By Mohammed Tariq Haq, Founder & CEO, Energy Solutions (Pvt) Limited
Long ago, when Damascus was a crossroads of caravans and kings, two great trading houses stood opposite each other near the eastern gate of the city. Both dealt in grain, oil, and bread for the people of the city.
The House of Hakam the Swift
Hakam ibn Rashid, known as the Swift, ruled his house with sharp calculation. He pressed farmers hard at harvest time, paying the lowest coin when their barns were empty and their children hungry. He shortened weights, lengthened prices, and charged extra whenever scarcity appeared. He paid his workers only what was required and dismissed them the moment the market slowed.
Hakam often said, “The market has no memory. Only the clever survive.” His coffers filled quickly, and he took pride in his cleverness.
The House of Samira the Steadfast
Across the street stood the house of Samira binte Khalid, called the Steadfast. She paid farmers fairly, even when grain was plentiful and cheap. When porters worked late unloading caravans, she fed them warm bread and paid them fully. When a traveler arrived weary, she added a little extra oil or grain and said, “May your road be easy.” Some merchants mocked her, saying she gave away profit. Samira answered, “I give away fear.”
The Test of the Famine
One year, the rains failed. The Barada River ran thin, and grain became scarce. Hakam hurried to the countryside and bought what little grain remained at desperate prices. He stored it behind locked doors, waiting for hunger to raise its value.
Samira also went out, but she paid a just price and promised continued trade when the rains returned. Farmers remembered her words.
The Turning of Fortune
When the rains finally came, caravans returned to Damascus. Farmers brought their best grain first to Samira’s house. Other traders followed, trusting her scales and her word. Her storehouses stayed full, and her name spread through the markets. Hakam found himself alone. Farmers avoided him, workers left when they could, and customers crossed the street to Samira’s door.
Only then did Hakam understand: wealth gained without trust melts faster than snow in the sun.
Samira’s house endured because she planted loyalty where others planted fear.
The Same Story in Pakistan’s Diesel Generator Market:
The same pattern now plays out in Pakistan’s diesel generator market, ranging from 20 kVA standby units to 3,000 kVA industrial powerhouses, supplied by a mix of local assemblers and international brands.
This market is crowded, price sensitive, and driven by outages, infrastructure gaps, and industrial demand. Many suppliers compete aggressively. Most behave like Hakam. Only few operate like Samira.
The Many Hakams of the Generator Market
Most suppliers pursue rapid sales and margin extraction.
They under spec engines and alternators while marketing higher nameplate ratings.
They quote aggressively low prices, then cut corners on control panels, wiring, and acoustic treatment.
They oversell fuel efficiency and ignore site conditions, duty cycles, and load profiles. They treat commissioning, warranty, and after sales support as cost centers to be minimized.
In the short term, sales volumes rise. Projects are won on price alone. Warehouses move quickly. But over time, reality intrudes. Generators overheat. Fuel consumption exceeds promises. Spare parts are delayed. Clients face downtime, disputes, and unplanned costs.
These suppliers often say, “We delivered what was in the quotation.”
The Samira of the Generator Market
Few suppliers stand apart.
They size generators honestly, whether the requirement is 20 kVA for a clinic or 3,000 kVA for an industrial plant. They specify engines, alternators, and control systems based on real operating conditions, not brochure numbers. They price transparently, including installation, testing, training, and lifecycle support. Invest in technicians, spare parts availability, and long-term service contracts.
Their bids are rarely the cheapest. Their growth is slower. But machines run when others fail, and clients return.
These suppliers say, “If it cannot run reliably for years, it is not sold correctly.”
The outcome mirrors the old Damascus market.
Many Hakams vs The Few Samira
Sales Strategy: Win on lowest price vs Win on correct solution
Technical Integrity:
Overstated ratings vs Honest sizing and specs
After-Sales Support:
Minimal and reactive vs Proactive and continuous
Client Relationship:
Transactional vs Long-term partnership
Long-Term Outcome
Disputes and replacements vs Loyalty and repeat business
The Hakams grow like sparks: brief, bright, and quickly extinguished.
Samiras grow like a foundation: unseen at first, but carrying the load for decades.
The Enduring Principle:
Buyers remember who stood by their equipment.
Operators remember who answered the phone at midnight.
Markets remember which machines kept running.
Profit taken by cutting corners fades quickly.
Profit earned through reliability compounds.
The markets of Damascus taught this lesson long ago.
