FAISALABAD: Walt Disney has diverted its business to India and China after dumping Pakistan, costing the country $200 million in export earnings.
The US company dropped Pakistan from the list of its sourcing destinations for its textile brand products from 1st April.
Azhar Majeed, a business leader, told Dawn that warning notices were issued simultaneously to Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar for non-compliance of 27 UN/ILO conventions.
Both other countries managed to retain commercial relationship with Disney but Pakistan government failed to do so.
"We have reasons to believe that competing interest in the region, India in particular, is lobbying to instigate other Western companies to blacklist Pakistan," he said.
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On DawnNews
Comments (62) Closed
Awan
Apr 10, 2014 01:13pm
I think it is a good decision by Walt Disney besides i am a Pakistani. The reason is that Pakistani businessmen think that they can make a fool out of everyone and despite several warnings by Walt Disney to improve the conditions of Textile workers and to end slavery like system they never pay heed to any warnings. Our Businessmen community thinks that they can con everyone but they should remember that Pakistan and the rest of the world is different and you cannot buy everything by Bribe and Family relations.
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vijaykumar
Apr 10, 2014 01:19pm
Not India!!!!!!!!! Chinese perhaps-LOL
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roza
Apr 10, 2014 01:24pm
What happens when you fight with wall?Your head gets broken!!
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Saad
Apr 10, 2014 01:47pm
Yes, blame India. Don't do anything to better our own corrupt system. That's definitely the way to go.
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mubeen
Apr 10, 2014 02:19pm
one can only lobby against you if you your self are weak. Why were the objections not removed. Very easy to blame India and America for everything. When will we learn that its our own weakness which provokes others to act against our interest.
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Tarik Jaffery
Apr 10, 2014 02:48pm
These incompetent foreign missions and commercial counselors!! Like so many other white elephants these luxury resorts for the blue eyed of our hopeless power grabbers are becoming good for nothing day by day. Miserable and pathetic!
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Vicky
Apr 10, 2014 02:50pm
Blame everything on India = the way out for our Pakistani officials!
Rather than being better at their job.
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rahul
Apr 10, 2014 02:56pm
Seriously you idiots took the best land, best sturdy people and made a mess out of it. Cant imagine had Pakistan been a secular democratic, how powerfull and influential it would have been, India would have had tough time selling itself !!!
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Khan
Apr 10, 2014 03:15pm
We should also hit back by not using American color pencils to draw Commander Safeguard. Only than they will learn a lesson :D
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TalibSoldier
Apr 10, 2014 03:17pm
@roza:
Simple.
Jump over the wall.
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S Khan
Apr 10, 2014 03:21pm
Again this article exposes anti-Western and anti-India propaganda. The simple reason is that Pakistan does not comply with the Better Work Program (ILO and IFO partnership program) while all other countries like Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia etc. adhere to the ILO regulations and comply with Better Work Program policy. Walt Disney time and again notified Pakistani suppliers to adopt Better Work program but they don't pay heed to it.
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asghar
Apr 10, 2014 03:27pm
"We have reasons to believe that competing interest in the region, India in particular, is lobbying to instigate other Western companies to blacklist Pakistan," he said.-- need i say more....
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Harish Kiran G S
Apr 10, 2014 03:29pm
@TalibSoldier:
Ability is suspect.
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Saleem
Apr 10, 2014 04:10pm
we should blame ourselves for our failures ...... even if some one takes advantage of our situation ...... it is we who put ourselves in that situation in the 1st place ...... so i guess the business enterprises are responsible the most and then the govt of Pak.
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Fiz
Apr 10, 2014 05:03pm
Another war lost! Although India's working conditions are no different from us but world has decided to support them against us.
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Correction
Apr 10, 2014 05:22pm
@Fiz: I'm sorry but India has better working conditions than it's other neighbors except China.
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Zak
Apr 10, 2014 05:25pm
.......and yes MR Nawaz Sharif, please hurry the MFN to India, so they can take what's left even from us. Only Mr Dastagir, the Nawaz crony who makes money out of trade with India- of no use to Pakistan.-is pushing for it.
General Musharaf, please come back, all is forgiven!
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Manish
Apr 10, 2014 05:26pm
@Khan: What about American F-16 and other military equipment, dont be so emotional, improve and get back with a bang.
Even India has to fight now to put in our best effort to compete with China, South east Asian /African countries.
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Khan
Apr 10, 2014 05:52pm
@manish dude, that was meant to be a joke. in case you dont know commander safeguard is a cartoon character designed using computer graphics not actual pencil colors.
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M. Aslam
Apr 10, 2014 06:27pm
Congratulations to Dawn
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tony
Apr 10, 2014 06:30pm
@Zak: I think India does not need MFN status from Pakistan, we are not dying to get this if Pakistan does not want it. If someone cannot compete it is the best way to hide your failure, blame on India, if it is true give proof, and you are saying it like you never lobby against India in the past.
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Subhash
Apr 10, 2014 06:31pm
Although its good that business is coming to India, we should not be unfair and help Pakistan in every way we can. We have already been unfair via BCCI (Cricket). It's time to make things right (before Modi comes to power).
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a
Apr 10, 2014 06:33pm
@rahul:
We "idiots" took the "BEST LAND"???? LOL
If only india stops playing politics in every aspect against Pakistan, whether be is water for Indus, or at the international level, Pakistan can prosper well enough, all by herself.
The jealous nature of india is what is stopping Pakistan from progressing (Ofcourse alogn with some of our own dim-wit politicians).
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malik
Apr 10, 2014 07:20pm
@Khan:
people like you are the reason Pakistan is getting humiliated around the world.
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Masoud
Apr 10, 2014 07:44pm
If the thoughts behind are good & if WD had already issued notices to the concerned companies to remove the irritant & improve their overall working conditions but the companies concerned did not pay any heed or paid paid little then the action of WD is correct, this will help to correct mistakes in future, disciplinary action is good and should be appreciated.
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Ajaya K Dutt
Apr 10, 2014 07:59pm
@Correction:
There are number of reports that Chinese workers are not paid regularly. You cannot afford to do so in India.
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Ajaya K Dutt
Apr 10, 2014 08:03pm
@a:
Oh Yes. India extracted electricity out of running water; and now the water that flows down the Indus does not have any "power".
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Syed
Apr 10, 2014 09:45pm
I am a pakistani ( unfortunately) and I think India deserves it. They are well respected in u.s and everywhere else too. Western world does not even want to spit on pakistan. Shame to pakistanis. and congrats to india.
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Agha Ata
Apr 10, 2014 10:10pm
No. Mr Author, India doesn't have to instigate anyone to blacklist Pakistan. Pakistan is quite capable of doing it to himself under any circumstances. Besides, honesty in business and fair dealings DO NOT need a lobby. They are the most powerful lobbies in themselves.
And by the way, I am sure you know that very well and so does everybody else, but who did you think you were trying to please by writing such an article?
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Ali Khan
Apr 10, 2014 10:18pm
I strongly agree with Walt Disney's decision and I am sure the other corporation will follow the same foot steps and will drop Pakistan from their business plan. One of the few business sectors in Paksitan which are some what bringing some foreign exchange, is now heading towards the same direction where PIA, Pak Steel and many other sectors ended up which is Dead End.
At the end I would say, rather blaming other countries for their role in lobbying against Pakistan, first we should blame ourselves as it is us who are not paying attention to our customer's need and NOT improving our business conditions as per their requirements.
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Krish Chennai
Apr 10, 2014 10:26pm
@Syed: Do note that in the long run, we shall all either sink or swim together.
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John
Apr 11, 2014 01:16am
Azhar Majeed, go get your facts right. First, Pakistan industry failed to comply with rules. Then the industry made pathetic arguments saying many people will be out of job so Disney should provide concessions to Pakistan on humanitarian grounds. When all is lost, now comes the blame on India that it worked against Pakistan industry. Some businessmen do not know how to compete and want to make money on concessions and humanitarian grounds. However, blaming India for anything and everything requires no guess work in Pakistan. Do you think Chinese industry acted in the interests of Pakistan?
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Mahmood
Apr 11, 2014 01:23am
@rahul:
Your comment made my day. You are right on spot in your crisp analysis.
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Priyakant
Apr 11, 2014 01:45am
Surprisingly no suggestion to the Pak business community to clean up the act and follow the competition to beat them at their own game. Instead, it is the same old blame-game.
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Peace
Apr 11, 2014 02:25am
India's labor rates are not cheap compared to China's. So, Disney is just interested in India's textile/cotton raw materials and chinese labourer's will finish the product. BTW, this is classic Free Trade.
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Nadeem Ahmad
Apr 11, 2014 04:13am
@Vicky:
I agree
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Indian
Apr 11, 2014 04:22am
Isn't it at least half good?
At your BESTest friend China got half of the business. What kind of grudges with friends? Just keep grudges with your brothers.
Namaste.
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Whistle
Apr 11, 2014 04:38am
@a:
I was wondering why this is not having any comments, especially bomb blast in Islamabad!
The world knows who play politics and poking their nose others affairs. Set yourselves straight mate, before start blaming everything on others. Looks like educated, but you think like a dump!
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Whistle
Apr 11, 2014 04:41am
"We have reasons to believe that competing interest in the region, India in particular, is lobbying to instigate other Western companies to blacklist Pakistan"
But what about China, Pakistan best friend? Do they too lobbied against Pakistan or Only India. Pakistan Officials do not have 'THAT' to say about China, Has they?
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Tamilselvan
Apr 11, 2014 05:27am
@Khan: Pakistan must stop begging USA for non military equipment being discarded in Afghanistan. In addition must stop taking aid from USA given to fight terrorism and instead gulped by the elite of Pakistan. Please get real and see how you can get back the business by cleaning up the mess, stop employing child labor such as being used to make soccer balls etc instead of blaming India for all your woes
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Saleem
Apr 11, 2014 06:08am
@Awan:
Businessmen will make money one way or the other, its the poor labours who may have lost their livelihood which is worrisome. India and China with regards to slavery type conditions are the same as Pakistan or any other thrid world country for that matter. I don't know what are all of the 27 UN/LO conditions but I am surprised they didn't act in time knowing stakes are high.
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LS
Apr 11, 2014 06:43am
@malik:
What? If someone does not get a joke why is it Khan's fault? I got that joke despite NOT knowing Commander Safeguard... Cut some slack will ya?
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Indian
Apr 11, 2014 08:54am
Wooowwwww.... and you still have the audacity to blame India.. even for your own inefficiency....
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Abdul
Apr 11, 2014 09:19am
@a:Jealous of what ? Your progress in science and tech ? Your fantastic democracy ? Your rulers ? Your culture of bombings and shootings ? Your wealth ? Your reputation in the world ?
Your movies and music ? Get a life losers.
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AJamal
Apr 11, 2014 09:26am
@Awan:
Fooling others every one all the time is an art learned from our politicians. But in reality we fool ourselves.
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Neeraj
Apr 11, 2014 09:42am
Oh come on...stop blaming India for whatever wrong to your land...it's your own failure..try to accept it first & then find a solution. India has lot many things on priority other then to conspire against you .
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Sameer
Apr 11, 2014 11:02am
A imperial or feudal mindset will never allow for freedom, equality and fairness. Human material will keep getting trampled upon this way.
Till we sign a magna carta of our own, we are sure to be left alone by every sane lover of freedom.
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Ali
Apr 11, 2014 04:57pm
Please stop giving these nonsense public statements.
If we lost a contract it was because we were incompetent, not because the 'West' or 'India' has power to change/ lobby hard written laws.
As soon as we are honest to ourselves, we'll be able to change for the better
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Sovan
Apr 11, 2014 06:30pm
Not India, it is Chinaperhaps.
Even if it turns to India, with time it will behave in the same way as did with Pakistan.
No need to blame India.
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Nizamuddin Ahmad Aali
Apr 11, 2014 11:02pm
Stop complaining. I am surprised Jewish conspiracy was not mentioned. Learn from Bangla Desh our old counterpart. When they were warned after the fires in Dhaka they took drastic corrective actions. Firstly the government asked the Dhaka university civil engineering department to inspect all the garment manufacturing buildings for structures and the geology department to check the foundation immediately and dispatched the minster and her staff to visit the respective governments and the end users of their garments. They asked for some time and pleaded their cases, one by one. In the mean time the structures were secured and stabilized according to load and weaknesses. The marginal buildings ( not repairable ) were demolished. Look where Bangladesh is today after two years of disaster. Educated government live and act differently. Pakistan has to weed out the uneducated hard headed people from the society. They are every where, business. foreign missions and local and federal governments. It breaks my heart to hear such bad news and I feel for the little guys who are trying to survive.
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Tower
Apr 11, 2014 11:21pm
Why not take help of China? Ship your stuff to them and then they will ship it back to Disney?
All countries, China, India, Bangladesh etc are doing trade. Here we are trading accusations!!!
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gary
Apr 12, 2014 02:41am
@Fiz:
As long as you accept that you lost all the wars, and you had started them as well, everything is fine. But rest assured, this is not the last war you have lost. there will be many wars where you will lose.
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john
Apr 12, 2014 12:24pm
I am surprised that our media has not pinned this loss on Imran Khan and the KP government of PTI yet. Maybe its just a matter of time...lol
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Siddharth
Apr 12, 2014 12:27pm
@Khan:
Probably a better idea would be not to accept billions of aid from US. Hit them back by saying that you guys don't want this money.....
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Roger
Apr 12, 2014 04:51pm
Talk about rats abandoning a sinking ship? This time it is just Mickey! Any way, let's just blame India and we can expect the Little Dutch boy to stick his thumb in the hole in the bottom of the ship. We Pakistanis can get back to business as usual. Not our thumb, and not our blame.
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shah
Apr 12, 2014 10:10pm
Good decision by Walt Disney.
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manish
Apr 13, 2014 12:19am
@Khan: sorry I was not aware of it, thanks .
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manish
Apr 13, 2014 12:31am
@a: I dont agree with you, India is not zealous, we just want you to come up to your potential.
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MEDUSA
Apr 13, 2014 01:31am
@Nizamuddin Ahmad Aali:
You sound like an Indian nationalist so let me set the record straight re Indian machinations against Pakistan. FYI Ambani has invested billions in textile plants .. who are his partners? Several **Israeli** investors who've also invested in several Ambanis companies.
So what are the facts, and what's a "conspiracy?" Living in lala land with one's head stuck in the sand about how Indians are engaging in maniacal business deals which are detrimental to Pakistan is not a myth - it's a FACT!
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MEDUSA
Apr 13, 2014 01:35am
@John:
Your level of ignorance about the "facts" doesn't add to a logical argument as to why this Disney contract was lost. Pakistani companies were willing to work with Disney on all fronts including ISO 9000 compliance which many Indian textile companies don't have.
So don't go off spreading misinformation w/o knowing the reality on the ground.
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Ishaq Awan
Apr 13, 2014 01:24pm
Being Pakistani I am fully convinced by Walt Disney's decision this compliane surely Govt. could ensure but careless.
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Danish
Apr 13, 2014 01:49pm
Can Govt. of Pakistan ban all products of Walt Disney in Pakistan?
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