TEXT: Mr. Irfan Iqbal Sheikh is chairman of Zubaida Group of Companies- Alfatah, Zubaida Agriculture and Dairy Farms and API Ventures (Pharmaceuticals). As a very distinguished and most respected businessman from Pakistan, Mr. Irfan Iqbal managed to expand his family retail business from one flagship store to 31 multipurpose retail stores across the country, ranging from Lahore to Peshawar.
Profile
Mr. Irfan Iqbal received his education from the Central Model School, and graduated from The Government College of Lahore. In the early 80s, Mr. Sheikh spearheaded the family business along with his younger brother, Mr. Anis Sheikh and named it 'Al-Fatah Departmental Store', a household name in all of Lahore.
The iconic store in The Heart of Liberty soon went from door to door and became very popular with a variety of imported goods for the Pakistani market.
High-Profile Projects
In 1989, as a trend setter, Sheikh worked on a fully digitised departmental store which was the only flagship store of its kind in the nation. Today it is Pakistan’s most sought after, rapidly expanding chain of retail stores.
API Ventures Pvt. Ltd
Mr. Sheikh is currently working on a pharmaceutical project, named API Ventures Pvt. Ltd. When completed, it will help lessen the need to import the basic salts used in medicines by manufacturing them locally, helping the economy and healthcare sector of Pakistan.
Alfatah Emall
This project is currently under construction in the heart of the city adjacent to Hafeez Centre, Gulberg Lahore. It is a 23 storey high-rise building which will consist of 3 basements mainly for car parking, 2 floors dedicated to commercial activities related to electronics. The remainder of the floors will be turned into well-equipped and modernized corporate offices.
Zubaida Agriculture and Dairy Farms
These farms are spread throughout almost 200 acres in Bhera, Sargodha District. They are currently working with a Chinese agricultural company on a joint venture bringing the latest agriculture practices to Pakistan.
Cementing Ties and Encouraging Trade
In order to accelerate the pace of development giving a boost to the already growing economic, political, cultural and diplomatic ties, Pakistan is now set to strive for a better understanding and a strong relationship with China, Russia and The Central Asian Republics, in various spheres of economic activities. He has always promoted the production of exports because he believes that trade is the key to a strong relationship with other nations. In the hard times of COVID-19, Sheikh served as the President of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and initiated several government-level meetings to help the exporters to maintain the balance of trade in such harsh times.
During his one-year term as the President of LCCI, he made 18 one-window cells on the premises. It is worth mentioning that the passport office made at The LCCI was only possible after a series of meetings with Ministry and Secretary of The Interior.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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