an email?
— Calaveira de Capricorno (@aneandes) May 13, 2021
For us journalists, replace the word meeting with interview, and the rest remains the same. Despite working mostly on zoom, the aftermath of a meeting or interview is real. It just tires one out. That is why we often question ourselves before setting up meetings and interviews. “Do we have to? Can this be an email/ call or text message? Is it really even that important? Do I need this job?”
- Boss Lady in the house (Senator House)
We are deeply humbled. Thank you Prime Minsiter for your vision, policy direction and all out support for the hard decisions we have taken to depoliticise social protection operations under Ehsaas. Under your leadership, I will fight corruption to the core within my mandate https://t.co/YmONtHwQmH
— Sania Nishtar (@SaniaNishtar) May 16, 2021
Sania Nishtar is a Boss lady. And as the cool kids would say, we ‘stan’ for her work on poverty alleviation and social protection. The senator’s new approach to the issue has helped put Pakistan on the radar. The World Bank now ranks the Ehsaas Emergency Cash program in the top four social protection interventions around the world based on the total number of people covered. Moreover, Pakistan ranks 3rd in terms of the proportion of people covered.
- Don’t let the pizza parties fool you
LinkedIn is filled with companies gifting Eidis to their employees. Development sector ne sahi choona lagaya hua hai employees ko, passion ke naam par koi bhi privilege nahi. And to think that young passionate people in this sector need the most uplifting and moral boosting.
— tarbooza kharbooz (@nakaamrade) May 9, 2021
Did your workplace send you corporate fluff in a beautifully packed gift hamper? If they did, we’re jealous of you. While that is a cute gesture one cannot forget that this does not alleviate your workplace from better working conditions. While these gifts help boost morale, we hate to break it to you but they’re often just a PR exercise. Your workplace owes you a decent salary, healthcare, days off, and other basic human necessitates. They can send you corporate fluff in addition to that.
