Batala Engineering Company (BECO): A Tragic Story of Plummet from the Apex

One of the most telling episodes of Pakistan’s economic history, with far-reaching consequences, was the ‘Nationalization’ policy initiated by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s government, which saw large swathes of economic activity coming under the umbrella of the public sector. The spillovers of this policy can still be felt in the form of a public imprint on economic activity in the country and form part of the assiduous debate on its outcomes. The industrial sector bore a substantial brunt of this policy. In this research piece, we document the case of Batala Engineering Company (BECO), established in 1932 by Mr. C.M Latif, an institution that reflected the emblem of the efforts, dedication, and sincerity on the part of its founder. Moreover, despite adverse circumstances at the time of the founding of our country, BECO continued to function and became one of the most successful industrial units over time.