On April 29. 2019 Mr. Ikram Sehgal, defense analyst and security expert, Chairman of Pathfinder Group Pakistan, which include two of the country’s largest private security companies, Chairman Karachi Council on Foreign Relations , recently appointed Chairman of Karachi Electric Company, one of Pakistan’s major energy suppliers and also an active member of the World Economic Forum, was invited by The McCain Institute, a non-partisan do-tank dedicated to advancing character-driven global leadership based on security. economic opportunity, freedom and human dignity in the United States and around the world to promote humanitarian action, human freedom and democracy. and national security, and to embrace technology in producing better designs for educated decisions in national and international policy for sharing what has driven Mr. Ikram Sehgal to thrive and assist for decades in one of the world’s most complicated security environments. Detailed conversation has been shared at “In The Arena” in a very candid way.
Q) How do you see the complicated world especially Pakistan and its surrounding areas these days in respect of security and defense perspective?
A) At present, at this point of time, the world seems complicated when you look into it. You will find so many players having poles apart and diverse agendas here. But If you really go down into the layers, you will comprehend this intricate pattern that this place is not so different from the other parts of the world as we are not applying simple solutions to the complicated problems. I feel that this particular place has been used by other people. I keep quoting General George S. Patton who said, “No man ever won a war by dying for his country, he won it by making others die for his country”.
If I brief the whole scenario, Afghanistan has been used as a platform at first for different plans by different people. Then Soviets came with the agenda to take over the warm water ocean but of course, the free world took them on and they were defeated. During that time, the adjacent countries, especially Pakistan suffered as it became a front-line state. That era is known as a full war in this region where the United States as an active member, played a key role. Instead of making some strategic moves, US abruptly pulled out from Afghanistan which left a vacuum there. In that vacuum individuals and nations tried to get in for their own benefits. Furthermore, that gap gave a lot of room to the Taliban to take hold for further adventures. Among the Mujahedeen and its nine factions, the Taliban remained the strongest and they merged together, eventually they took hold and took control. They tried to bring their own brand of extreme Islam that was not acceptable to the world as we all have evidenced in history. The second stage was started after the horrific episode of 9/11 for which there obviously had to be some retaliation. That platform was used by other interested countries who used Hybrid Warfare for their gains. The actual people who were fighting the war never came at the forefront instead they used others to fight for them i.e., proxy war as we know it.
In the 80s, it was Russian life and Russian money. After 9/11, it was American lives and American money used for their own purpose, i.e., to keep Pakistan under kinetic and non-kinetic pressure. Today we ·are proven right by the fact that the US is pursuing talks with the Taliban that are going along fairly success fully, conversely this could have been done 20 years back. The only reason why there is no burning candle at the ends i.e., Taliban and Americans, is that one country kept out of it and that was India, who had been fighting a non-kinetic war against Pakistan.
As I said earlier it was Soviet money and Soviet lives, American money American lives for which India was the beneficiary, whereas at the receiving end all damages were borne by Pakistan. Today the world is changing. People have come to realize the facts and things are getting better and I am hopeful that we are going to find a solution at the end of the day.
Q) In a complicated region, as a businessman and major security provider, how do you approach that in this environment. Is it easy and how are you coping with it being in a difficult environment?
A) Providing security in these days is far more difficult. In the olden days there were only trained guards. We put guards with the expectation that someone could come to attack for which our guards were fully trained to handle such situations. Initially assailants came with kinetic means but things have changed now. In this modern age people attack you through non-conventional tactics and these days non-kinetic moves are more com mon now. Propagandas, electronic means, fake distorted news are the new weapons of the 21st century. In this modern age, phones are being used by sending wrong messages to divert your attention. To counter such things in real time is most challenging. The nature of the security, business has changed over time.
we at Pathfinder had a Security services Division but you will be surprised to know that from last 4-5 years, we have opened up a Financial Services & Technology Division to cover this aspect. For example, a person can be robbed rough electronic means and lose money. As leading security services providers, we have upgraded ourselves from all ends, there is no place to leave a loophole. To handle cyber threats, Financial Services and Technology Division has become essential now as we have made a business out the dream.
Q) You have been an Army Officer in Pakistan so please hare your background history during service?
A) My father was in Infantry and I too followed in his footsteps, although, I went into aviation for about 2.5 years in my serving tenure. We were brought up in a British regiment. When I left the army and came into business, we were doing pretty well in Countertrade, and people from my regiment would come into my garage and say give us job. I then started thinking in the entrepreneurial direction and opted for private security system. We formed a small team and then we soon got an American Contract from the US Embassy that was a pretty big deal. today we have provided uninterrupted 31 years of service to guarding the American contract, this being the largest manpower contract in the world. It is with great pride that our 2700 guards are protecting American lives, properties institutions all over Pakistan in four different regions. By the fact obviously, we have learnt on the job as these are diplomatic people and their mobile training teams came to lucky to find good partners with a balanced and professional relation ship. For example, I have a partner here in the US named Taurus which is a company owned by Jerry Taurus. In this partnership, we have a stable working equation. He guides us on the technical side to ensure the compliances of international standers and on ground in Pakistan, our people manage all manpower by ensuring complete logistic support. This has worked out very well.
Q) You have been a prisoner of war. Senator John McCain was also in prison during war. So, there is a connection. Please share your relation with Senator John McCain, being prisoners of war?
A) I share a great bonding with Senator John McCain. I believe he is the epitome of what defines American character. He and I shared a journey of being prisoners of war. He suffered many tortures, indignities, and persecutions but he stood for his principles. My sense of American character is described as ‘fair play’-integrity and strength of character. He mirrors a long trail of enduring and that is what connects me most to him. I was the first Pakistani prisoner of war that ever escaped from India. Since my early age I had been extremely lucky to be reared by a Texas nun at a catholic convent as a good Muslim. Sister Mary Leo was a true blessing to me, she brought me up when I was between 6-11 years old. I have dedicated one of my books to her. She instilled various core values in me that actually can be seen in my personality and even in my writings. I am one of the few businessmen who write weekly columns. Our company guards 125 Christian churches every Sunday from the last 25 years and that too for free in memory of Sister Mary. Unlike in Sri Lanka, as you have seen, they had an easy run but in Pakistan, if they come, they will have to face us first. By the grace of Allah, till today, we have not lost even a single life in past 25 years.
Q) In your recent column you seemed to be big appreciator of New Zealand Prime Minister, kindly share your opinion?
A) When something like that happens, you can go for any number of things. In such scenarios, instinct leadership was required there. When something bad happens, you can go in any direction and a leader is one who has the audacity to take the most challenging path. First thing, a leader has to be seen and Jacinda Ardern was seen soon after the incident. She showed understanding and she showed sympathy symbolically by wearing a scarf. She actually wore a Hijab because she felt it was the appropriate thing to do. I am sure before this incident she has not taken any Hijab throughout her life. She gave a lot of confidence to the Muslim community in New Zealand and silently won back of great majority of people. She went to Parliament to pass gun laws in just a week’s time that is not possible anywhere in the world, not even in the US. She has done things out of the ordinary despite being the youngest PM of the world. For me one of the finest living examples of leadership is New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who deserves a Noble Peace Prize. The Prize signifies if you have something distinctive to change the destiny of people, Jacinda Ardern has changed the destiny of New Zealand by portraying a humble image as we have just seen after Christchurch attacks. She has raised good feelings all over the world which is there among the extremist as they hold out of it with their brutal actions to terrorize people. The reaction from the people were very positive. By her actions, she has changed the destiny of New Zealand for the better, this by itself New Zealand may not know today but after 30 years later they will realize that she stepped out and she made sure that her presence would have an impact on what is going to happen in the present and in the future. That is exactly where I want to come back to Senator John McCain. It is the trait that we have found constantly in Senator John McCain whether it is his behavior as a prisoner of war where he remained steadfast on his principals, or as a son of an admiral where they offered to release him and he refused, saying he would not go back until the fulfillment of is demands. He suffered tortured, he suffered his dignity, he faced physical disability but he stood his ground, on his principals that defines the American character. My sense of American character is based on fair play where fair play describes a lot of other things like honesty, morality and integrity, that particular thing that defines Senator John McCain is his courage.
Q) What leadership advice you would like to give to the coming generation?
A) My advice on leadership to the coming generation is that they must have a clear perception of what their people want. If they are falling for something reckless, you must have immense courage to speak up and lead them to a right direction. If you want to be a leader, you cannot be led by your people, you have to inspire your people to lead them. You have to make your people wish to follow you. They don’t lead by public opinions or polls, as polls can be wrong anytime as one can see. In this modern world where everything is exposed, where social media is being used as weapon, you need to be ahead of a particular curve. You have to lead your people by finding a way to move with a clear direction. You have to ensure that you are a part and parcel of them. You have to show your personal character. You have to come out of adversity to take them toward a prosperous future.
Q) Tracing the complexity in security situation in which you are providing security in such an outstanding way since 35 years, do you see the next generation of leaders having such ability like you as the world is more complicated now?
A) In my opinion, there is no other choice for them especially in the present challenging environment where security is a priority every where. They have to recognize that things can derail all your future They have to be security minded people even though if they are democratic minded. They can be the best visionary, can be the best economist or can be the best doctor but at the same time, they must have the best security mind. They must have an eye and ear open to under stand security requirements other wise it would be a disaster.
