MMBL-led Banking Syndicate raises PKR 2 Billion in TIER-II Capital Term Finance Certificates

MMBL-led Banking Syndicate raises PKR 2 Billion in TIER-II Capital Term Finance Certificates

Islamabad: Pakistan’s largest digital bank, Mobilink Microfinance Bank Limited (MMBL), and its Agent Bank for the transaction JS Bank Limited (JS Bank), one of Pakistan’s fastest-growing financial institutions, along with syndicate members, signed an agreement with respect to raising of MMBL’s Tier-II Capital of PKR 2,000,000,000 in the form of Privately Placed/DSLR Listed Term Finance Certificates. The syndicate members include Allied Bank Ltd., Bank Alfalah, Habib Bank Ltd., National Bank of Pakistan, United Bank Ltd., MCB Bank Ltd., Askari Bank Ltd., Pak Kuwait Investment Company, and Pak Oman Investment Company.

Mobilink Microfinance Bank is part of the VEON group, a global digital operator that provides converged connectivity and online services across seven countries. As part of its digital operator strategy, VEON is transforming people’s lives, creating opportunities for greater digital inclusion, and driving economic growth across countries that are home to more than 8% of the world’s population.

The signing ceremony was attended by Ghazanfar Azzam - President & CEO MMBL, Basir Shamsie - President and CEO JS Bank, Sardar Mohammad Abubakr - Chief Finance and Digital Officer MMBL, alongside senior officials from syndicate members.  

Sharing his thoughts, Ghazanfar Azzam, President & CEO MMBL stated: "This collaboration between MMBL and JS Bank for raising PKR 2 billion in TFCs reflects the Bank’s solid footing in the digital banking landscape while demonstrating the unwavering confidence of the syndicate members and our customers in Pakistan’s microfinance sector. The strategic alliance will enable MMBL to broaden the range of financial instruments and explore new avenues to offer innovative digital and financial solutions to SMEs and women entrepreneurs- our key focal areas.”

Commenting on the partnership, Basir Shamsie - President & CEO of JS Bank said, “The successful closure of the transaction is indicative of the trust reposed in us by the market and our partners. We look forward to a mutually beneficial partnership with MMBL, and will continue to play an active role in bolstering financial inclusion in Pakistan.”

Also speaking at the occasion, Sardar Mohammad Abubakr, Chief Finance and Digital Officer MMBL expressed: “The raise of Tier-II Capital is set to play a prominent role in the coming years as MMBL strengthens its capital base, primarily for complying with the Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) requirements and for expanding its ongoing business operations in uplifting untapped segments and marginalized communities especially SMEs and Women Entrepreneurs. The funding raised through JS Bank and syndicate members further strengthens the investor’s confidence in the digital and financial ecosystem of Pakistan for sustainable development.”

MMBL has been providing financial services across the country since 2012, empowering the underserved on the course. The bank has been forging active partnerships with financial institutions to bring unbanked individuals and businesses within the fold of financial inclusion in line with the State Bank of Pakistan’s vision to empower individuals and communities through greater access to digital financial services.

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Emirates and flydubai celebrate five years of partnership

Karachi: This month marks five years since Emirates and flydubai activated their extensive partnership and joined forces to offer customers unrivalled travel options to every corner of the globe. They’ve certainly delivered on their promise. The carriers’ joint route network has significantly expanded, enabling more than 11 million customers to connect on over 250,000 flights and benefit from seamless travel since the partnership launched in 2017.

The innovative partnership goes beyond the standard codesharing model and today includes integrated network collaboration, schedule optimisation, seamless connectivity at Dubai International airport (DXB) between Terminals 2 and 3, baggage transfers on a single itinerary, as well as reciprocal loyalty benefits under the joint loyalty programme, Emirates Skywards.

Here’s five key highlights of Emirates and flydubai’s partnership and the benefits it offers to customers:

Joint network offers unrivalled choice:  Today, customers have access to 215 destinations across 98 countries, with over 250 codeshare flights to choose from on an average day. Emirates customers can book flights to over 80 unique flydubai destinations and flydubai customers can choose from over 99 Emirates destinations. Popular customer favourites, whether travelling for business or leisure include: Kathmandu, Kuwait, the Maldives, and Zanzibar.

Joint loyalty programme maximising customer rewards: More than 8.5 million members have been able to enjoy joint Emirates and flydubai frequent flyer programme benefits, earning 150 billion Skywards Miles in the last five years through the partnership.

Seamless connectivity at DXB: Customers enjoy seamless check-in, efficient baggage transfers, passenger access to Emirates’ lounges at Terminal 3 and the flydubai lounge at Terminal 2, reduced connection times as both airlines expand their flight schedules, and convenient connections to 33 flydubai destinations operated from Emirates Terminal 3 in DXB.

Continued network growth: New travel opportunities are being created for the 270,000 passengers who connect between both airlines each month as Emirates and flydubai continue to add more flights to their schedules. This offers customers more flexibility with multiple daily flight departures to destinations like Bahrain, Kuwait, Karachi, the Maldives, key cities in Saudi Arabia and Tel Aviv. Both airlines also continue to expand their networks, with Emirates recently reinstating flights to Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires. In 2022, flydubai’s network has grown bigger than ever, launching flights to Al Ula, Namangan, Osh, Pisa and Samarkand, to name a few. flydubai has also announced services to Gan in the Maldives, Cagliari and Milan-Bergamo in Italy, Corfu in Greece and Krabi and Pattaya in Thailand from 2023 as well as the resumption of flights to Abha, Ha’il, Hofuf and Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.

Continued investment in enhancing the customer experience: Emirates will retrofit 120 aircraft with Premium Economy seats starting this month as part of a $2 billion investment which also includes elevated dining options and more sustainable choices. flydubai has debuted a new Business Class recliner seat offering customers more comfort on its short and medium haul flights. flydubai has grown its fleet to 70 Boeing 737 aircraft and will retrofit a number of its existing aircraft, as well as equip its future aircraft, with its new Business Class seats.

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ضلع اپر چترال کی تزئین و آرائش پر مونسپل انتظامیہ نے کام کا آغاز کردیا

 ضلع اپر چترال کی تزئین و آرائش پر مونسپل انتظامیہ نے کام کا آغاز کردیا

ضلع اپر چترال (گل حماد فاروقی) ضلع اپر چترال کے ضلعی ہیڈ کوارٹرز بونی میں تحصیل میونسپل انتظامیہ نے  بونی بازار  کو صاف ستھرا رکھنے کیلئے ڈسبن رکھنے کے ساتھ ساتھ قصاب حانہ اور سٹریٹ لائٹ کا بھی افتتاح کروایا جس سے نہ صرف یہاں کے لوگوں کو سہولت میسر ہوگی بلکہ اس نو مولود ضلع کی خوبصورتی میں بھی اضافہ ہوگا۔ نومولود ضلع اپر چترال کے ضلعی ہیڈ کوارٹرز بونی میں تحصیل میونسپل انتظامیہ یعنی TMA نے بیوٹیفیکیشن پر کام شروع کروایا۔ تحصیل میونسپل آفیسر  مصباح الدین نے TMO کا چارج لیتے ہی  بونی بازار میں Dusbin (ڈسبین) رکھوائے تاکہ  لوگ کوڑا کرکٹ اس میں ڈالے اور بونی شہر صاف ستھرا رہے۔ انہوں نے بونی میں نیا قصاب حانہ  کھولنے کے ساتھ ساتھ  بازار میں سٹریٹ لائٹ بھی لگائے۔ تاکہ شہریوں اور دکانداروں کو مشکلات کا سامنا نہ ہو۔ اس موقع پر تحصیل مستوج کے چئیرمین سردار حکیم مہمان حصوصی تھے  جنہوں نے فیتہ کاٹ کر ان منصوبوں کا افتتاح کیا۔ان منصوبوں سے نہ صرف یہاں کے دکانداروں اور عوام کو سہولت ہوگی  بلکہ اس سے اس دور آفتادہ ضلع  کی سیاحت بھی فروغ پائے گی۔

بونی بازار کے تاجر یونین کے صدر محمد شفیع اور جنرل سیکرٹری محمد ذاکر زحمی نے بھی ٹیم ایم اے کے ان کاموں کو سراہتے ہوئے صوبائی حکومت سے مطالبہ بھی کیا کہ ضلع اپر چترال جیسے نومولود ضلع کو ان کی ضرورت کی مطابق فنڈ فراہم کیا جائے تاکہ یہاں ترقیاتی کاموں میں رکاوٹ نہ آئے۔انہوں نے کہا کہ اس سے پہلے یہاں کے قصاب  گلی کوچوں میں جانور ذبح کرتے تھے جن کی آلائیشوں کیلئے آوارہ کتے  جمع ہوتے اور بعض اوقات وہ لوگوں پر حملہ بھی کرتے تھے اس سے یہاں کا ماحول نہایت گندہ تھا اب چونکہ نیا قصاب حانہ بازار سے باہر دریا کے کنارے کھل گیا امید ہے کہ اس سے بونی بازار کا ماحول صاف ستھرا رہے گا۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ بونی  بازار میں سٹریٹ لائٹ نہ ہونے کی وجہ سے چوری چکاری کا بھی حطرہ تھا اور دکانداروں کے ساتھ ساتھ عوام کو بھی راہ چلتے کافی مشکلات کا سامنا تھا اب سٹریٹ لائٹ لگنے سے ان مشکلات میں کمی آئے گی۔ تاجر یونین کے صدر محمد شفیع اور جنرل سیکرٹری محمد ذاکر زحمی نے اس موقع پر صوبائی سیکرٹری محکمہ بلدیات سید ظہیر الاسلام عباسی کا شکریہ ادا کیا کہ انہوں نے مصباح الدین کو یہاں ٹرانسفر کیا جو نہایت ایماندار اور محنتی تحصیل میونسپل آفیسر ہے۔صدر تاجر یونین نے صوبائی حکومت اور وزیر اعلےٰ سے مطالبہ کیا کہ ابھی تک کوئی صوبائی وزیر نے اس ضلع کا دورہ نہیں کیا تو کم از کم صوبائی وزرا کو یہاں آکر عوام کی مسائل سن کر ان کو حل کرنے کی کوشش کرنا چاہئے انہوں نے یہ بھی مطالبہ کیا کہ اس ضلع کے اندر تمام اداروں کو  فنڈ فراہم کیا جائے تاکہ  تعمیر و ترقی کے کام جاری  رہ سکے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ ٹی ایم اے  بونی اپنے بساط کے مطابق تو کام کرتا ہے مگر جب تک ان کو صوبائی حکومت کی جانب سے فنڈ فراہم نہ کی جائے تو ان کیلئے بھی ان کاموں کو جاری رکھنا نہایت مشکل ہوگا۔

اس نئے ضلع میں ان ترقیاتی کاموں پر یہاں کے عوام بھی خوش ہیں۔بونی کے سابق ہوٹل منیجر نورمحمد، سماجی و سیاسی کارکن عبد الطیف اور تاجر  عبد الرزاق نے کہا کہ اس ضلع میں اس قسم کے کاموں سے ایک طرف عوام کو سہولت ہوگی تو دوسری جانب یہاں کی سیاحت بھی فروغ پائے گی کیونکہ ضلع اپر چترال سیاحت کا مرکز ہے۔ یہاں شندور، بروغ، قاقلشٹ کے مقام پر جو  پولو ٹورنمنٹ اور تہوار منائے جاتے  ہیں ان کو دیکھنے کیلئے ہزاروں کی تعداد میں سیاح یہاں آتے ہیں اب یہاں کے شہریوں کے ساتھ ساتھ سیاحوں کو بھی سہولت ہوگی اور اس ضلع میں ان ترقیاتی کاموں سے  سیاحت اور سیاحت سے اس ضلع کو ترقی  ملے گی۔

ضلع اپر چترال کے خواتین نے بھی ان ترقیاتی کاموں پر خوشی کا اظہار کیا۔ رشیدہ بی بی جو  حکمران جماعت کی خواتین ونگ کی ضلعی صدر ہے ان کا کہنا ہے کہ ہم ٹی ایم اے کے ان کاموں کو نہایت سراہتے ہیں  اور یہ عوام کا دیرینہ مطالبہ بھی تھا کہ بونی میں باقاعدہ قصاب خانہ اور سٹریٹ لائٹ  لگایا جائے اب اس سے عوام کی مشکلات میں آسانی ہوگی اور ان کو صاف ستھرا گوشت بھی میسر ہوگی۔

اگرچہ اپر چترال میں تحصیل میونسپل انتظامیہ اپنی بساط کے مطابق ترقیاتی کام کرتی ہیں مگر جب تک ان کو صوبائی حکومت سے فنڈ فراہم نہ کی جائے تو یہ کام بھی ادھورے رہ جائیں گے۔اس دور آفتادہ ضلع کے عوام صوبائی اور وفاقی حکومت سے مطالبہ کرتے ہیں کہ اس نئے ضلع کی تعمیر و ترقی پر  توجہ دیکر  اس کو وافر مقدار میں فنڈ فراہم کرے  تاکہ یہ نومولود ضلع بھی دوسرے اضلاع کی صف میں کھڑا ہوسکے۔

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TCL organized the Biggest Esports Football Gaming Tournament by offering a prize pool of 1.5 Million

Lahore: To promote the spirit of eSports, Pakistan's No.1 LED TV brand, TCL Electronics, brought the biggest Football E-Gaming Event, "TCL Gamers League," to Karachi and Lahore, with a massive prize pool of PKR 1.5 million. The Grand Finale was organized at Packages Mall, Lahore, on November 20, where 24 finalists competed to win fantastic prizes, which included cash prizes and TCL LED TVs. 

TCL Gamers League recorded a massive footfall of more than 10,000 people who attended the thrilling event full of exciting games and many prizes for participants.

 

Regarding the event, TCL marketing Head Mr. Majid Khan Niazi commented, "TCL is delighted to promote esports culture in Pakistan. We look forward to strategically facilitating such initiatives and promoting young talent from all over Pakistan. We aim to carry this trend and make this a yearly affair where young individuals and families can participate and have a great experience."

 

TCL has remained the leading player in the Global Consumer Electronics industry. With a global presence in over 150 countries, the brand is working towards building a prominent place in the Pakistani electronics market by offering high-end technology at affordable prices.

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#Shaheen_Afridi & #Shoaib_Malik join #Babar_Azam & Shadab Khan to debut inside the world's biggest game

 

Lahore: Free Fire has announced Pakistani cricket icons Shaheen Afridi and Shoaib Malik are set to join the stage with Babar Azam and Shadab Khan as the official brand ambassadors for Free Fire in Pakistan. Free Fire is the world’s leading mobile battle royale game with over 1 Billion downloads and has been at the forefront of the esports revolution in Pakistan. 

This is Pakistan's first-ever collaboration with cricket players, who will introduce their own style through cricket bundles inside the world’s most popular battle royale game. Users will have a chance to claim and play with bundles of their cricketing heroes in their favourite game. 

 

Each cricketer worked on their bundle designs and came up with vibrant & unique designs which are bound to attract. This is great news for cricket fans as they will be able to see their favorite cricketers collaborating with the leading mobile game as they introduce their cricket bundles for the first-time ever. 

Shaheen Shah Afridi commented on the occasion, “I'm glad to join my team mate and captain as Free Fire's brand ambassador. This is an incredibly popular game that has helped establish professional esports in Pakistan. I am thrilled to have my bundle feature in their game and will hold on to this memory.”

Free Fire is dedicated to providing players with a variety of fresh and interesting content and unique experiences to keep them engaged.

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BARD Foundation takes the lead to ensure high quality science education in collaboration with Roshni homes trust

 Lahore: BARD Foundation is funding Roshni Homes Trust x Sciencefuse programme, which aims to teach high-quality science education in a creative way to children of Roshni Homes first, then across the 'Golden Triangle' (Sialkot, Gujrat and Gujranwala). Sciencefuse is a social enterprise working to improve the quality of science education among 3- to 14-year-old students. 

This is an after-school program that not only teaches children about science in a dynamic way but also trains the trainers. The program will focus on the training of RHT educators and will broaden its scope to select 20-25 teachers in Gujranwala through community partnerships with various schools and orphanages. 

Talking about the collaboration, Ms. Mehreen Dawood said, “Bard Foundation is delighted to be a vital part of this social enterprise that not only aims to educate the students but also look forward to train the trainers to make students excel in scientific understanding development. We look forward to broaden the horizon of this joint venture with Roshni Homes Trust to instill creativity and ensure advanced science education to students in other cities like Gujrat, Sialkot and Gujranwala. Through this targeted initiative, students will be able to develop critical learning and research skills that will foster their scientific comprehension in practical fields. 

Science instils a sense of intrigue and enables students to develop understanding and form questions based both on the knowledge they already have and the insight they wish to gain in the future. Students who excel in science lessons are likely to develop a strong ability to think critically.

Science stimulates the natural curiosity that drives learners and inspires them to discover the mysteries of the world around them. BARD Foundation comes forward to be the lead support for young children to assist them in their sensory explorations of outer world. Through this initiative we aim to inspire the youth to dream big and achieve even bigger.

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Jazz brings SoulFest’22 to Lahore

Islamabad: Jazz, Pakistan’s number one 4G operator and the largest internet and broadband service provider – and a part of VEON Group, has brought SoulFest’22 to Lahore this weekend. 

After a two-year hiatus from all outdoor festivals due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jazz decided to make it back with a bang by relaunching the iconic SoulFest’22 starting with Lake City in Lahore. This 3-day food and music festival was brought to the people of Lahore through Jazz in collaboration with Activemedia.

JazzCash is the official digital payment partner for SoulFest’22, with all food stalls and ticket counters offering mobile payment solutions. As a special treat and to promote digital payments, JazzCash offers a 40% cashback on all food items and tickets purchased via the JazzCash app. This encourages people to go all out and enjoy the vast variety of delectable food and music at the event.

In addition to the live music, special experience zones are set up for the Tamasha app, Bajao app, and GameNow to give people more avenues of enjoyment at the festival. 

Speaking about this initiative, Head of Marketing at Jazz, Ali Fahd said, “Sharing magical moments with our customers is what drives us to be the leading digital operator of Pakistan. SoulFest’22 is the perfect setting for our youth to enjoy good music and food with friends and family. I would urge the people of Lahore to make the most of their weekend and be a part of this festival.”

“Activemedia is a staunch proponent of creating quality entertainment avenues in Pakistan, and SoulFest’22 is the perfect commemoration of our lives returning to normalcy post-COVID-19. Lahore used to be the hub of music and food, and bustled with lifestyle activities so it was fitting to resume festivities from here. I want to thank the people of Lahore for making this event a huge success while urging our fellow citizens in Karachi and Islamabad to follow suit,” said Saad M Khan from Activemedia.

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Mahi Mahi in Melodious voice of Shafqat Amanat Ali released

 

Vidly.tv released the song “Mahi Mahi” from Sevak: The Confessions, in melodious voice of Shafqat Amanat Ali. The song encapsulates the beauty of the passionate and colourful romance of Punjabi culture. Punjab is home to many inspiring romances of pure love, that touches the soul. 

Naveed Nashad has done a brilliant job in bringing the concept to life with his composition and Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan’s voice simply added magic to the song. It's an ode to romance and will surely make you fall in love! The song is true to the genius of Shafqat Amanat Ali and Naveed Nashad. There is no doubt that this catchy song will be a hit.

“It was important for us to produce a romantic song which not only complimented the situation in the series but was also universally relatable to everyone, considering that romance is a global language, “said Sevak: The Confessions producer, vidly.tv. 

The song is reminiscent of the melodious music of Pakistan and gives us a peak into the soulful romance that is to be found in the web series to be launched on November 26!

You can hear the song on https://youtu.be/oVB3S8puwEg. 

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TECNO MOBILE bagged TOP#1 ranking in mobile units sold in Daraz 11:11 sale

 

Lahore: TECNO has successfully won the race with mind-blowing numbers in the Daraz 11:11 sale. People loved the products offered by TECNO and appreciated the price deductions given during the promotions. This is why up to 70 per cent of TECNO's stock was sold out during the first 24  hours! This feat demonstrates the trust and faith customers have in TECNO as they grab their favorite devices at the first chance. 

TECNO's star models Camon 19 Neo and Camon 18 Premier were selling like hotcakes because of the fantastic deals users were getting on these devices during the 11:11 sale! Overall, it was a very successful promotional event for TECNO since almost all of its models were in high demand, and the stock sold out quickly. 

TECNO prides itself in being the most-selling brand in the price category of 30,000 PKR. This budget segment is the most critical in the Pakistani Market, and TECNO once again showed everyone that it manufactured handsets for all segments of the Market and that its market share in the budget segment dominates its rivals. 

A marvel of engineering for gamers, the POVA NEO was one of the in-demand phones during the exclusive promotions. For power-hungry users, seeing the SPARK 8C with a considerable discount was a joy like none other, and hence it was among the selling phones along with POVA NEO. 

Kelvin Zeng, CEO of TECNO Mobiles Pakistan, says, " TECNO has once again performed amazingly well in the Pakistani Market, and that's because we understand the market really well and provide devices that have the best value for money ". 

As you would have already guessed, TECNO Mobiles has come second in revenue generation from the Daraz 11:11 sale, and it would not have been possible without our dedicated customer base and the hard work of our whole team! 

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FootBall League Tournament Organized in Twin Cities to Promote Young talent

 

Islamabad:- AAA Associates, in its successive initiatives and efforts to promote sports activities for the public and community, keeps providing exciting opportunities like thrilling matches and games.

 

AAA Associates has always inspired and encouraged organizations and communities in conducting sport-related activities across the country. Sports in a variety of ways are an essential part of the core of the business. Every year sportsmen and teams sponsored or owned by AAA Associates participate in multiple sports events. One such event was held last week in which AAA Associates’ football team FC AAA took part.

 

To encourage the local football teams a tournament was held in Total Football Ayub Park, in which the top 12 teams of the twin cities participated. The tournament was divided into various matches among League A and League B teams. The top six teams of the “A” league included FC AAA, Team Eighteen, Troll FC, Red Devils Garrison FC and Smurfs Fc. While top 6 teams of the “B” league were Islamabad Wolves, Croods FC, Smurfs Jr, Jinnah Fc, AL-Hamra FC and FC TK. FC AAA exhibited their top game in the group matches and defeated their opponents Troll FC and AL-Hamra FC with 4-1 and 8-0 goals respectively.

 

Keeping the winning streak FC AAA won the quarterfinals against Jinnah FC by scoring 5 goals while Jinnah FC failed to score any goals. In the semi-finals, FC AAA again emerged victorious by defeating Smurfs FC with 7 goals against 2.

 

The final was fought between the two harsh rivals of the twin cities FC AAA and team Eighteen. Both teams manage to score one goal each during the match timings. The excitement of this nail-biting match extended as the winner had to be decided by penalties. After a thrilling round of penalties, FC AAA defeated team Eighteen by 5 against 4 and lifted the trophy.

 

FC AAA maintained its winning run in the twin cities throughout the tournament and is looking forward to exhibiting its capabilities on even bigger platforms in the coming future.

 

Chairman AAA Associates, Shaikh Fawad Bashir and MD AAA Associates, Lt. Col (R) Shahzad Ali Kiani, communicated their exhilaration and fulfilment in taking actions that restate their commitment to supporting sports. Both of them congratulated the winning team and encouraged all the participating teams for their contribution to the thrill and jubilance of the event and for making it a success, these occasions bring balance and positivity to society.

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Meezan Bank and Pakistan Mortgage Refinance Company (PMRC) Join Hands to Promote Islamic Housing Finance

Karachi: Meezan Bank, Pakistan’s leading Islamic bank and Pakistan Mortgage Refinance Company (PMRC), a Mortgage Liquidity Facility set up by the State Bank of Pakistan,  have recently inked a Master Musharakah agreement to support and promote affordable housing finance in the country. Under this agreement, PMRC will provide five years fixed-rate concessional funds to Meezan Bank,  which will provide much-needed support across the housing value chain. With the acquisition of funds worth PKR five billion, Meezan Bank aims to ultimately improve access to affordable, Shariah-compliant housing finance in Pakistan through better and more affordable rates.

 

The signing ceremony took place at Meezan House, Karachi and was attended by Meezan Bank’s Founding President & CEO – Mr. Irfan Siddiqui, Deputy CEO – Mr. Ariful Islam, Group Head Consumer Finance – Syed Iftikhar ul Haq & Head of Housing Finance – Mr. Masroor Mohsin. PMRC was represented by their Managing Director & CEO – Mr. Mudassir H. Khan, Resident Shariah Board Member – Dr. Mufti Muhammad Yunas Ali, Head of Business – Mr. Muhammad Shahzad Khan & Head Islamic Business – Mr. Hasan Junaid Nasir.

 

Mr. Irfan Siddiqui – Founding President & CEO, Meezan Bank appreciated the initiative taken by PMRC for bringing innovation in Islamic Finance market by floating funds for facilitation of end customers. “This initiative will support Islamic housing finance in the country despite rising KIBOR by making Shariah-compliant housing finance more affordable for the customers. We are pleased to be joining hands with PMRC as they continue to become an important player in the development of long-term housing finance in the country along with the comfort of fixed profit rates.”

 

Mudassir H. Khan - Managing Director & CEO , PMRC while speaking at the occasion said, "It is indeed a milestone for both the institutions as we recognize the importance of mutual coordination between financial institutions for the growth and support of housing sector in the country. We are proud to support the largest Islamic bank in the country and believe that such collaborations will play a key role for promotion and growth of affordable housing in the country.”

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Spotify Brings Pakistan’s First Masterclass for Artists Community in Pakistan

Hosted on November 18th, the first-of-its-kind Masterclass in Pakistan introduced musicians to how Spotify helps them tap into a wider audience base

Karachi: Spotify hosted its first Masterclass in Pakistan, exclusive to artists and labels, with the aim to educate them about Spotify For Artists. The signature educational session shed light on avenues for artist development offered through Spotify where musicians have access to the data, tools, and knowledge that they require to facilitate their journey of raising their profile and finding fans across borders. 

Spotify for Artists is a platform that provides budding musicians with the insights they need to advance their careers by learning where listeners of their music are found. It gives artists and their teams, the tools to build a following that can make anything possible, including top cities/countries listening to you, age and gender of your fans, which playlists you are added to, your top performing tracks, top playlists, your sources of streams, growth of followers, listeners and streams over time and access to new updates, features and information on the dashboard. 

Some prominent names among the artists who attended the Masterclass were Bilal Maqsood, Ali Hamza, Shallum Xavier, Asad Ahmed  and  Zohaib Kazi. The session was also attended by a number of independent and emerging artists, including indie artists, Maria Unera, Taha G, Asteria, and Faraz Haider, accompanied by labels, namely Silent Roar Records, A for Aleph, and EMI Pakistan.

Further emphasizing the importance of the Masterclass, Khan FM, Spotify's Artist & Label Partnerships Manager for Pakistan, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh, said, "We're extremely happy to bring the Spotify For Artists Masterclass to Karachi. These intimate sessions for Artists and Labels allow us to create a bigger and wider creative dialogue with the music community on how to maximize their presence on Spotify and utilize the many tools available only to them. This is the first time Spotify organized a session like this in Karachi in person and our plan is to take these sessions to artists and labels across the country." 

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KSBL Celebrates its 6th Commencement Ceremony

Karachi, Pakistan, Saturday 19th November - The Graduation Ceremony of the MBA, Executive MBA and MS Business Analytics programs of the Karachi School of Business and Leadership (KSBL) was held recently. KSBL celebrated its Commencement Ceremony in the backdrop of 10 Year Celebration for the institution.

 

Mr. Hussain Dawood, Founder & Chairman, KSBL; members of the Board of Governors of KSBL, members of the Board of Trustees, graduates and their parents, and members of the faculty celebrated the momentous occasion.

Mr. Hussain Dawood congratulated the attendees on this defining moment of celebration. He further encouraged the graduates to keep learning and remain humble in their future endeavours.

Recognizing the accomplishments of students and encouraging them to give back to the society, the keynote speaker Dr. Abdul Bari Khan, Founder and CEO of Indus Hospital & Health Network shared his lifelong journey of philanthropy and humanitarianism. 

Mr. Mubashar Hameed, Rector & CEO, KSBL congratulated all the graduates and said  “I share the pride on the accomplishments of our graduating students, your excitement at being a part of this celebration, and your joy at the prospects that lie ahead. Your alma mater is always looking forward to support your ambitions of taking the next step. You are the future of Pakistan, and we are confident that we have prepared you to be shining examples of true leadership.” 

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MMBL partners with GSMA to expand Pakistan’s Digital and Financial Solutions

 

Islamabad: To support the mission of promoting digital inclusion across the nation through innovative financial solutions, Mobilink Microfinance Bank Limited (MMBL), Pakistan’s largest digital bank, is collaborating with GSMA, the global organisation representing mobile operators and the broader mobile ecosystem. Through this partnership, MMBL and GSMA aim to reduce the gender gap in digital financing through MMBL’s flagship program, Women Inspirational Network (WIN), and other Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) initiatives. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will enable both partners to execute joint projects for connectivity and other areas for Information & Communications Technology (ICT) development in Pakistan.

 

Mobilink Microfinance Bank is part of the VEON group, a global digital operator that provides converged connectivity and online services across seven countries. As part of its digital operator strategy, VEON is transforming people’s lives, creating opportunities for greater digital inclusion, and driving economic growth across countries that are home to more than 8% of the world’s population.

 

Sharing his thoughts at the signing ceremony, Ghazanfar Azzam, President & CEO MMBL remarked, “The rapid growth in tele-density across Pakistan has opened great avenues for fostering financial inclusion through feature & smartphones. Through this partnership, we aim to leverage the technological expertise of GSMA for enabling digitally powered innovative solutions for our target segments, specifically women & persons with disabilities, increasing accessibility and affordability of mobile financial services on the way."

 

Also speaking at the occasion, Sardar Mohammad Abubakr, Chief Finance and Digital Officer MMBL said, "Digital and financial literacy are key drivers to promote financial inclusion for all. Underserved, yet integral segments, particularly women, agriculture and SMEs lack access to banking channels due to little awareness and limited resources. Through this initiative, MMBL and GSMA will work in close collaboration to increase digital, and financial literacy, while boosting agri-tech services, through convenient and sustainable access to digital financial products and services."

“We are pleased to support MMBL’s efforts to close usage and gender gaps and address the barriers to inclusion that affect so many,” said Julian Gorman, Head of APAC, GSMA. “We believe connectivity is a human right and giving it to those that are excluded empowers business, society, and local communities – helping them to thrive. We’re looking forward to working together to advance the Digital Pakistan agenda in support of inclusion.”   

Through this partnership, MMBL and GSMA will undertake various digital and technological initiatives to empower the masses in various domains, including agri-tech, Small & Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), and Women Financial Services, enhancing connectivity on the way. With the help of its strategic partners, MMBL is taking concrete steps to close the digital and financial gap by uplifting the unbanked and underbanked segments across the nation.

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#MCB Bank Partners with Telenor for Efficient Fuel Monitoring Solution!

#MCB_Bank Partners with Telenor for Efficient Fuel Monitoring Solution!

MCB Bank has entered into an alliance with Telenor Pakistan for the acquisition of its real-time fuel management and monitoring solution. Under the agreement, 120 units of Telenor's AUXO Genset monitoring solution will be deployed in generators across the network. The proactive monitoring solution will help the Bank manage its operating costs more efficiently while building control. The solution tracks fuel intake, fuel consumption, fuel level, genset off/on timings along with genset running hours.

The agreement was finalized between Mr. Shoaib Mumtaz, President & CEO MCB Bank and Mr. Irfan Wahab Khan, CEO Telenor Pakistan in the presence of senior executives of both organizations.

#MCBBank #Bank4Life #TelenorPakistan

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IFC launches $225 million platform to back startups in emerging economies like Pakistan

 IFC launches $225 million platform to back startups in emerging economies like Pakistan

World Bank-backed International Financial Corporation (IFC) recently launched a $225 million venture capital platform targeting emerging markets like Pakistan.

The platform’s main focus will be early-stage startups in  Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Pakistan, the platform’s main focus area will be startups in the climate, healthcare, education, agriculture, eCommerce, and other sectors.

The platform is also backed by an additional $50 million from the Blended Finance Facility of the International Development Association’s Private Sector Window, which helps de-risk investments in low-income countries.

IFC intends to strengthen the region’s emerging venture capital markets, which have shown early growth promise but confront difficult global economic conditions. IFC will make equity or equity-like investments in tech businesses to help them scale and attract mainstream equity and debt finance.

The platform will also be used by IFC to cooperate with other World Bank Group teams to establish and strengthen venture capital ecosystems through legislative reforms, sector assessments, and other tools. The platform will also prioritize investments in low-income and fragile nations, assisting in the development of a pipeline of viable early-stage enterprises.

Expanding on IFC investments and efforts to establish tech ecosystems in Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Pakistan, such as the IFC Startup Catalyst Program. Twiga Foods, a Kenyan-based digital food distribution platform; TradeDepot, an e-commerce startup connecting international brands with African retailers; and Toters, a major on-demand delivery platform in Lebanon and Iraq, are some of the startups in which IFC has invested.

“Support for entrepreneurship and digital transformation is critical to economic growth, job creation, and resilience,” 

said IFC Managing Director Makhtar Diop. 

“The IFC’s Venture Capital Platform will assist technology companies and entrepreneurs in expanding at a period of capital scarcity by creating scalable investment options and supporting countries’ efforts to build transformative tech ecosystems.” We wish to contribute to the development of indigenous innovative solutions that are not only important to developing countries but can also be sold to the rest of the globe.”

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Pakistan’s debt reaches Rs62.4 trillion after 1Q July-September of FY23

 Alarming news as the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Wednesday reported that Pakistan’s total debt and liabilities spiked to reach Rs62.4 trillion after the first quarter (July-September) of the current fiscal year, i.e. FY2023.

According to the provisional report by the central bank, compared to the same period last year, this year, the total debt and liabilities increased by 23.7%. During the three months of the first quarter of FY23, the debt counter jumped by Rs2.76 trillion to reach Rs62.46 trillion from Rs59.7 trillion.

The central bank, however, did not give the percentage of Pakistan’s total debt and liabilities in terms of the size of the country’s GDP.

The spike in Pakistan’s debt during the period under review is due to the jump in its external debt that jumped to Rs26.5 trillion – an addition of Rs6.8 trillion or 35% compared to last year.

Excluding the IMF loans, the federal government’s external debt increased to Rs18 trillion within one year. There was a net increase of Rs1.3 trillion in external debt, largely caused by the depreciation of the rupee and the country’s efforts to build foreign currency reserves via borrowing.

Pakistan’s total debt, liabilities reach Rs59.7 trillion at the end of FY22

At the end of the last fiscal year, Pakistan’s total debt and liabilities, including internal and external, had reached Rs59.7 trillion.

According to the central bank, at the end of FY22 in June, the total debt and liabilities had increased by Rs 11.9 trillion and reached Rs 59.7 trillion from FY21’s Rs 47.8 trillion – a staggering 25pc year-on-year increase.

Loans from the IMF increased from Rs 1.16 trillion last year to reach Rs 1.4 trillion at the end of FY22, the report had mentioned in its report.

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TECNO Mobile Won “Most Innovative Mobile Phone Manufacturing Brand, Asia” Award at Global Brands Awards 2022

TECNO Mobile won the “Most Innovative Mobile Phone Manufacturing Brand, Asia” award for 2022, and was invited to join the the felicitation ceremony which will be held at the Palm Jumeirah – Waldorf Astoria, Dubai, on 10 December 2022.

November 14, 2022- Recently, TECNO Mobile, the innovative technology brand broke through the competition at the Global Brand Awards hosted by the UK Global Brands Magazine and won "Most Innovative Mobile Phone Manufacturing Brand in Asia" award. As a heavyweight brand trophy of the media industry, this marks TECNO’s success in its global re-branding campaign to build TECNO as an "Innovative Technology Brand" from 2021.

The Global Brand Awards is an annual event held by Global Brands Magazine (GBM), an international publication headquartered in the UK. The Awards aim to recognize and reward companies and titans of the industry for their exceptional performances. TECNO Mobile was evaluated based on innovation, strategic relationships and new business development.

Commenting on TECNO Mobile winning the award, ShivKumar, CEO of GBM said, "This award was given in recognition of the brand's commitment to developing smart, super-intelligent devices. The award recognizes the brand's commitment to technological innovation and constant drive to offer its customers the finest products. We are very proud of TECNO Mobile and all the efforts that they have put in. Their innovative approach has earned them their spot as the Most Innovative Mobile Phone Manufacturing brand in Asia."

TECNO fully demonstrated its precise brand's insight and global vision on the young generation’s demand for "technological value" and "aesthetic value" of technology products as well as the achievements made in constantly exploring the boundary between fashion art and innovative technology. The jury saw a clear path of TECNO brand value from its accurate brand position and its outstanding performance in technology innovation, brand momentum and marketing in the past year. 

 “We are honored to take home this brand trophy at the first anniversary of TECNO's brand refreshment as an innovative technology brand. As TECNO pushes to build a rich product ecology from smart phones to laptops and tablets to smart audio and smart home devices, TECNO strives to provide innovative technologies to enable consumers to build a fashionable and digitally connected lifestyle. “ said Jack Guo, General Manager of TECNO Mobile, “Winning this award is a valuable recognition of our efforts, and we will continue to be committed to unlocking the best contemporary technologies in artistic designs, showcasing its mastery of serving the youth-generation consumers, and inspiring them to never stop pursuing excellence.”

TECNO is an innovative technology brand with operations in over 70 markets globally, revolutionizing consumers’ digital experience in global emerging markets. Industry statistics show that TECNO is quickly developing in target markets with its highly appreciated tech value and aesthetic value through its innovations with smartphone, smart wearables, laptops, and tablets, HiOS system and smart home products. 

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Infinix X Discovery Global Vlog Challenge is now live!

Discovering diverse stories around the world; Infinix X Discovery Global Vlog Challenge is now live!

#DiscoverYourOwnStoryfromZERO is here to inspire smartphone users to showcase the best of their content 

Infinix today announced the launch of the Infinix X Discovery Global Vlog Challenge, which aims to build an ecosystem of mobile videography captured by Infinix users. The campaign aims to inspire users of passion mobile photography thereby expressing it through creative short videos on various social media channels.

With the penetration of smartphones technology users and increased use of mobile based applications, users all around the world are  using short-form videos and vlogs as a way of expressing themselves on social media. Keeping thisneed in mind, Infinix recently announced ZERO 20, featuring an impressive world-first 60MP OIS + EIS based front camera, an excellent Auto-Focus function, and a 108MP high-definition three-lens camera for a cutting-edge photographic experience. Ultra-high resolution paired with OIS lets the user shoot photos and video footage with ultra-realistic clarity at all hours of the day. When it comes to videography, capturing high-quality footage with the OIS and EIS is now easier than ever with the Steady Shot feature. 

Infinix Senior Product Director, Manfred Hong explained the usability of Infinix ZERO 20 camera by: ‘Infinix X Discovery Global Mobile Vlog Challenge will create a community and shared platform for global users to interpret themselves through mobile Videography, share their lives and stories as content creator, and interact with the greater community as well. The strategy effectively delivers the brand philosophy to inspire users to express themselves, document their lives, and explore the intricacies of their cultures.’ 

A True Passion for Content Creation

Sharing a shared passion for exploration, the core values of both Discovery and Infinix are remarkably similar. While the ZERO 20 explores itself using mobile content creation, Discovery leads human exploration in the natural world, showcasing the very best of Mother Nature. Infinix & Discovery will initiate the Global Mobile Vlog Challenge 2022 –‘DiscoverYourOwnStoryfromZERO’ – which will encourage users to pick up their smartphones and explore the world around them. The video taken on smartphones will display stunning content from all around the world as the individual perspective of the user or content creator. 

The Awards will be evaluated by the Infinix expert jury, who will assess the photography entries based on the strength of creativity, quality and professional expertise. In addition, the campaign will introduce six distinct categories including, Exploration, Outdoor Sports, Travel, Fashion, Beauty, and Food. Each category will select the top three submissions and the works of the award-winning content creator will be displayed on Infinix’s global landing page. The final collection of artistic works will display multiple perspectives examining diversity and the beauty of life.  

This exciting campaign is open to multiple platform engagements, including Meta/Facebook, TikTok and Xclub starting from   Nov 2022. All users participating in the campaign are to post the creative content to their respective social media accounts and to tag  @infinixmobile account, with the handles, #DiscoverYourOwnStoryfromZERO and #INFINIX.

Vlogging With Infinix ZERO 20

The newly launched ZERO 20 encapsulates the spirit of the Infinix & Discovery Global Vlog Challenge. Adopting a world-first 60MP OIS Front Camera and crisp 108MP Rear Camera, the ZERO 20 reflects an era when anyone can access the technology needed to become a mobile photographer & vlogger. The ZERO 20 gives users exactly what they need to capture the world around them, and themselves in stunning detail at a moment's notice. 

Showcasing impressive technology packaged in a stylish body, the world-class 60MP front camera, OIS+EIS anti-shake and stability features powerful auto focusing capabilities, and Super Night Selfie Mode, which provides consumers with a sublime selfie and videography experience. 

The powerful front camera is complimented by a robust 108MP rear camera supporting a multi-style creation mode, offering creators more exciting possibilities for content creation. Additionally, the ZERO 20 is powered by MediaTek’s Helio G99 6nm processor offering a silky-smooth shooting experience to content creators that use multiple apps and put their device under a heavy load. 

Committed To The User

According to App Annie’s 2022 Mobile Market Report, the data for 2021 indicates that, for every 10 minutes of mobile device use time, 7 minutes were spent on social media applications such as YouTube and Tiktok. An increase of time spent on photo and video applications demonstrates that social communication is still the dominant type of smartphone use. From this study, it would be a fair conclusion to state that mobile photography and video have become an important way for people to share their lives, express their feelings and interact with others. 

Infinix X Discovery #DiscoverYourOwnStoryfromZERO depicts the ease of use and camera power to record or capture using through a smartphone only.  In order to take part in the Infinix X Discovery Global Vlog Challenge, users can post their creative content onto their social media platforms and use all relevant hashtags as well. If the content reflects the essence of exploration combines with creativity in true meaning then participants can also win the creative most Infinix Discovery IP boxes to continue their journey of content creation further!

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MMBL, U Microfinance Bank sign MoU to offer Housing Finance Solutions for their Employees

 

 

Islamabad – November 17, 2022: Mobilink Microfinance Bank Limited (MMBL), Pakistan’s largest digital bank, and U Microfinance Bank Ltd. (U Bank), Pakistan’s fastest-growing microfinance bank, have entered into a strategic partnership for providing housing finance facility for their employees. 

The MoU was signed between Ghazanfar Azzam, President & CEO - MMBL, and Kabeer Naqvi, President & CEO - U Microfinance Bank, at a ceremony held in Islamabad, in the presence of senior officials from both organizations. Under this partnership, U Bank and MMBL employees can seek housing finance from each other. Eligible employees would have the opportunity to access affordable housing finance of up to PKR 3 Million to purchase a new house, flat, apartment, or plot for construction, as well as to construct a house on a pre-owned plot or add an extension to an existing housing unit. The loan application process has been simplified to facilitate fast-track processing and efficient disbursement of the loaned amount.

 

"Financial inclusion is not merely a customer-facing ambition but rather encompasses any and all people who wish to upgrade their quality of living through economic empowerment", said Ghazanfar Azzam, President & CEO, MMBL. "As an employer of choice, we are vigilant of opportunities to holistically support our greatest asset- people, as much as possible. This partnership with U Bank will help enable our valued human resources with financial security during the uncertain economic conditions of the modern era," remarked Azzam.

 

Also sharing his thoughts, Kabeer Naqvi, President & CEO – U Microfinance Bank said, “Our people are our most valuable asset. We aim to continue to provide services which improve their wellness and living standards. They are at the heart of who we are. We are pleased to collaborate with MMBL to facilitate employees on both sides. This also reaffirms U Bank’s belief that the microfinance industry as a whole can synergize and work in harmony to attain mutual goals.”

 

With influential positions in the market and reputations for exceptional employee culture, both MMBL and U Bank have been at the forefront of several initiatives driven toward the sustainable development of their customers and employees. 

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Huawei's Fiber to the Room (FTTR) Solution Wins Annual Access Innovation Award

Recently, the 24th World Communication Awards (WCA) ceremony was held in London by Total Telecom, an international telecom media company. Huawei's Fiber to the Room (FTTR) solution won the Access Innovation Award.

Huawei's innovative FTTR solution, including FTTR for Home and FTTR for SME (small- and medium-sized enterprises), provides network services with ultra-high bandwidth, ultra-low latency, seamless Wi-Fi roaming, and intelligent Wi-Fi self-management for homes and small- and medium-sized enterprises. To date, 86 provincial operators in China have released commercial packages based on this solution, serving millions of households. The Huawei FTTR solution has also been put into commercial use by more than 20 operators outside China, signifying its widespread approval among global operators and broadband users alike.

Huawei FTTR solution is developed based on a point-to-multipoint (P2MP) all-optical network architecture. Huawei FTTR supports ultra-wide coverage of up to 17 Wi-Fi 6 hotspots in home scenarios, Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 coverage, and seamless Wi-Fi roaming without service interruption. In addition, Huawei FTTR enables concurrent access of 128 smart terminals, laying an all-optical base for smart homes. In SME scenarios, 32 Wi-Fi 6 hotspots can be deployed, building ubiquitous ultra-gigabit networks. Additionally, 300 concurrent connections and power over fiber (PoF) cables are supported, laying a solid foundation for digital transformation of enterprises. With the iMaster NCE intelligent O&M platform and user apps on board, Huawei FTTR implements topology visualization, automatic network management, and quick experience optimization in home and SME scenarios.

Huawei FTTR solution has become the first choice for operators as they look to provide gigabit broadband and networking services. It provides premium and stable ultra-gigabit Wi-Fi networks for users and redefines experiences for digital homes and SMEs, all while helping operators increase the average revenue per user (ARPU). In China, Huawei FTTR solution helped operators in Shandong, Jiangsu, Beijing, and Shanghai win multiple awards at the first "Guanghua Cup" Gigabit Optical Network Application Innovation Competition. Also, China Unicom won the "Leading Connected Smart Home Operator" award at the Broadband World Forum (BBWF) 2022 for its innovative optical broadband solution and services based on the Huawei FTTR.

Looking ahead, Huawei will continue to increase investment in R&D and innovation. By combining technologies and practices, Huawei will continuously improve its FTTR solution capabilities to help operators build premium home broadband and SME networks, improve the digital life experiences of global households, and help SMEs realize digital transformation. With the FTTR solution, Huawei will light up every home & SME by redefining digital experience.

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KE’S “Naya Bill Hara Qadam” Initiative Estimated to Conserve 265 million Liters of Water Annually

KE’S “Naya Bill Hara Qadam” Initiative Estimated to Conserve 265 million Liters of Water Annually

KARACHI: KE has taken another pioneering step within Pakistan’s power sector to address climate change by introducing its new “Hara bill,” an effective, smarter, and environmentally friendlier way of communicating vital billing information with its customers from the month of November.

Climate change is impacting our environment in unimaginable ways, and the need of the hour is to move from ambition to action. KE is tackling today’s challenges in Pakistan’s power sector by revisiting its core processes and identifying opportunities for improvement. We are committed to add cleaner, greener, and efficient energy into our generation mix as we look to the next decade. Innovation and digitization of services is shifting the company towards an increasingly paperless environment. The next opportunity was to integrate this sustainable mindset towards our customer base of over 3.4 million, many of whom are receiving paper bills.

The breakthrough is in the introduction of a new, environmentally friendly bill which immediately inducts KE’s entire customer base as protectors of the environment. A simple move with a big impact preventing over 92 tonnes of paper-based waste entering Karachi’s landfills, preserving over 4200 trees, and over 265 million litres of water on an annual basis. At a time when the world prepares for COP27 and reevaluates its alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this new bill provides an opportunity for responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), takes urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts (SDG 13), and protects terrestrial ecosystems (SDG 15). 

Speaking on this initiative, CEO Moonis Alvi remarked, “Our new green bill perfectly embodies KE’s ethos and philosophy on sustainability and represents an extensive design and process evaluation effort. This bill is a concrete and immediate step to conserve existing resources and lower our carbon footprint. In parallel, our future plans are geared towards achieving 30 by 30 – 30% renewable generation by the year 2030.”

Paper production is one of the world’s top industrial processes and globally consumes precious natural resources. This qadam reduces KE’s footprint and sets the precedent for industry players to follow. 

Today’s actions are securing our tomorrow, and KE is committed to leading this change from the front.

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#TECNO Mobile X BTW showcases its Camon 19 Pro Mondrian Art Inspired Winter Collection in stores

 

Lahore: TECNO Mobile has always had something new in store for its fashion-forward audience and has found exciting ways to promote and connect with its users. TECNO recently collaborated with Fashion Brand, BTW, with the theme of Mondrian Art. This collaboration's primary source of inspiration was the Camon 19 Pro Mondrian Edition, the epitome of the fusion between style and technology. This collection has recently gone live in BTW stores and is now the talk of the town! BTW has stores all over the country. 

You can find outfits from this collaboration in BTW stores like BTW Lyallpur Galleria FSD, BTW Northwalk Karachi, BTW Giga Mall Islamabad, and BTW Packages Mall Lahore. BTW's designer, Hamza Vaince, said, “This collaboration with TECNO and BTW has bridged the gap between Technology and Fashion. The Camon 19 Pro Mondrian edition is a fashionable device that can be paired amazingly with outfits from BTW to make style statements. Both the Brands represent the ideology of pushing the boundaries for our customer base!" 

The hype around this collaboration was high. The Hashtag #ColorChangingMobile, which refers to the 19 Pro Mondrian Edition, was trending on Tiktok and other Social Media platforms. Fashion Models like Areeka Haq, Minahil Malik, and Haris Ali paired their 19 Pro Mondrian edition handsets with chic outfits to further showcase how fashion-forward TECNO is as a brand. 

TECNO Camon 19 Pro Mondrian edition has broken the possibilities of how fashionable a phone could be. With the slimmest bezels and an actual color-changing back, the 19 Pro Mondrian is in a league of its own! This is why fans are so excited about trying out the new winter collection inspired by the Mondrian Edition and pairing them up with their devices. 

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Alfter Twitter , Meta also planning massive layoffs: report

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP): Facebook-parent Meta will become the latest tech firm to scale back its workforce, with plans to lay off thousands of employees this week, US media reported Sunday.

The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that the layoffs could impact "many thousands" of Meta employees and that an announcement was expected as soon as Wednesday.

As of September 30, Meta had about 87,000 employees worldwide across its different platforms, which include social media sites Facebook and Instagram as well as messaging platform Whatsapp.

In his announcement of Meta's disappointing third-quarter results, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the firm's staff would not increase by the end of 2023 and might decrease slightly.

The latest plans from Meta follow recent announcements by other tech firms to freeze hiring or cut their workforce as the industry fights economic headwinds.

Last Thursday, Silicon Valley firms Stripe and Lyft announced large-scale layoffs while Amazon said it would freeze hiring in its corporate offices.

Twitter, freshly acquired by Elon Musk, abruptly fired about half of its 7,500 employees last week.

Ad-supported platforms such as Facebook and Alphabet's Google are suffering from advertisers' budget cuts as they struggle with inflation and rising interest rates.

Meta in the third quarter saw its profits fall to $4.4 billion, a 52% decrease year-over-year.

Meta's stock price took a major hit on the disappointing results, falling 25% in one day.

The company's market value over the past year is down to $600 billion.

In addition to its ad-supported business woes, investors have been worried about Zuckerberg's decision to devote major funds to developing the metaverse.

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“Fly Jinnah” appoints Chief Executives Officer

Karachi: Fly Jinnah, Pakistan’s new low-cost carrier, and a joint venture company between Lakson Group and Air Arabia Group, announces the appointment of Mr. Syed Armaan Yehia as Chief Executive Officer.

 

Mr. Yehia brings over 28 years of aviation experience and has held senior positions with two airlines in Pakistan, starting as Director of Marketing of Aero Asia International, where he was also a founding team member, driving the airline’s growthprior to joining Airblue in 2004 where he served as Director of Commercial Operations and responsible for developing the airline’s commercial activities for almost two decades.Built on the knowledge and experience gained from previous roles, he will work closely with all stakeholders toensure the company achieve growth and enduring value to its customers and shareholders. 

‘Fly Jinnah’ launched its commercial operations on November 1st, 2022 and currently operates domestic flights across five destinations in Pakistan including, Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta. The airline operates a modern fleet that consists of three Airbus A320 aircraft and serving the Pakistani market with domestic destinations for the first year then it will expand its route network internationally.

Lakson Group and Air Arabia Group announced their decision to form a JV airline in Pakistan in September 2021. ‘Fly Jinnah’ follows Air Arabia’s low-cost business model and provide its customer base with a reliable operation and value-driven product starting from the aircraft which is configured with 174 seats providing added comfort with one of the most generous seat-pitch of any economy cabin. The aircraft is also equipped with “SkyTime”, a free in-flight streaming service that allows passengers to stream a wide selection of entertainment directly to their devices. Customers can also enjoy a variety of snacks, sandwiches, hot meals, and beverages from its on-board “SkyCafe” menu at affordable prices.

For more information, follow Fly Jinnah on social media:

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Huawei Pakistan Offers Solutions For Cyber Security Threats and User Data Protection

LAHORE :- Huawei Pakistan has joined hands with EZY Technologies and Infotech to hold the IT Day Lahore showcasing IT technology solutions jointly. Mr. Inayatullah Lak Secretary of Punjab Assembly attended this event. At the event, officials, executives and experts postulated that keeping up with IT infrastructure advancements is the only solution to address today's ever-challenging business requirements. Ransomware has become a major Global cyber threat, proactive approach to adapting the latest technology solutions by IT service providers is the need of the hour in all public and commercial sectors. 

 

Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts or steals data and renders computers or specific files unusable or unreadable, and then demands a ransom to recover or decrypt the related components. With ransomware attacks spiking in recent years, this malware is evolving to become stealthier, faster, and more impactful, often evading common antivirus software. Such attacks are now a major cyber trend on the network threat list. Global Ransomware damages reached US$20 billion in 2021 — 57 times more than 2015. 

 

Mr. Babar Haq, the CTO of Huawei Middle East, stated that; "Data is the new “Crude” Oil which needs to be structured to be utilized in the Real-Time and Big Data Applications". He further emphasized the need to Build Data-Centric Secure Storage foundations for the requirements of diverse applications while keeping comprehensive protection against Ransomware Attacks.

 

On this occasion, Mr. Eric Zong, Director Huawei Partner Development stated, “With today’s event Huawei intends to jointly build an IT elites circle in Punjab with vitality and sustainability. I’d like to appreciate our distributors EZY Technologies for organizing today’s event and maintaining a strong regional team besides Huawei to enhance business development’. 

Mr. Malik Shoaib, Director of Cloud and Storage Solutions from Huawei emphasized the need for Cyber resilience and data protection in modern times where Ransomware attacks are constantly growing he stated “Ransomware attack is the biggest cyber security concern of every organization and it has led to the financial and data loss of many companies. Huawei in partnership with Commvault presents an End to End Ransomware Protection using key solution technologies offering comprehensive protection, end to end data encryption, accurate detection and rapid recovery.” 

Appreciating the ownership and the commitment of Huawei as an OEM, Mr. Ali Mehdi RSM Central Region InfoTech added, "Infotech is pleased to join Huawei in its journey to digital transformation. It is the key to Data management, security and cyber resilience solutions deployment in Pakistan. ”

Underpinned by connectivity, digital skills, and digital platforms, the transformation of the digitization and enablement of information technology is gathering momentum in Pakistan. Propelled by the many facets of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Pakistan’s industry is riding high tide in technology advancements. To cope up, Huawei introduced its state-of-the-art Ransomware and Cloud Solutions which may help innovative the IT services industry. It will further enable the vision of achieving multi-billion dollar IT service industry target set by Pakistan Government.

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Tetra Pak donates PKR 22 million to PRCS for flood victims

 

Sardar Shahid Ahmed Laghari says Red Crescent is grateful for the generous relief support from Tetra Pak Pakistan, which will help us in mobilizing thousands of people to safety and providing them with critical relief and much-needed assistance.

 

Mr. Misbah Burney says that Tetra Pak believes in serving its part by supporting a major humanitarian actor such as the PRCS that has been actively involved in driving relief efforts across the country with great financial diligence and use of local capacity

Islamabad: Tetra Pak Pakistan has also stepped forward to donate a generous sum of PKR 22 million to support the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in response to their emergency appeal to maximize flood relief efforts across the country to tackle the alarming situation. The donation cheque was presented by Mr. Misbah Burney, Finance Director of Tetra Pak Pakistan, to Chairman Pakistan Red Crescent Society, Mr. Sardar Shahid Ahmed Laghari at PRCS National Headquarters in Islamabad here on Wednesday.  

During this engagement, both representatives discussed in detail regarding current challenges faced by the flood victims and the need for all stakeholders to work together and expand the scope of relief efforts. 

Misbah Burney recognized this relief assistance as a firm commitment from Tetra Pak to help protect the communities it operates in. He said, “The massive havoc and wreckage caused by these floods have shattered these communities, driving millions out of their homes and into the open to face danger and disease like never witnessed before. For an efficient capacity building of relief efforts, we believe in serving our part by supporting a major humanitarian actor such as the Pakistan Red Crescent which has been actively involved in driving relief efforts across the country with great financial diligence and use of local capacity.” 

Chairman PRCS, Sardar Shahid Ahmed Laghari, said, “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of so many lives, and the misery and hardship these floods have brought to people across Pakistan who are now trying to seek safety and shelter to protect their families. Red Crescent relief operation is ongoing in the flood-affected areas and our relief teams are on the ground and working round the clock, providing relief and rescue services to the distressed people”. 

 

He said PRCS is grateful for the generous relief support from Tetra Pak Pakistan which will help us in mobilizing thousands of people to safety and providing them with critical relief and much-needed assistance. 

 

The assistance immediately required by flood victims is life saving, however, the impact of this flooding will be long-term. The significant loss to the livestock and agriculture sector will not only impact the livelihoods of those affected by it but also the food security situation of the country in the medium and long term. There is a dire need for all stakeholders to work together and adopt smart solutions. 

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Huawei built a driverless, zero-carbon “vehicle-cloud synergy”horizontal transportation solution for Ports

 

Pakistan:- Huawei and Tianjin Port have jointly collaborated on a driverless, zero-carbon "vehicle-cloud synergy" horizontal transportation solution. Huawei built an intelligent horizontal transport system at the terminal of Section C in the Beijiang Port Area of Tianjin Port. The project has achieved Level 4 autonomous driving, enabling 76 Intelligent Guided Vehicles (IGVs) in a fleet to collaborate efficiently.Huawei used cloud-based centralized dispatching to increase port-wide efficiency.

As hubs of global supply chains, ports play a critical role in promoting international trade. Traditional ports rely on humans to operate container cranes working underharsh working environments, are labor intensive andsuffer fromworkforce shortages. These challenges hinder the rapid development of global sea transportation. Therefore, port automation and intelligent reconstruction have emerged asthe industry's overarching goals.

 

Ports worldwideare going through a process of automation driven by the latest technologies like 5G, Cloud, and AI. A typical port deals with vessel arrivals and departures, shore-side operations, horizontal transport, yard operations, manual tractor-trailer transport, and gate operations. One of the key steps in port digitalization is automating horizontal transport that handles cargo within the port. Currently, conventional horizontal transport faces three major challenges: harsh working environments, safety risks due to driver fatigue, and inefficient manual dispatching.

 

Huawei's intelligent horizontal transport system has five key advantages. First, it offers global path planning. Huawei has designed a global path planning algorithm based on vehicle kinematics,which ensures that individual vehicles stay on their path. The algorithm enables multiple IGVs to make turns smoothly, whether traveling in one or both directions. This is the key to safe and efficient multi-vehicle cooperation. The solution also features dynamic short path planning on the cloud, responding to many terminal operations and adjusting tasks in realtime.

 

The second advantage is its high-precision positioning. Huawei uses BeiDou, 5G, HD maps, and roadside sensing assistance to assure high-precision lane-level positioning. As a result, 90% of quay cranes successfully align on the first try, significantly improving operational efficiency.

 

Third, Huawei developed the MDC intelligent driving platform. The upgraded Huawei MDC offers automotive-grade assurance, including ultimate computing power and long service life. It also simplifies O&M by providing standardized hardware.

 

The fourth advantage is core system integration. In addition to core service systems such as TOS, Huawei's intelligent horizontal transport system can quickly interconnect with other peripheral service systems.With Huawei's intelligent charging dispatching algorithm, IGVs are charged at the best possible time, preventing interruptions to fleet services.Using Huawei's intelligent intersection dispatching algorithm, ports can preset intersection traffic policies to ensure proper access by manual tractor-trailers and autonomous trucks.

 

The fifth advantage is cloud-vehicle decoupling. Huawei decouples the cloud from vehicles through an open ecosystem. As a result, the solution can support a wide range of intelligent driving vehicle models, making it more cost-effective and easier to promote.

 

In the eventof anIGV fault, an operator can remotely take over operations. The service takeover rate for a regular autonomous driving solution is about 5% to 6%. For Huawei's solution, it's less than 0.1%, ensuring safer operations.

 

IGVs rely on 5G networks. Huawei performs dynamic short-path planning to ensure that IGV paths never cross each other.This prevents collisions even if the network is abruptly disconnected.

 

Intelligent, horizontal transport must meet three conditions.More than five operation lines must function simultaneously to support large vessels, while the system should be able to also manage large-scale fleets. Furthermore, it must support dispatching in complex port scenarios. Section C terminal in the Beijiang Port Area of Tianjin Port is the first smart terminal of its kind to deploy an intelligent horizontal transport system that performs large-scale, normalized operations.

 

To learn more about the "vehicle-cloud synergy" horizontal transportation solution Huawei built at the Tianjin Port, please click on the following link to view the video:

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Ufone 4G offers convenient mobile top-up facility on 10,000 OPay Smart POS machines countrywide

Islamabad : Pakistani mobile company, Ufone 4G is set to transform its customers’ user experience through provision of convenient mobile top-up facility on 10,000 OPay Point-of-Sale (POS) machines. Ufone 4G customers will be able to access these machines at petrol stations, convenient stores, pharmacies, shopping malls and other public places countrywide to recharge their mobile phones with greater ease and accessibility.

OPay is a fast-growing mobile payment Fintech Company that offers advance payment facilitates including contemporary mobile top-up solutions.  Deploying Ufone’s Top-up on OPay’s current active footprint of 10,000 POS machines will enable consumers with a secure and user-friendly method to process top-up payments at frequently visited public places. Additionally, top-ups can be purchased from OPay’s POS-merchants and will be printed on the bill invoice to verify transaction.

Commenting on the collaboration, Shahbaz Khan, Head of Product Portfolio Management (Wireless), Ufone, said, “Ufone 4G establishes synergies within telecom and Fintech industries to usher in greater ease and enablement to its customers. Our partnership with OPay will expand our service footprint to 10,000 additional points of sale. Enhanced accessibility is one of the key focus areas for Ufone in its continued quest to improve its services quality to provide a superior user experience to its customers.”

OPay Pakistan's Vice President, Zeb Khan said, “This alliance with Ufone means increased customer engagement and traffic, resulting in spike in revenue of merchants’ business. I am very excited to bring to the table an innovative offering to Pakistani consumers as the accessibility of topping-up at anytime and anywhere will provide an experience of unmatched convenience, which is the aim of OPay as a company” 

The nationwide network of POS machines will be secure, simple and modern for mobile top-ups to further Ufone 4G’s long-term commitment to improve the user experience of its customers. Ends

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