Zeeshan Akram Qureshi

founder and CEO of ZEM Builders

Compiled from 1 recorded interview. Every statement below is drawn from the passage cited beside it.

Zeeshan Akram Qureshi is a real estate development expert and the founder and CEO of ZEM Builders. He was born in Lahore, joined PepsiCo in 2002 and started in real estate in 2006. He has also worked in financial consultancy.

Early life and background

Qureshi was born in Lahore and spent his early life there. By 1998 he had moved to Islamabad. One of his elder brothers, a scientist in atomic energy, was transferred from Lahore. His professional career was based in Rawalpindi. [1]

PepsiCo

Qureshi completed his graduation before joining PepsiCo, which he did in 2002. He held sales jobs, including a corporate role at PepsiCo. His first job was sales supervision, in which he checked that products were reaching the market and that the supply chain stayed balanced. He says his corporate job gave him wide exposure and taught him a lot. [1]

Real estate

Qureshi then moved into the real estate industry, starting in 2006. He entered it with very limited funds. He says he judged it the right time to enter, and that he started with an empty pocket but a vision. [1]

He says educated people and corporate workers did not usually join real estate at that time. He says that when he entered, industry people did not present a clear picture of the business. In his view, a builder only needs to communicate their reputation, goodwill and working style to win customers, and he says success eventually followed. He says he now focuses more on builders, because Pakistan needs them at this time. [1]

Financial consultancy

Qureshi went into financial consultancy. He planned to take a percentage of the return on investment if a target was achieved within a set time frame. He never dealt in paper files and went into plots of land from the start. His consultancy is still running, but he is no longer personally involved in it. He says a consultancy must be done personally by the consultant. [1]

Views on housing and plots

Qureshi says Pakistan has a housing shortfall, not a plot shortfall. He puts the shortfall among people who can afford a home at two to four percent. He puts the shortfall among people who cannot afford houses at more than 10 to 12 percent. He says job opportunities are not located in city outskirts, and he concludes that Pakistan must move to vertical growth in its metro cities. [1]

He says many people invest in plots only for money, without understanding what they are buying. He says many buyers take plots because they are cheap today. He estimates that about one million plots were sold in Islamabad in the past five to seven years. He calls buying a plot a lottery. [1]

Views on national progress

Qureshi says Pakistan had been selling petrol below international market prices. He says Pakistan has not yet developed the attitude needed to progress, and that it needs leadership before it can do so. He also says Pakistan cannot progress while it keeps comparing itself with India and Bangladesh. [1]

Timeline

1998
Had moved to Islamabad by this year.[1]
2002
Joined PepsiCo.[1]
2006
Started in real estate.[1]

Appearances

DateTitleWhere
2023-03-01 Pakistan's real estate is a lottery, not an investment Thought Behind Things

Frequently asked questions

Who is Zeeshan Akram Qureshi?

Zeeshan Akram Qureshi is a real estate development expert and the founder and CEO of ZEM Builders. He was born in Lahore. He joined PepsiCo in 2002 and started in real estate in 2006.[1]

What does Zeeshan Akram Qureshi do?

Zeeshan Akram Qureshi works in real estate development and is the founder and CEO of ZEM Builders. He has also worked in financial consultancy. He says he now focuses more on builders, because Pakistan needs them at this time.[1]

Where is Zeeshan Akram Qureshi from?

Zeeshan Akram Qureshi was born in Lahore and spent his early life there. By 1998 he had moved to Islamabad. His professional career was based in Rawalpindi.[1]

What company did Zeeshan Akram Qureshi found?

Zeeshan Akram Qureshi is the founder and CEO of ZEM Builders. He is described as a real estate development expert.[1]

What did Zeeshan Akram Qureshi do before real estate?

Zeeshan Akram Qureshi completed his graduation before joining PepsiCo in 2002. He held sales jobs there, including a corporate role. His first job was sales supervision.[1]

When did Zeeshan Akram Qureshi start in real estate?

Zeeshan Akram Qureshi started in real estate in 2006. He says he entered the industry with very limited funds. He says he started with an empty pocket but a vision.[1]

What does Zeeshan Akram Qureshi say about housing in Pakistan?

Zeeshan Akram Qureshi says Pakistan has a housing shortfall, not a plot shortfall. He puts the shortfall among people who can afford a home at two to four percent, and among those who cannot afford houses at more than 10 to 12 percent. He concludes that Pakistan must move to vertical growth in its metro cities.[1]

References

  1. Pakistan's real estate is a lottery, not an investment . Thought Behind Things , 2023-03-01.
Show the source passages (40 statements)
  1. Zeeshan Akram Qureshi is a real estate development expert and the founder and CEO of ZEM Builders. Zeeshan Akram Qureshi is a real estate development expert & the founder & CEO of ZEM Builders.
  2. Zeeshan Akram Qureshi was born in Lahore and spent his early life there. Main paida Lahore mein hua aur wahin pe early life guzari.
  3. By 1998 he had moved to Islamabad. 98 mein main Islamabad aa chuka tha, G-11 shift ho gaya.
  4. One of his elder brothers, a scientist in atomic energy, was transferred from Lahore. One of my elder brother was shifted over here from Lahore. He was a scientist in Atomic Energy.
  5. His professional career was based in Rawalpindi. Professional career mera Pindi mein.
  6. He completed his graduation before joining PepsiCo. After graduation maine PepsiCo mein jo job mili mujhe
  7. He joined PepsiCo in 2002. Hamare paas back in 2002 when I joined PepsiCo
  8. He held sales jobs, including a corporate role at PepsiCo. Maine sales ki bhi job ki, maine PepsiCo corporate mein bhi job ki.
  9. He says his corporate job at PepsiCo gave him wide exposure and taught him a lot. Corporate ne mujhe bahut exposure diya, bahut si cheezein sikhayi. I learned a lot from there.
  10. His first job was sales supervision. Basically meri jo primary first job thi, that was a sales supervision.
  11. In that role he checked that products were reaching the market and that the supply chain stayed balanced. Unki supervision hoti hai, make ensure karna hota hai aapki product pahunch rahi hai, supply chain balance hai
  12. He then moved into the real estate industry. Real estate ki when I jump into that industry.
  13. He started in real estate in 2006. 2006 jab start hua toh that was the worst year of real estate.
  14. He judged it the right time to enter real estate. Toh maine unse kaha ke mujhe lag raha hai ke it's a right time for this industry.
  15. He says educated people and corporate workers did not usually join real estate at that time. Real estate mein kehte the ke us waqt educated log aaya nahi karte the. Aur corporate ke log toh specially nahi aaya karte the.
  16. He says that when he entered real estate, industry people did not present a clear picture of the business. Phir usmein maine dekha ke is industry mein log clear picture nahi portray karte.
  17. He entered real estate with very limited funds. Main real estate mein aaya, I have very limited funds
  18. He says he started with an empty pocket but a vision. jeb mein haath khali the lekin ek vision tha.
  19. He says a builder only needs to communicate their reputation, goodwill and working style to win customers. Sirf aapne apna repute, goodwill aur working style us tak communicate karna hai.
  20. He says success eventually followed. Toh eventually success aapko follow karti hai, phir Alhamdulillah yahi hua.
  21. He went into financial consultancy. Nahi, main financial consultancy pe gaya tha.
  22. He planned to take a percentage of the return on investment if a target was achieved within a set time frame. Us ROI ke mutabiq is ROI ki main yeh percentage loonga agar hum is target ko is time frame mein achieve karenge toh.
  23. He never dealt in paper files and went into plots of land from the start. Nahi, main files ki taraf start se hi nahi gaya. Basically main plots ki taraf gaya.
  24. His consultancy is still running. Yeh chalti rahi, takreeban aaj bhi chal rahi hai meri yeh Zeeshan Estate Management ke naam se.
  25. He is no longer personally involved in the consultancy. Woh chal rahi hai lekin usmein ab main nahi hota hoon toh lekin ab woh consultancy waisi ho nahi sakti hai.
  26. He says a consultancy must be done personally by the consultant. Kyunki consultancy jab bhi aap karenge toh tab aapko khud hi kaam karna hai.
  27. He says he now focuses more on builders, because Pakistan needs them at this time. Lekin builders ko is waqt hum zyada focus kar rahe hain kyunki builders jo hai is waqt Pakistan ki zaroorat hai.
  28. He says Pakistan has a housing shortfall, not a plot shortfall. Basically Pakistan Pakistan mein housing ka shortfall hai, plots ka shortfall nahi hai.
  29. He puts the shortfall among people who can afford a home at two to four percent. jo log afford kar sakte hain ghar, toh usmein do ya teen ya char percent ka hamara shortfall hoga.
  30. He puts the shortfall among people who cannot afford houses at more than 10 to 12 percent. Aur jo log afford hi nahi kar sakte houses, hmm unka shortfall jo hai woh 10 se 12% se zyada hoga.
  31. He says Pakistan had been selling petrol below international market prices. Pakistan mein isse pehle fuel prices below worth thi. Hum petrol sasta bech rahe the international market se.
  32. He says job opportunities are not located in city outskirts. lekin job opportunities city outskirts mein nahi hain.
  33. He concludes that Pakistan must move to vertical growth in its metro cities. Toh ultimately Pakistan ko apne metro city mein vertical growth pe jaana hi jaana hai.
  34. He says many people invest in plots only for money, without understanding what they are buying. Hum real estate mein yeh samjhe baghair ke ismein aaya humein profit hoga, hum ismein kyun invest karein, kya invest karein, sirf paise ke liye log invest kar rahe hain, bahut se log plots mein.
  35. He estimates that about one million plots were sold in Islamabad in the past five to seven years. Islamabad mein agar main aap se poochun pichle 20 saal mein kitne koi plot bike honge? Pichle 20 saal ka toh nahi main 5 saal ka aapko bata deta hoon toh approximately 1 million plot toh bik chuka hai pichle 5 se 7 saal mein.
  36. He calls buying a plot a lottery. Iska matlab lottery hai. It's a plot is a lottery.
  37. He says many buyers take plots because they are cheap today. Ab yeh lay man isliye plot le raha hai ke sasta hai aaj.
  38. He says Pakistan has not yet developed the attitude needed to progress. Realistic picture to Pakistan mein is waqt tak tarakki karne ka attitude hi nahi hai.
  39. He says Pakistan needs leadership before it can progress. Aur Pakistan ko leadership ki zaroorat hai. Jab tak leadership nahi aayegi, Pakistan tarakki nahi karega.
  40. He says Pakistan cannot progress while it keeps comparing itself with India and Bangladesh. Jab tak hum ye compare karte rahenge ke India se, Bangladesh se hamara muwazna hai, to sorry to say, hum kabhi tarakki nahi kar sakte.