Unpopular opinion: Most brands fail

Unpopular opinion:

Most brands fail in Pakistan not because the market is hard. Because they refuse to believe it's ready. Pakistan's population sits at roughly 260 million, with a median age of 21 (UN World Population Prospects, 2026) — one of the youngest demographic profiles in the world. This isn't an emerging opportunity. It's a live one. I keep hearing the same line from brand managers: "Let's wait and see how the market develops." The market isn't waiting. The brands actually succeeding here aren't the best-capitalized. They're the ones who entered before the market "looked ready," securing local distribution, trust, and positioning while competitors were still commissioning feasibility studies. The uncomfortable truth: by the time a market feels safe enough to greenlight internally, the advantage already belongs to someone else. If you're serious about Pakistan and want an unfiltered, on-the-ground read instead of a desk report that arrives too late to be useful — that's the gap I close for international and Chinese brands entering this market. Disclaimer: These are my personal views, based on my own experience and learning, and not necessarily representative of a universal consensus