Ghani Mengal

I was born on August 17, 1999, into a lower-middle-class family in Pakistan’s province of Balochistan, Quetta, during a time when the country’s economy was still tightly controlled. The economy in the late 1990s was significantly smaller with a weaker industrial base, often described as a period of economic mismanagement. At that time, Pakistan was facing severe sanctions following nuclear tests, resulting in low growth, low investment, and acute financial instability. Owning a refrigerator, car, or even a telephone was considered a luxury. We Lived In a modest area called Sariyab. It was a time when staying with relatives, even for weeks, was never seen as an inconvenience but rather a warm part of family life.

My father, Abdul Haleem Mengal was born in a small village in the district of Jaffarabad. He lost his father when he wasn’t even eighteen. The family endured severe poverty. Despite being a young boy with no financial support, my father worked as a laborer. During his free time or on days off, he went to local electricians and electronics shops to learn electronics and TV repair. He even paid to learn to read and write, at the same time, he was working and learning the TV repair skills. Later, he moved to Quetta city and started his career as a business owner. He is also my early mentor and my teacher in business. I learned the basics of business, repairing, and electronics from my father.

Life, however, has not always been kind. In 2007, my elder brother, Muhammad Yaseen (fondly called Adda), passed away when he was in high school. I was only 8 at that time. That left my parents in a state of deep sorrow. From a young age, he was disciplined, responsible, and academically gifted, never giving our parents a reason to worry.

For me, my personality changed over time. I was friendly and outgoing as a child, but I became more shy and reserved in high school. Life, in a funny twist, led me to a work that required me to be outgoing and sell things. As time went on and I worked on myself on purpose, I found a balance between the two traits. Confidence, empathy, and persistence became my guiding strengths. They have helped me succeed, but not as quickly as I had hoped. When I’m not working, I like to travel, hang out with friends, listen to music, read, do research, and stay in shape. I think there are still more interests out there that I haven’t found yet.