Engr. Wasim Nazir reflects on five decades of professional excellence, leadership, and lifelong learning, sharing the principles that took him from a young engineering graduate to an internationally recognized engineering leader.
The INTERVIEW
Engineering Review:
We would like our young viewers and engineering students to hear your story. When you were a young university graduate with dreams in your eyes, how did your journey begin? Most students imagine that after graduation they will get a good job, a car, a respectable office, and a comfortable life. But the reality is often a long struggle. How was it for you?
Engr. Wasim Nazir:
That is a difficult question to answer in a few minutes because it is a journey of more than fifty years. I graduated from UET around fifty-two years ago when I was about twenty or twenty-one years old.
Like every young graduate, I also had the same dreams. I imagined that after graduation I would get a good position, a car, a nice office, and become an important officer. Those dreams were not different from anyone else’s.
But when I started working, I quickly realized that the world we imagined was not the final reality. Dreams alone do not bring success. To improve yourself, your skills, and your future, you need hard work, passion, planning, and consistency. Without these, you cannot move forward.
Engineering Review:
What became the foundation of your career?
Engr. Wasim Nazir:
I decided that whatever work I would do, I would do it with excellence. Many people talk about excellence, but I made it a habit.
I want young engineers to understand this: if excellence becomes your habit, then they too can achieve what I achieved.
Throughout my career I remained a professional. I never got distracted. I was not involved in politics. Even when I later entered a policy-making role, it was because of my professional credibility, not political connections.
Engineering Review:
You worked in government service, construction, and consulting. What did those experiences teach you?
Engr. Wasim Nazir:
I have worked in government service. I established a construction company. I suffered losses as well. But I remained focused.
If you ask me the secret of my journey, it is this:
- Make excellence a habit.
- Remain focused.
- Think big.
- Keep moving forward.
That is exactly what I did.
Engineering Review:
At what stage did you decide to pursue higher education abroad?
Engr. Wasim Nazir:
I realized that I had to continue developing myself. So I went abroad and completed two master’s degrees — one in engineering and another in management.
After that I felt that consulting would be the most suitable field for me. I liked the idea of a professional, white-collar consulting practice.
I started my consulting business in 1989, and today it has been running for almost 35 years.
Engineering Review:
How did you establish yourself in an international environment?
Engr. Wasim Nazir:
When I joined the organization, there were about 1,200 employees, and I was the only Pakistani. Today that organization has around 16,000 employees, and I was among the top twenty-three executives.
That could not have happened through recommendations. It happened through performance, transparency, and competence.
I served on several boards, became Managing Director, Regional Director, and held many senior positions — all because of my work.
Engineering Review:
What is the biggest strength that helped you throughout your career?
Engr. Wasim Nazir:
My biggest strength has been focus.
I mind my own work. I do not interfere in others’ affairs, and I do not allow unnecessary interference in mine. Whether in business or public service, I stay focused on delivering results.
Engineering Review:
You are now over seventy years old. Looking back, do you have any regrets?
Engr. Wasim Nazir:
Alhamdulillah, I have no regrets.
I have a supportive family, and wherever I worked, I gave my best. The work I am doing today can also be audited and evaluated. I am confident that it is work that is genuinely needed.
That confidence comes from clarity of purpose. I know exactly what I am doing and why I am doing it.
Engineering Review:
You often speak about benefiting future generations. What do you mean by that?
Engr. Wasim Nazir:
My practical experience and exposure are not just for my personal success. I want future engineers to learn from them.
I want our institution to become one of the best institutions in Pakistan and eventually among the leading institutions in the world. Whether that happens completely is in Allah’s hands, but my intention is clear.
I believe that if we remain relevant, competitive, and committed to excellence, we can shape the future of engineering in Pakistan.
Engineering Review:
You were recently elected to an important Commonwealth engineering body. Could you tell us about that?
Engr. Wasim Nazir:
Yes. In the recent elections of the Commonwealth Engineering Council, I was elected as the first Executive Director member representing Asia after a competitive process.
This shows that if you want to claim your rightful place internationally, you must demonstrate your capabilities through work, not merely through titles.
Engineering Review:
Finally, if you had to summarize your entire journey in one message for young engineers, what would it be?
Engr. Wasim Nazir:
Do not chase positions. Chase excellence.
Stay focused, keep learning, think beyond immediate limitations, and continue your journey with discipline and integrity. If you do that consistently, success will eventually follow.
By Manzoor Shaikh