Pakistan🕣
Country in South Asia. Official name – the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Population – 228.8 million people (as of 2020). Capital – Islamabad. Official languages – Urdu and English. Government type – federal parliamentary republic. Main religion – Islam.
Pakistan
Greeting
Greeting is an important part of a meeting, which is traditionally given considerable time in Pakistan. When interacting with a Pakistani partner, do not rush to immediately discuss business matters. Instead, invest time in the greeting process. This will help strengthen your relationship.
The accepted form of greeting in Pakistan's business environment is a handshake. Men who are friends may hug or pat each other on the hand, shoulder, or back. With foreign colleagues, formal and polite relations are maintained for quite a long time.
A handshake is always accompanied by a verbal greeting commonly used in the Arab world: "As-salamu alaykum", which means "Peace be upon you." The response should be "Wa-alaykum as-salam", meaning "And peace be upon you too."
If your conversation with a Pakistani colleague is in English, do not be surprised if, in response to your "Hello" and the polite question "How are you?", your colleague starts telling you how they are actually doing. In Pakistan, people tend to give a genuine response to this question rather than just saying "I'm fine, thank you", as is common in many other countries.
Physical contact and eye contact between genders are generally avoided due to strong Islamic traditions in the country. Foreign women should wait for a man to take the initiative before offering a handshake. The same applies to foreign men, who should observe a woman's behavior in such situations before initiating a greeting.
A traditional Pakistani greeting in formal settings involves placing the right hand over the heart while slightly nodding the head, as if bowing. This gesture expresses sincere feelings and respect for the other person. This form of greeting is also common in Arab countries, such as Iraq.
When greeting a Pakistani colleague for the first time, please be sure to show the utmost respect and courtesy.
It is customary in Pakistan to greet the eldest or highest-ranking person first. This individual is unlikely to initiate the conversation but will engage if a younger person starts speaking.
Introduction
Pakistan has several naming traditions, which vary depending on a person’s ethnic group, region, clan, or religion. Most Pakistani names have Arabic, Indo-Persian, and Turkish origins.
Family or clan identity is highly significant and is traditionally treated with great respect. For this reason, many Pakistanis add their lineage or clan name to their surname.
Titles, profess...
Exchange of Business Cards
In Pakistani business practice, exchanging business cards usually takes place at the beginning of a meeting.
Business cards should contain all the standard information, including surname and first name, position, company name, and up-to-date contact details.
If you have academic degrees, such as a master's or doctoral degree, be sure to include them on your business card. Yo...
Small Talk: Overview
Small talk is important; it serves as a kind of prelude to actual negotiations. Pakistani businesspeople value getting to know their potential partners better, as relationship-building is the foundation of any business. Such conversations help establish a sense of trust between partners, which is a crucial aspect in Eastern cultures.
Personal topics in this culture are not considered ...
Preferred Topics
Family matters are traditionally an important topic of conversation in Pakistani society. Show personal interest in your partner by asking about their health, work, and family. However, avoid mentioning female family members.
At the same time, share some information about yourself. Your partner will be interested in learning about your background, education, experience, and qualificat...
Taboo Topics
The topic of family is generally popular in Pakistan. However, it is best to avoid discussing female family members—wives, mothers, sisters, and especially daughters.
Religion and all matters related to Islam can be highly sensitive topics and are best avoided in conversation. Do not make any remarks that could even remotely be perceived as criticism.
It is best to steer cle...
Personal Space
In this culture, the comfortable personal space for communication is smaller than in Central and Northern European countries or the United States. This is partly due to people being accustomed to living in relatively close quarters, making them feel comfortable conversing at a distance of less than half a meter from their conversation partner.
Do not interpret this as offensive or agg...
Communication Specifics
Pakistan is a multinational and multiethnic state, so communication styles and manners may vary depending on the ethnicity of the person you are dealing with.
In general, Pakistani speech is not characterized by directness. On the contrary, their statements often contain subtext, which is influenced by factors such as the relationship between the speakers, their status in society, and...
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