NIC LUMS initiates ‘Entrepreneur in Conversation’ series; Strengthens foundation council

NIC LUMS initiates ‘Entrepreneur in Conversation’ series; Strengthens foundation council

Lahore, December 31, 2020: The National Incubation Centre Lahore (NICL) at LUMS is on a renewed mission to contribute to Pakistan’s economic development by promoting innovation and entrepreneurship. Its latest initiative, the ‘Entrepreneur in Conversation’ series, features some of Pakistan’s brightest entrepreneurial minds discussing their innovative solutions to combat the country’s many challenges.

The talks are helmed by Saleem Ahmad, Chairman NICL. “We hope that these informal and interactive sessions will serve as an opportunity to learn from entrepreneurs who are solving Pakistan’s big problems, and thereby creating lasting impact. In the process, we hope to inspire a generation of young problem-solvers who can learn from these entrepreneurs’ path-breaking journeys,” Mr. Ahmad commented.

Through this series, NICL is aiming to provide young entrepreneurs a platform to engage directly with industry leaders and learn first-hand from their start-up journeys. The speaker series highlights their failures and successes, and more importantly, how they overcame challenges to create enduring success. These innovators, disruptors, and visionaries have succeeded in impacting industries, and have built companies that are positively changing the way society operates. These talks are available on NICL’s Facebook page and websites.

The inaugural session, held on December 22, featured Usman Javaid, Co-Founder and CEO of Ricult Inc., who talked about his journey of establishing an agriculture technology start-up. This LUMS and MIT-educated innovator is transforming the agriculture sector by helping farmers escape the cycle of poverty, through the use of data analytics, which supports financial inclusion for smallholder farmers in Pakistan and Thailand. 

The second talk on December 28, showcased the experiences of an artificial intelligence expert and NICL Advisory Board member, Dr. Ayesha Khanna, Co-Founder and CEO of ADDO AI. Named one of South East Asia’s groundbreaking female entrepreneurs, Dr. Khanna is not only a strategic advisor on artificial intelligence, smart cities and fintech to leading corporations and governments, but also a published author and a featured speaker at major financial and technology conferences. She spoke about Pakistan’s opportunity for advancement with AI and passionately advocated for gender parity in technology.

The third talk, held on December 30, with Qasif Shahid, CEO and Co-founder of Finja, a fintech start-up and member, NICL Foundation Council, had Mr. Shahid share how his company is digitally disrupting and democratising lending in a PKR 10 trillion Pakistani market with very low penetration levels. He broke the news about Finja’s successful US$9 million raise from bluechip fintech funds who have invested in Pakistan for the first time. 

Upcoming sessions will feature Suneel Sarfraz Munj, Co-Founder of PakWheels.com, on January 1, and Shabahat Ali Shah, CEO, National Information Technology Board on January 4.  

Additionally, NICL has further strengthened its Foundation Council (FC) with experts in agriculture, financial inclusion, e-commerce, and venture investment. The new members include Faisal Aftab, Managing Partner and Executive Director of Lakson Venture Capital, who has over 15 years of investment experience, and is a limited partner of 500 Startups, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital fund, and a Board Member of many Pakistan based start-ups, including Bookme.pk, MandiExpress.pk, KnowledgePlatform.com, Bagallery.com and Roomy.pk.

LUMS alum, Usman Javaid, Co-Founder and CEO of Ricult Inc., has also joined the FC. Mr. Javaid has extensive corporate experience in Pakistan with Engro, Nestle and Telenor, where he was part of the team that launched EasyPaisa. 

Badar Khushnood, Co-Founder of Fishry.com, a B2C and DTC e-commerce platform empowering businesses and artisans across Pakistan, will also strengthen the FC, with his experience of co-founding Bramerz, a leading full-service digital media and marketing company. He was also the first domestic consultant to global technology companies including Google, Facebook and Twitter, and serves as an Executive-in-Residence (EIR) at LUMS where he is helping curate the MS in Technology Management & Entrepreneurship programme.  

The Foundation Council, together with the NIC Advisory Board, will provide guidance to the Foundation Programme by helping coach, mentor and train its sixth cohort of aspiring entrepreneurs. At present 37 start-ups from Lahore and 20 at BUITEMS in Quetta have been inducted to NICL’s Foundation Programme, which comprises a redesigned curriculum delivered by LUMS faculty and international technical experts across six intensive bootcamps. 

Funded by Ignite, the Foundation is an immersive six-month long programme designed to help young Pakistani entrepreneurs develop their ideas into an investor-ready business plan and benefit from a network of experts and business leaders, culminating in a capstone Investor Summit.

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Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) invites bids for two LNG cargoes of 140,000 cubic meters each in April 21

Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) invites bids for two LNG cargoes of 140,000 cubic meters each in April 21

KARACHI: Having learned from the losses due to late demand forecast and even delayed procurement tenders lately, Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL), a subsidiary of Government Holdings (Pvt) Limited, has floated a tender to import two spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes of 140,000 cubic meters each for April 2021.

An advertisement by PLL said the country is seeking cargoes – each of 140,000 cubic metres in two delivery windows – and January 29, 2021 is the deadline for submission of bids.

The first LNG cargo will be delivered on April 06-06 and second on April 19-20, 2021 on a delivered ex-ship basis, according to PLL.

It may be mentioned here, Pakistan received bids from five liquefied natural gas (LNG) companies for two cargoes in February 2021, at the highest price as yet.

PLL received these all-time highest bids up to 32.48 percent of Brent. The lowest bids for the delivery windows of February 2021 were nearly at 21 percent to 23 percent of Brent, as received by the PLL on December 28, 2021.

The gap in demand and supply of gas is expected to spiral beyond two billion cubic feet owing to rapid urbanisation, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects, and industrial growth.

“The ongoing gas crisis and much propagated mismanagement in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) procurement only advocate urgent commercial import of LNG by private parties. Government needs to remove all the hurdles and fast track regulatory formalities to enable smooth commercial import of LNG,” an industry official said.

LNG imports by private parties would ensure sufficient supplies as well as relax state entities of cumbersome computations of demand forecasts and arranging spot purchases. 

A number of business houses and trade associations such as CNG associations are eager to import their own gas once the bureaucratic hurdles are removed.

Although, the government has notified the framework for the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG) by private parties and sanctioned excess capacity available at LNG terminals for private imports, but certain bottlenecks are still there.

Intending importers believe that private importers, gas companies, terminal operators and regulatory authority need to be on the same page to make this enterprise a success.

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Eight Pakistanis among world’s top 100 nurses and midwives

 Eight Pakistanis among world’s top 100 nurses and midwives

Karachi: Five faculty members and three alumni from Aga Khan University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, Pakistan, SONAM, have been honoured in the 2020 100 Outstanding Women Nurses and Midwives. 

One hundred nurses and midwives from 43 countries have been recognised for their contribution to raising healthcare standards across the globe, especially during these difficult times. These outstanding leaders have been acknowledged by Women in Global Health (WGH), which collaborated with the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Population Fund, Nursing Now, International Council of Nurses and International Confederation of Midwives on the list.

The recognition marks the end of the WHO’s yearlong Year of the Nurse and the Midwife 2020​ campaign, which recognises the vital role of nurses and midwives in providing health services and in helping achieve targets under the global sustainable development goals.

The School’s Dean Dr Rozina Karmaliani has been honoured under the Board and Management category in recognition of her efforts to spearhead improvements in adolescent health, strengthen research capacities and integrate research into education and practice. 

Faculty members Yasmin Parpio and Samina Vertejee have been appreciated under the Community Hero category for their services in community health nursing, while Saima Sachwani is recognised for her contributions in developing impactful nursing curriculum under the Human Capital Development category. Nurse-midwife Marina Baig has also been lauded for leveraging mobile health technology to improve maternal health outcomes under the Innovation, Science & Health category.

Three SONAM alumni have also been recognised under the Community Hero category. They include Dr Shela Hirani for her efforts to promote, protect and support breastfeeding during the COVID-19 pandemic, Neelam Punjani for her work in improving access to sexual and reproductive health rights and Sadaf Saleem for her contributions to geriatric nursing. 

“It is an honour to be acknowledged by the international public health and nursing fraternity,” said Dean Karmaliani. “This year has been particularly challenging for healthcare providers, all of whom have showed incredible commitment in their respective roles in responding to the COVID-19 crisis.” 

“It is encouraging to see that our government and healthcare stakeholders in Pakistan are coming together and deliberating on investing in nursing and midwifery education, practice and research. There is no better time than now to acknowledge the critical role of nurses in creating resilient healthcare systems.” 

The nominated women represent several hundreds of thousands of nurses and midwives globally who have been on the frontlines of the pandemic and have shown courage and compassion while working in a variety of clinical and community settings and while training and building the skills of healthcare professionals. 

By acknowledging these nursing and midwifery leaders, WGH renews its call to WHO member nations to establish and support strategic leadership positions for nurses and midwives in health facilities, involve them in key decisions, support diversity in recruitment strategies, reduce the gender pay gap and ensure a safe work environment. 

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Special Communications Organization (SCO) Launches S-Paisa Mobile Wallet with Alfa Mobile App

Special Communications Organization (SCO) Launches S-Paisa Mobile Wallet with Alfa Mobile App

Special Communications Organization (SCO) in collaboration with Bank Alfalah (BAFL) today announced the launch of S-Paisa Mobile Wallet, offering affordable and convenient mobile money solutions all over Pakistan and in Azad Jammu & Kashmir through a handy mobile wallet in SCO Alfa app. 

SCO has well-established distribution channels, experience as it exists in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) over four decades and through recent partnership with Bank Alfalah it has strengthened its mobile financial services foot print.

Commenting on this new revolution, DG SCO, Maj Gen Ali Farhan HI (M) said “We believe that everyone can benefit from having digital convenience and affordable access to mobile financial services in particular to help them take control of a very important aspect of their lives – their personal finances. In a country with high Smartphone penetration and government’s continued encouragement towards building a paper currency free society, services in the form of S-Paisa mobile wallet could really be a game”.

S-Paisa mobile wallet at Alfa App is an easy secure way to store and manage cash from your mobile device; a convenient e-money solution aimed at serving the under-banked segments of AJ&K, GB and rest of Pakistan such as youths, low income earners and migrants. It is easy-to-use, secure, offers more benefits the more you use it, puts customers fully in charge of when, where and how they handle their cash and it is reliable, backed by Bank Alfalah’s many years of experience in financial services solutions across the country.

Sarosh Hina, Director Marketing & Financial Services added, “S-Paisa Mobile Wallet makes money transfers easy and convenient, not limiting customers to particular outlets, locations and operating hours and most importantly, it is safe as it mitigates the risk of physical presence during the pandemic days. We see this adding value to SCOM users who often perform remittance transactions from an official based in AJ&K to migrants sending money in remotest areas of GB from rest of Pakistan and to parents with children studying in metropolitans. There is a wide user base that can benefit from this service.”

The mobile wallet at Alfa App, itself is open to subscribers from any mobile network operators and supports all smartphone types. Currently, customers can download the Alfa App android version from Google Play Store and the IOS Version from Apple Store. Visit SCO official website and Facebook Pages for more details.

Opening a new S-Paisa Account through the Alfa App is a simple process where the customer registers with their mobile number and CNIC upon which a One-Time Password (OTP) is sent to their phone and fed into the App automatically. Customers then enter the desired PIN and use the same to login to the application. Simple registration procedure is as under:

Registration

Download Alfa App from Google Play Store

Sign in as new customer (App available for all mobile users)

Complete Online Verification Procedure

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👉 #Jobs - Khyber Bank Career Opportunities - Last date 12 Jan 2020

 👉 #Jobs - Khyber Bank Career Opportunities - Last date 12 Jan 2020 

#Vacancies_Jobs #Jobs_in_Pakistan #Search_Job #Job_Alerts #Newspaper_Jobs #Jobs_in_Dubai, #Hospital_Jobs #University_Job #Karachi_Jobs #School_Jobs #Pakistan_Army_Jobs #NAVY_Jobs #Government_Jobs #Govt_Job #Bank_Jobs #Jobs_in_Bank #Government Jobs

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See Prime Brings Samiya Mumtaz and Aijaz Aslam in New Short Web-Series 'AgayBarho'

See Prime Brings Samiya Mumtaz and Aijaz Aslam in New Short Web-Series 'AgayBarho'

Islamabad, 26thDecember, 2020: The rapidly growing digital entertainment forum, See Prime, has come forth with another heart-warming story for its audience with the short web series, 'AgayBarho', starring Samiya Mumtaz, Aijaz Aslam and Asmma Siraj in the lead roles.

'AgayBarho', is an inspirational story of a married woman called Nadia, whose life decisions bring her to a point where she is left unhappy and damaged in her marriage with her superstar husband, Salman. She has a 21 year daughter, who both parents adore, named Alina. Alina tries her hardest to make her parents relationship work but perhaps, there is something else in store for the family. This is a story of how a woman in her middle age, picks herself up and moves on, despite all the emotional hurt she has been subjected to, for the sake of those who matter.

"AgayBarho", in my viewpoint, is an untold story of many woman in their middle ages. I hope this web-series turns out to be inspirational for all those who go through what Nadia went through. I would like to thank the wonderful and talented cast and the hard-working team for all their efforts to bring issues like these to light", commented Seemeen Naveed, when asked about the film.

This tale of a dysfunctional family is directed by AwaisSulaman, produced by Seemeen Naveed, Co-produced byRehan Hussain, and beautifully scripted down by AjitNavraj Hans. This is the second Web Series produced by See Prime, who have already marked their place in the digital world for their highly acclaimed short films including ‘Dancing Doll’ and 'Naam Kya Rakha?' that garnered many applause and praises.

'AgayBarho' is now available for the viewers in six episodes on See Prime's YouTube channel.

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mox8ZlYAvU

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I Am The Change Awards 2020 - Meet The Frontline Heroes

I Am The Change Awards 2020 - Meet The Frontline Heroes

Every year, Engro Foundation – the social investment arm of Engro Corporation - recognizes local change agents and highlights projects that aim to improve lives across different spheres, through its flagship initiative of I Am The Change (IATC) awards. Amidst the global pandemic, the IATC 2020 invited frontline workers, who could be self-nominated or nominated by supervisors/head of organizations, to share their inspiring stories of creating community impact in the fight against COVID-19.

Following an extensive review of more than 100 applications in five categories, an external jury and IATC team at Engro Foundation chose eight recipients from public sector health professionals, doctors, healthcare workers and blue collar staff involved in NGOs or industries tackling COVID-19 relief efforts. Each recipient will be given a cash award of PKR 500,000 in recognition of their efforts.

Below are some inspiring stories of the IATC 2020 recipients, who created strong community impact in the fight against COVID-19:

Raja Muhammad Iqbal

Raja Muhammad Iqbal is a retired subedar from Army Medical Corps, currently appointed as the Senior Nurse to Mian Muhammad Bukhsh Trust Hospital. During the pandemic, Mr. Raja has remained available for duty and had more interactions with the COVID-19 suspected and/or positive patients than any other nurse at the hospital. At the start of the pandemic, Mr. Raja stayed on the premises of the hospital 24/7 and volunteered his services for over-time work, recognizing the need to serve his country once again.

Speaking on behalf of healthcare professionals, Mr. Iqbal shares, “we will continue to remain steadfast and work towards decreasing the footprint of the disease. I have been deployed on the border and contributed in wars so it was my passion to help that propelled me to continue to serve in the line of duty. I am truly humbled to be presented with the IATC award and hope that such initiatives continue to reward and recognise frontline workers.”

Bilqees Abdul Shakoor                                                        

Bilqees Abdul Shakoor, a Master of Philosophy and Economics graduate, volunteered as a camp manager under civil administration at the Chief Minister Delivery Unit Quetta, during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her main duties as the camp manager were to ensure proper disposal of medical waste, which was used to treat COVID suspected and/or positive patients. While volunteering at the COVID camp, she contracted the virus herself but that did not weaken her resolve.

“Past my recovery, there was evidence to support that COVID-19 recovered patients were not at immediate risk and this only encouraged me to continue my work. I felt that this shared experience allowed me to connect with the patients even more”, she said.

As one of the few women working at the RDA camp, Ms. Shakoor overcame the challenges her gender posed and continued to work in the quarantine camp. She also worked at Fatima Jinnah Hospital laboratory to take samples of the COVID-19 suspected patients and volunteered at Quetta's online team to reach out to families who cannot afford basic food and provide them with Rashaan by fundraising.

Naveed Parvez

Naveed Parvez was nominated for his contributions in outdoor work at the Karachi Down Syndrome Program. As the main frontline worker, his efforts furthered KDSP’s mission of assisting families of individuals with Down syndrome that were severely affected during the pandemic, including households where there was a serious risk of infection. Naveed led grocery drives to support various poverty-stricken families and provided 40 families with material kits including stationery, study tables, toys, arts and crafts material to assist virtual sessions for children with Down syndrome.

Speaking about his experience, Naveed shared that prioritizing his own and his family’s safety was the hardest task considering he had to distribute rations to areas where SOPs were not being strictly followed.

“This serves as an immensely memorable experience and I feel fortunate to have been given an opportunity to serve in such dire circumstances”, he added.

Sana Sharif

In the wake of the pandemic, there are many communities that were at the risk of being forgotten, one of them being the incarcerated. Through her association with Legal Aid Society (LAS), Program Manager Sana Sharif conducted a series of meetings with senior prison officials including the IG Prisons and DIG Prisons in order to understand the nature of demands from prisons in the context of combating the threat of COVID-19. She ensured timely achievement of legal aid clinics, free legal advice and interviews, and representation of the incarcerated in 8 Sindh-prisons. With a Master's degree and extensive experience in Development Sector Support programs to her credit, Sana supervised LAS staff across 15 districts in Sindh during their visits to Superintendents of all 24 prisons and led the distribution efforts of the required PPEs in the entire Karachi and Hyderabad division. These efforts are what led her nomination and recognition for the IATC award.

According to Ghias Khan - President & CEO of Engro Corporation and Trustee of Engro Foundation, "The IATC award recipients truly depict how heroes are born in times of crisis. As a Pakistani organization committed to solving some of the most pressing issues of our time, it is a very humbling experience for us to learn from and celebrate the achievements of these individuals and institutions who rose to the occasion. Together, InshAllah we will emerge stronger and united as a nation from this pandemic.”

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Engro Fertilizers, UAF partner to setup Engro Learning Center and model farm

Engro Fertilizers, UAF partner to setup Engro Learning Center and model farm

Karachi, December 29, 2020: Engro Fertilizers Limited has entered into a partnership with the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF), to establish and develop Engro Learning Center and a model farm at the UAF campus.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Nadir Salar Qureshi, CEO of Engro Fertilizers and Dr. Asif Tanveer, Vice Chancellor of UAF, in a virtual ceremony. Under the agreement, UAF will provide Engro Fertilizers with land to develop model farms, where Seed-to-Harvest solutions will be demonstrated to achieve higher yield through implementation of holistic agricultural practices. In addition, the Company will identify and conduct research and development projects involving the academia and student body, and test new technologies and solutions for capacity-building of UAF students.

According to Nadir Qureshi, “By strengthening the academia-industry linkage, we are committed to jointly address the key issues faced by the agricultural sector and leverage technology to improve farmers’ productivity and food security for Pakistan. Through various projects and internship opportunities, the Engro Learning Center will develop young agrarians to modernize and transform our agricultural landscape.”

Dr. Asif Tanveer appreciated Engro Fertilizers for this new initiative that will set an example for other industry players to also step forward and play their role in the prosperity of Pakistan’s agriculture sector.

This new partnership builds on last year’s agreement between Engro Fertilizers and UAF to conduct joint field trials to develop agronomic recommendations and to further use that information in developing informative literature and videos for the farmers.

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Mashal Khan to Star in an UrduFlix Originals Web series “Lifafa Daayan”

Mashal Khan to Star in an UrduFlix Originals Web series “Lifafa Daayan”

Karachi, 29 December 2020: Acclaimed actress and model who recently garnered fame for her performance in the web series ‘Bridge’ is ready to steal the show once again in a web series for Pakistan’s first Urdu streaming service UrduFlix. 

UrduFlix, which will cater to audiences from around Pakistan would be providing exclusive and original content to the viewers along with international shows and movies dubbed in Urdu. The web series will be powered by UrduFlix and would be exclusively available on the streaming service, though other details have not been revealed yet.

Mashal Khan is a rising star in the industry who has starred in hit dramas including Suno Chanda, Khaas, and Mere Humdum. She will be seen in another unconventional role for the new web series.

The first Urdu OTT platform owned by Emax Media Pvt ltd. is officially expected to launch in mid-January 2021.

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OLX Pakistan partners with Red Bull in hosting the latest edition of ‘Red Bull Kart Fight’ tournament

OLX Pakistan partners with Red Bull in hosting the latest edition of ‘Red Bull Kart Fight’ tournament

Lahore, December 29, 2020: OLX, Pakistan’s number one online marketplace, partnered with Red Bull to introduce the latest edition of  tournament titled ‘Red Bull Kart Fight 2020’. This one-of-its-kind tournament attracted amateur racers and racing enthusiasts from across the country to take a gander at pro Karting and compete with the best amongst them. The event qualifiers took place at the 2F2F Formula Karting tracks in Lahore and Islamabad followed by the grand final hosted at the Nation’s capital on December 27, 2020 with the goal of rewarding the most skilled Karting aficionados in Pakistan. OLX Pakistan, being the digital partner, extended its support for promoting the event to all online racing enthusiasts in the country.  

More than 150 drivers from Lahore and Islamabad participated in the qualifiers. The top 20 lap times were shortlisted following which the top 3 finishers from each city booked a spot at the grand finals. Haider Khan, Yastoor Mirza and Shayan Aman from Islamabad bagged the first, second and third positions at the grand finals.

The top three racers were awarded gold, silver and bronze trophies in the ceremony following the hard-fought competition. 

"It was incredible to win this and it was amazing of Red Bull to provide the racers with such an opportunity," said the winner Haider Khan.

Khan is grateful for the opportunity and would like to see more motorsports tournaments held in Pakistan. "We need more competitions like these because there is a lot of talent and a lot of racers who want to participate and compete. Competition is healthy for everyone as it pushes us to do better".

Speaking at the occasion, Country head OLX Pakistan Farhan Naweed said, “OLX Pakistan is determined to promote a safe and healthy sporting culture in Pakistan and this first collaboration is a testament to this commitment. Karting is also a healthy and challenging sport which is considered the first step to the world of automotive racing, hence, we decided to partner with Red Bull and introduce it to the Pakistani youth. We will be working closely with both Red Bull and 2F2F to introduce more of such exciting events in the future.”

Pakistan is the fifth youngest nation in the World with 63 percent of its population between the age of 15 to 33 years. A healthy sporting culture can help promote an active lifestyle in the country which can also bring about many other benefits for the society at large.

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Ufone ends 2020 on a positive note with a reaffirmation of its commitment to prioritize its customers

Ufone ends 2020 on a positive note with a reaffirmation of its commitment to prioritize its customers

Islamabad, December 28, 2020: Pakistani telecom operator, Ufone reiterates its commitment to ensure the safety, security and happiness of its customers as it ends the year 2020 on a positive note. Despite the year being particularly tough for businesses with the COVID pandemic affecting companies across the world, the telecom sector stepped up to play a very important role. Ufone lauds the role of its fraternity in connecting people and developing agile strategies promptly to adapt to the new normal during this period. 

In the course of these challenging times, Ufone adopted a multi-pronged strategy to facilitate its customers by providing convenience and satisfaction.  As a principal approach, to curb the spread of virus, digital services to facilitate online transactions and subscriptions for customers, such as recharging balance using My Ufone App, UPaisa and via Ufone’s website were introduced.

The Super Family continued to be the most sought-after product in 2020 as well. Due to its customer centric approach, Ufone was able to introduce new denominations for it customers. 

In the Postpaid segment, new packages were introduced that address postpaid base requirements. A positive word of mouth was experienced on social media about the simplicity offered in the new Prime Packages. 

In parallel, Ufone undertook a comprehensive Coronavirus relief and support effort worth PKR 1.9 Billion for the PM Relief Fund. The package aimed to help people across the country to stay connected and provide access to facilities, mainly food and healthcare, to the most vulnerable communities.

The real challenge emerged during COVID-19 outbreak due to a rapidly evolving landscape, but the brand was quick to pivot. As the demand for online connectivity surged following a lockdown, Ufone came to the forth with messages of hope and practical steps needed to ensure wellbeing of our employees, partners and customers. It was clear that in those difficult times people needed encouragement, especially the frontline workers. 

On the occasion of Independence Day of Pakistan, Ufone dedicated 2020 to the Real Heroes of the country, encouraging resilience and services of the frontline workers during Covid-19. This campaign garnered appreciation from the public and helped Ufone further its corporate reputation and the connection with its customers.  

The brand also collaborated with Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) to create widespread awareness about Coronavirus, and assisted in volunteer registration through its helpline 1030. Likewise, it partnered with MicroEnsure to bring financial security in times of need by offering financial safety net to customers against costs of hospitalization at any hospital across Pakistan. 

In recognition of their efforts for customer empowerment, Ufone won two prestigious Effie Awards in 2020. Ufone won a Gold award for Best in Internet & Telecom category for its SuperCard campaign Budget bamuqabla befikri and a Bronze award in Best and Internet & Telecom for Balochistan Football Cup 2019.

The brand also went on to win two Eventex Global Awards in Gold categories for Ufone Balochistan Football Cup this year- an initiative to create opportunities for young sportsmen of the province. Amongst 444 entries from 39 countries, the Ufone emerged as the winner in two categories i.e. People’s Choice Award and Best CSR Event Award.

The company joined hands with Universal Services Fund to expand its services to underserved areas of Balochistan. The inauguration of the Rs759 million “Seamless Broadband Coverage Project” from Hub to Jiwani is a game changer in this regard. Similarly, more than 2.3 million people in the 12 districts of Balochistan which include Sibi, Kalat, Khuzdar, Chaghai, Awaran Lasbela, Kharan, Dera Bugti, Bolan, Gawadar, benefitted from the partnership between Universal Service Fund and Ufone. 

Furthermore, in sync with the Prime Minister’s initiative of digitization of the country, Ufone launched a mobile application for UPaisa service to make cashless transactions more convenient for customers. 

Ufone’s Value Added Services strategy for 2020 focused on consolidating the existing VAS portfolio and launching new digital initiatives. For its complete customer base, Ufone introduced Google Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) in 2020. This has digitally enabled customers to purchase mobile applications and in-app accessories using their mobile balance. Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) acts as a payment collection agent for many new partners and provide customers with convenient and enriched access to digital content. 

During the course of the challenges brought on during this year, Ufone exhibited great determination and resilience to improve the lives and experiences of the people of Pakistan. 

Through introducing the aforementioned initiatives, Ufone has reaffirmed its commitment of giving the highest importance to its customers by ensuring their safety, security and happiness by staying true to its tagline, ‘Tum hi tou ho’!

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Pak-Qatar General Takaful partners with Al Baraka Bank (Pakistan) for takaful coverage

Pak-Qatar General Takaful partners with Al Baraka Bank (Pakistan) for takaful coverage

Karachi, December 28, 2020: Al Baraka Pakistan signed a “Service Level Agreement” (SLA) with Pak-Qatar General Takaful in a recently held signing ceremony which took place at its Head Office. The partnership will enable Bank to provide Takaful coverage for its “AL Baraka Business Plus” customers.

Al Baraka Business Plus Account has evolved with time to offer ease, flexibility and a wide range of unmatched free services. This product is specially tailored to match all the daily needs of business class and individual customers along with Takaful protection.

The SLA was signed by Mr. Muhammad Nasir Ali Syed, CEO Pak-Qatar General Takaful and Mr. Ahmed Shuja Kidwai, CEO Al Baraka Bank Pakistan along with senior officials from both organizations including; Mr. Farhan Baig – Deputy CEO (Business), Mr. Muhammad Zahid Ahmed – Deputy CEO (Support) representing Al Baraka while Mr. Mehmood Arshad – Country Head Sales & Marketing and Mr. Muhammad Kashif – JSVP Channel, Strategy and Development were also present at the occasion.

Talking at the occasion Mr. Nasir Ali Syed said, “It is indeed an honor for us to provide Takaful coverage for valuable customers of Al Baraka. I hope this business partnership will continue for years to come and serve the customers with more attractive, innovative and customized products following Shari’ah guidelines.”

Speaking on this occasion Mr. Ahmed Shuja Kidwai said, “Al Baraka is always keen to provide unique and innovative products to its customers; through this we will be able to provide another Shariah complaint financial solution”. He added, “I am hopeful that this alliance with Pak-Qatar General Takaful will go a long way and will offer promising solutions to our customers’ financial needs.”

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Google & Wikipedia Issued Notices by PTA on Account of Disseminating Sacrilegious Contents

Google & Wikipedia Issued Notices by PTA on Account of Disseminating Sacrilegious Contents

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) issues Notices to Google Inc. and Wikipedia on account of disseminating sacrilegious content through the platforms.

PTA has been receiving complaints regarding misleading search results associated with “Present Khalifa of Islam” and an unauthentic version of the Holy Quran uploaded by the Ahmadiyya Community on Google Play Store. Being a matter of very serious nature, PTA has approached Google Inc. with the directions to immediately remove the unlawful content. The platform has been issued with the notice under Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight, and Safeguard) Rules 2020 (“Rules”) to remove the sacrilegious content to avoid any legal action by the Regulator.

Complaints were also received regarding the hosting of caricatures of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and dissemination of misleading, wrong, deceptive, and deceitful information through articles published on Wikipedia portraying Mirza Masroor Ahmad as a Muslim. After extensive communication on the matter, Wikipedia has been finally served with the notice to remove the sacrilegious content to avoid any legal action.

In case the platforms remain non-compliant, PTA shall be constrained to initiate further action under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 (PECA) and Rules 2020.

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پروین شاکر خوبصورت شاعری : گئے موسم میں جو کھلتے تھے گلابوں کی طرح

گئے موسم میں جو کھلتے تھے گلابوں کی طرح
دل پہ اتریں گے وہی خواب عذابوں کی طرح
راکھ کے ڈھیر پہ اب رات بسر کرنی ہے
جل چکے ہیں مرے خیمے مرے خوابوں کی طرح
ساعت دید کہ عارض ہیں گلابی اب تک
اولیں لمحوں کے گلنار حجابوں کی طرح
وہ سمندر ہے تو پھر روح کو شاداب کرے
تشنگی کیوں مجھے دیتا ہے سرابوں کی طرح
غیر ممکن ہے ترے گھر کے گلابوں کا شمار
میرے رستے ہوئے زخموں کے حسابوں کی طرح
یاد تو ہوں گی وہ باتیں تجھے اب بھی لیکن
شیلف میں رکھی ہوئی بند کتابوں کی طرح
کون جانے کہ نئے سال میں تو کس کو پڑھے
تیرا معیار بدلتا ہے نصابوں کی طرح
شوخ ہو جاتی ہے اب بھی تری آنکھوں کی چمک
گاہے گاہے ترے دلچسپ جوابوں کی طرح
ہجر کی شب مری تنہائی پہ دستک دے گی
تیری خوش بو مرے کھوئے ہوئے خوابوں کی طرح
پروین شاکر

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لعنت ہو اس نظام پے جو مظلوم کو انصاف نہ دلا سکے چونیاں:بااثر افراد کا خواجہ سرا پر اغوا کرکے بدترین تشدد،ویڈیو بنا کر وائرل کردی

لعنت ہو اس نظام پے جو مظلوم کو انصاف نہ دلا سکے چونیاں:بااثر افراد کا خواجہ سرا پر اغوا کرکے بدترین تشدد،ویڈیو بنا کر وائرل کردی

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ZapBuddy Expands its Augmented Reality function- With a special Augmented Reality version of Jinnah for Quaid Day

ZapBuddy Expands its Augmented Reality function- With a special Augmented Reality version of Jinnah for Quaid Day

We had reviewed the startup ZapBuddy before and were impressed by their work done, especially for challenging to create not only a competitor to the likes of whatsapp, but also create something new with Augmented Reality and maps built in as a part of its core function. 

The startup sounded promising and apart from focus on privacy, the team had focused on betting Augmented Reality as a key part of their chat. At that time it was only limited to viewing maps something similar to what google maps had also shown sometime later. We had actually covered this functionality before google's event so that was something exciting to see where a local startup’s view of AR was also seen to be implemented in the likes of google maps. There were other small privacy based features that we also liked such as display picture privacy for different set of users that we found very intriguing and liked their approach to add something to the mix.

Augmented Reality has been a promising field with Apple also now introducing Lidar functions to try to play in that area. However the true practical workings are yet to be seen from any big player apart from Snapchat and no other major practical everyday use cases and similarly from ZapBuddy we had not seen much more of AR after that.

However, now the next phase of AR has been rolled out with multiple views of how they perceive AR can be an integral part of social engagement. To highlight that vision, they have launched with an Augmented Reality Version of Father of the nation- Quaid e Azam.

Experience of AR 

This fresh approach to see up close Jinnah and engage with surroundings, hear their speeches and even make them walk in our living rooms is an exciting experience. It's unlike we have seen something before done to such an extent specifically for Quaid Day. The details are nice and it was a refreshing experience not only around the office, but also along with friends and especially children. At Least for us it gave us a good time experiencing Quaid with their speeches up close.

After a while playing around with Jinnah's AR version, we also got to experience the other offerings and they seem to be similarly engaging with a different element. Other version of scanning codes to launch AR drinks seems to be highlighting more of the startup’s direction of engaging with AR in different scenarios which seem to be targeted for different purposes. 

It is honestly a bold way of doing things in a completely different way for a communication app. On one side, we do see payments being the next milestone for chat apps. However introducing a completely new way of engaging AR within chat is something that we like about zapbuddy. It might seem a bit odd, however no one has the right answer to what can work in the future. Going away from traditional approaches and risking new radical approaches is something we admire about them. 

However, there are many challenges before it can become something revolutionary. The AR experience whilst may be fun, seems to lack the fine-tuning to be seamlessly working within chat. Quick fun AR elements from snapchat seem to be doing the trick, however this new method of having complete 3d models within chat to engage is a relatively new area and they need to work more to refine this experience. 

The startup's approach towards enhanced privacy measures such as privacy for pictures, having maps for Points of interest, and now AR seem to indicate AR based campaigns around maps coming soon. With payments also planned, this can be an interesting idea we would like to see more of. We are glad that their approach has been to stay away from data selling model, a point they had been focusing from the start, and moving towards a new niche, even if it is unproven yet. 

Conclusion

We liked the startup as they are a small dedicated team working from their basements churning out interesting approaches, however we would like to see more improvements rolled out quicker. They had started with focus on privacy and introducing privacy based features along with maps and AR. There are number of areas where small improvements are required, however the team is slowly getting there. With the startups patents also having now been granted added with these unique approaches, we are hopeful they might be able to pull a few surprises for everyone including us to see.    

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Buckle & Seam joins hands with The Citizens Foundation (TCF) to support education for the less privileged

Buckle & Seam joins hands with The Citizens Foundation (TCF) to support education for the less privileged

Karachi, Pakistan – 22nd December 2020: Buckle and Seam, a Germany-based company manufacturing premium leather goods in Pakistan, has joined hands with The Citizens Foundation, one of the largest privately-owned networks of low-cost formal schools in Pakistan, to provide education to the less privileged children. Under the partnership, Buckle and Seam will be supporting the cost of four TCF schools located in the most poverty-stricken neighbourhoods of Pakistan.

Earlier in October, the team from Buckle and Seam visited one of the TCF schools being supported by the company in Taiser Town, where they met with TCF students and staff and learned more about TCF’s mission to create agents of positive change through quality education. 

On the occasion, representative of Buckle and Seam, Linus Keiler, shared, “Through this initiative, Buckle and Seam aims to serve communities where we operate. We believe education is the solution of many problems in society and we chose to work with TCF because of their accountability, transparency and openness to new ideas.” 

Isfandyar Inayat, General Manager at TCF said, “We’d like to thank Buckle and Seam from the bottom of our hearts for their generous support for the children of Pakistan. We look forward to nurture this relationship and create greater impact through education.” 

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#UrduJokes – Beauty Parlor kay kharchay ... #Urdu_Lateefa …☺..

#UrduLateefay – Beauty Parlor kay kharchay ...  #Urdu_Lateefa …☺..

#lateefay #urdu #urdupoetry #pakistan #urdulateefay #urdujokes #lahore #pakistani #urdufunny #jokes #memes #urdujokesworld #poetry #funny #islamabad #karachi #urdupoetrylover #urdulover #sialkot #love #bhfyp #fun #pakistanstreetstyle #pakistanifunny #pkfunzone #urduadab #urdupoetrylovers #urdufun #urdupoint #bhfyp

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#UrduLateefay – Khushi say dam tor gia... #Urdu_Lateefa …☺..

#UrduLateefay – Khushi say dam tor gia...  #Urdu_Lateefa …☺..

#lateefay #urdu #urdupoetry #pakistan #urdulateefay #urdujokes #lahore #pakistani #urdufunny #jokes #memes #urdujokesworld #poetry #funny #islamabad #karachi #urdupoetrylover #urdulover #sialkot #love #bhfyp #fun #pakistanstreetstyle #pakistanifunny #pkfunzone #urduadab #urdupoetrylovers #urdufun #urdupoint #bhfyp

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اردو کے زبر دست #لطیفے ، عورت ہمیشہ مرد سے دلیر ہوتی ہے ☺

 #UrduLateefay #HindiJoke – A funniest Joke for you.....Phoopi ka sawal   #Urdu_Lateefa …☺..

#lateefay #urdu #urdupoetry #pakistan #urdulateefay #urdujokes #lahore #pakistani #urdufunny #jokes #memes #urdujokesworld #poetry #funny #islamabad #karachi #urdupoetrylover #urdulover #sialkot #love #bhfyp #fun #pakistanstreetstyle #pakistanifunny #pkfunzone #urduadab #urdupoetrylovers #urdufun #urdupoint #bhfyp

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Singer and Actor Junaid Khan hits a Million Followers on Instagram

Islamabad:- Junaid Khan has been on the receiving end of a lot of praises and love this year – all thanks to his amazing performances on television that have left fans in awe. The actor and singer is now ending the year on another high note – as he has hit a million followers on his Instagram account!

The multitalented star took to his social media to celebrate this milestone with all his fans and followers, showing his gratitude and love for his instafam.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CJGNnbDgxFk/

The Hania star has always been communicating with his fans and followers, providing some insightful uploads on his account. A glance at his profile showcases his interests. For example, you can find posts where he is working out. His love of music is also apparent with loads of pictures and videos where he is either in a studio or playing a particular instrument.

However, some of the most insightful images and videos are the ones from the drama and film sets with fellow cast members and crew. While they might be doing a highly intense and emotional scene, they are all together having a little bit of fun off-screen. This gives Junaid Khan’s million fans a sneak peek into the making of these dramas and reveals the nature of their work. All in all, it’s good-natured fun and a way of communicating with his fans.

The Kashf star has had a lot of eyes on him this year for his portrayal of Wajdaan in the super hit drama, and he is currently getting a lot of praise for his performance in MohabbateinChahatein. With lots of exciting work, including his film KahayDilJidhar, and a highly anticipated new album with Call lined up for release, you can expect the Junaid Khan fandom to grow even further. Onwards and upwards!

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Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board (KPITB) join hands with partner universities for National Freelance Training Program

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board (KPITB) join hands with partner universities for National Freelance Training Program

ISLAMABAD - Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Technology Board (KPITB) and five universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa signed agreements for establishment of National Freelance Training Program (NFTP) Centers and Expansion of National Incubation Centers (NICs) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The NFTP centers will be established in University of Malakand, Institute of Management Sciences Peshawar & Gomal University Dera Ismail Khan while NICs will be established in Kohat University of Science and Technology and University of Swat. PITB & KPITB also signed an agreement for mutual cooperation in Information Security.

The Agreement signing ceremony was held in Islamabad. Advisor to Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Science and Information Technology Mr. Ziaullah Khan Bangash was the Chief Guest.

Special Assistant to CM KP on Information and Higher Education Mr. Kamran Bangash, Member Provincial Assembly Mr. Faisal Amin Gandapur, Federal Secretary on MoIT&T Mr. Shoaib Ahmad Saddiqui, Chairman PITB Mr. Azfar Manzoor, Managing Director KPITB Dr. Sahibzada Ali Mahmud, DG PITB Mr. Sajid Latif, Director KPITB Mr. Asim Jamshaid, & Vice Chancellors from the aforementioned universities also attended the ceremony.  PITB, KPITB and the partner universities singed the agreements.

While addressing the event Ziaullah Bangash expressed that youth are the agents of change and this partnership will be a significant step towards fulfilling the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan - a digitally resilient Pakistan. Expansion of National Incubation Centers will promote capacity building of universities, provide sustainable income opportunities and play a pivotal role in creating new jobs in KP, he added. 

The National Freelance Training Program & National Incubation Centers are sponsored by the Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication (MoIT&T) with a vision to provide skills required for Freelancing Training to empower youth & promote technology and entrepreneurship across the country. 

Chairman PITB Azfar Manzoor said that National Freelance Training Program aims to reduce unemployment by providing hands on freelance training to 22,800 individuals through 20 centers across Pakistan. Out of these, three (03) centers in KP will train 1,350 individuals annually to monetize their skills through internet-based freelancing. He stated that expansion of NICs across Pakistan will go a long way in developing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country. 

During the welcome note, MD KPITB Dr. Sahibzada Ali Mahmud stated that collaboration between IT Boards is vital for mutual growth and helps in building on each other’s strengths. 

Talking to media, officials briefed that National Freelance Training Program (NFTP) is offering training to candidates aged between 18-40 in three domains mainly Technical, Content Marketing & Advertising and Creative Design; whereas Freelance Training is a compulsion in each of the domains. Expansion of National Incubation Centers (NICs) includes opening of 13 centers nationwide with a target to graduate up to 780 startups and create 3000+ Jobs in three years leading to improvement in the Global Innovation Index of Pakistan and Foreign Direct Investment. 

MOIT&T appreciated the efforts of PITB and KPITB in introducing cutting edge trainings and catalyzing the digital revolution in Pakistan. At the end of ceremony Chief Guest Mr. Ziaullah Bangash presented shields to the dignitaries.

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Bank of Punjab (BoP) becomes market-maker for debt Securities on PSX

This development is in-line with the notification issued by the SECP which allows banks to act as Market Makers for debt securities

KARACHI: An agreement has been signed between Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) and Bank of Punjab (BoP) on Friday at PSX Trading Hall whereby BoP becomes the first bank to be recognised as Market Maker for both conventional and Shariah Compliant debt instruments on PSX.

The agreement was signed between Farrukh H. Khan, MD & CEO, Pakistan Stock Exchange, and Zafar Masud, President & CEO, Bank of Punjab in a gong ceremony to welcome BoP on-board as a Market Maker for debt securities on PSX. Also present at the ceremony was the BoP Group Head of Treasury and FIs, Khawar Ansari, and senior management of both the organizations.

Bank of Punjab, a prominent commercial bank of Pakistan, now becomes a designated Market Maker for debt securities on Pakistan Stock Exchange. This development is in-line with the notification issued by the SECP which allows banks to act as Market Makers for debt securities.

On this occasion, Farrukh Khan, the CEO of PSX, said, “I am very happy to welcome Zafar Masud and BoP to PSX. It is indicative of their commitment to the development of Pakistan’s capital markets that BOP is one of the first banks to become a market maker on PSX. We welcome this development as this will lead to increased growth and dynamism in the debt market, which is crucial for the economic progress of Pakistan”. He further stated, “It is imperative for all stakeholders of our financial ecosystem to take Pakistan’s debt market to regional and international levels and we believe this step will play a significant role towards achieving that end. We are also in discussions with BOP to bring some of their SME clients to list on the new GEM board. This will also be an important development for Pakistan’s economy, the SME sector and PSX”.

The CEO of Bank of Punjab, Zafar Masud, added, “Today marks an important day for us. The Bank of Punjab will be the first bank in Pakistan Market Making for both conventional and Shariah Compliant securities as well as corporate debt instruments at the PSX portal. This makes us the first public sector bank offering a bouquet of services in collaboration with PSX”. He further stated, “We see our role expanding beyond a Market Maker for Debt Securities. Through this agreement, we are committing to becoming a leading player in development of capital markets in Pakistan by enabling greater investor participation and enabling listing of more debt, equity and non-conventional instruments at PSX”.

Speaking about his vision for future cooperation with PSX, he said, “I believe we can partner with PSX in promoting privatisation and listing of public sector projects for example Punjab Thermal Power and Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power through the Stock Exchange. Moreover, we plan to design instruments to bring projects like Kamyab Jawan Program, SME financing project and low cost housing scheme to PSX platform”.

The BOP CEO emphasised the role of Bank of Punjab in the capital market and economy of Pakistan, stating, “The Bank of Punjab is one of the largest commercial banks in Pakistan serving through a network of 624 branches. Today, BOP stands as one of the biggest banks managing assets in excess of Rs 1.0 trillion and Capital Adequacy Ratio of 17.18%.

The bank is one of the most active and largest “socially responsible” banks, contributing to economic development and social uplifting through various programs. During last one year alone, the Bank of Punjab has emerged as the most active participant in various social protection and economic uplift programs. The bank is leading the efforts to provide financing under SBP COVID-19 schemes, promotion of housing finance in Pakistan, SME sector development and promotion of entrepreneurship through Kamyab Jawan Program.

The bank aims to becoming one of the most active players in the Pakistani capital markets. State Bank of Pakistan recently awarded BOP the status of Primary Dealer of GoP Debt Securities. The bank is also an authorised dealer of GoP Shariah Compliant securities.

With the signing of this agreement, Bank of Punjab will be able to perform market making activities for various debt instruments such as Government Debt Securities.  Market Makers perform the crucial role of providing liquidity and depth to the market by facilitating investors to buy & sell securities through continuously quoting two way prices, i.e. bid and offer prices.

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State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) launches consultation on Banking on Equality Policy – an initiative to increase financial inclusion of women in the country

State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) launches consultation on Banking on Equality Policy – an initiative to increase financial inclusion of women in the country

In order to address one of the key challenges hindering economic growth of Pakistan to its full potential, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has launched a national dialogue on its forthcoming policy to reduce the gender gap in financial inclusion. Dr. Reza Baqir, Governor SBP hosted a webinar titled “Launch of Consultation on Banking on Equality policy: Reducing the Gender Gap in Financial Inclusion” on Monday, December 21, 2020. The webinar featured an exclusive panel discussion around women’s financial inclusion with international thought leaders in the area of gender and finance including Princess Zahra Aga Khan, Director Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN); Ms. Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, Director of Strategy, Policy and Review Department, IMF; and Dr. Reza Baqir Governor, SBP. Dr. Anita Zaidi, President of Gender Equality at Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation moderated the discussion. Deputy Governor SBP, Ms Sima Kamil made a presentation on the state of women’s financial inclusion in the economy and shared the features of the Banking on Equality policy. The webinar was attended by diverse local and international stakeholders representing public offices, international agencies, banks and associations. In addition, nearly 1,000 people also watched the webinar live through social media platforms.        

Governor SBP, Dr. Reza Baqir, in his opening remarks said that improved gender parity in financial and economic opportunities can enhance overall socio-economic development outcomes of a nation, for not just the present but future generations. He noted that the event had three key goals. The first objective was to bring attention to the shared goal of reducing the gender gap in women’s financial inclusion. The second goal was to share the content of the Banking on Equality policy that was being launched for consultation. Finally, the third goal was to get feedback from stakeholders on the policy itself. He welcomed the feedback that was provided by the international participants and others that would be provided over the course of next several weeks. He noted that central banks in developing and emerging markets, where there are often market failures, have an important role to play in ensuring that important sections of the society don’t get left out from benefitting from the financial system through access to saving, borrowing, insurance and other financial products. He said that the SBP looked forward to working with other domestic and international partners to further the cause of improving women’s financial inclusion. In this context he also appreciated the support being provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for helping advance SBP’s agenda on promoting financial inclusion in Pakistan. 

In her presentation Deputy Governor SBP, Ms. Sima Kamil, noted that the gender gap in financial inclusion is rising. She noted that only 11.7 million, or 18% of the adult women, have active bank accounts compared to 51% for men. Deputy Governor Kamil unveiled five key pillars of the Banking on Equality policy under which actions are targeted towards improving institutional diversity, product diversification and development capability, customer acquisition and facilitation approaches towards women segments, gender disaggregated data collection, and prioritizing gender focus in SBP’s policies. The policy recommendations will be applicable on all banks, microfinance banks, DFIs and EMIs.

During the panel discussion, Princess Zahra Aga Khan, Director AKDN, shared her views on how to make headways in the gender diversity landscape, and also shared her experience on what steps can make a difference. Ms Ceyla Pazarbasioglu, Director IMF, gave her valuable thoughts on the importance of gender diversity in financial service providers that can improve overall women’s financial inclusion in a country. She also shed light on key demand and supply-side barriers that globally exist for women’s low financial inclusion.

Now, as the consultation process has commenced, SBP will conduct series of focused stakeholders’ consultation sessions with commercial banks, microfinance banks, women working in FIs, prominent female thought leaders, women chambers, women entrepreneurs and housewives to get more feedback. Based on the broader feedback, the policy will be further enriched. After the feedback is complete, the policy is expected to be launched in early February 2021. The draft policy is available here.

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