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foodpanda and Total PARCO Pakistan Ltd.  collaborate for seamless online shopping

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir)

foodpanda recently signed an agreement with Total PARCO Pakistan Ltd.  to onboard their ‘Welcome’ Convenience Stores nationwide on foodpanda Shops. The signing ceremony for the partnership which was recently held in Lahore was attended by Muntaqa Peracha, CEO of foodpanda, and Mr. Asif Iqbal CEO & Country Head of Total PARCO Pakistan Ltd. along with other senior representatives of both organizations.

Commenting on the partnership, Muntaqa Peracha, CEO of foodpanda said, “We are excited to partner with Total PARCO Pakistan Ltd.  and bring a seamless shopping experience to our customers. This partnership will not only enhance the convenience of our customers but also provide Total PARCO Pakistan Ltd.  with a new channel to reach a wider audience.”

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)

Visa (NYSE: V), a world leader in digital payments, today announced the launch of Subscription Manager, a new, all-in-one service for financial institutions to provide Visa cardholders with a simple, convenient way to track their subscriptions, all from the palm of their hands. The global subscription market is on a steady rise, expected to reach a staggering $406B by 2025 . As the trend of consumers subscribing to services in sectors such as retail, food and more increases, so does the challenge of managing their payments. Visa’s new Subscription Manager streamlines key aspects of recurring payments in one place, allowing cardholders to see where their card details are stored, view which recurring payments are attributed to their card, and stop recurring payments. “Navigating through each platform’s unique terms can potentially lead to unnoticed charges, even after a subscription is cancelled,” said Leila Serhan, Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for North Africa, Levant and Pakistan region. “Our goal is to make this process simpler and ensure cardholders know exactly where their money is going, and when.” As consumer expectations for seamless, secure digital payments grow, it’s crucial for issuers to keep pace. A forthcoming Visa report supports this trend, revealing that 63% of surveyed consumers are comfortable with a future that relies entirely on digital money . The rapid introduction of new digital financial tools and services is propelling this shift, with consumers increasingly turning to apps and mobile wallets to manage their finances. The same report also found that over half of the consumers surveyed have adopted the use of mobile wallets in just the past year . Subscription Manager is the newest addition to Visa’s Digital Enablement product suite, a comprehensive set of tools and flexible solutions aimed to help issuers offer better digital experiences for their cardholders. The new solution supports Visa’s ongoing efforts to increase transparency and control in the subscription economy, building on initiatives such as its 2020 mandate that requires merchants to obtain cardholder consent after free trials or introductory promotions before initiating billing. Subscription Manager is currently available in Pakistan. For more information on this, as well as Visa’s issuing solutions and other value-added services for businesses, please visit the Visa Developer Center. 

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)

Bank Alfalah, one of the leading commercial and digital banks, proudly announces the launch of Pakistan’s First Digital Agriculture Financing product, an initiative aimed at empowering small-scale farmers and entrepreneurs in the country’s Agriculture sector. This innovative product allows customers to avail dairy and equipment financing through a seamless digital process, marking a significant milestone in Pakistan’s financial landscape.

Digital Agriculture Finance is part of the Bank’s commitment to revive economic growth and foster financial inclusion in Pakistan. The launch of this product comes as part of the Revive and Rise initiative, which aims to provide potential farming citizens with access to subsidised financing, at a rate of 2%, enabling them to establish sustainable income streams and contribute to the nation’s economic development.

The First Digital Agriculture Financing product has crossed over PKR 100 million in total disbursement, demonstrating the immediate impact and demand for instantly accessible financing in the Agriculture sector within three months. The beneficiaries of this initiative include individuals from various distantly scaled areas, especially flood-affected areas of Sindh, representing both genders and diverse segments of the Agricultural community.

Pakistan’s First Digital Agriculture Financing product has already made significant strides in empowering rural communities, particularly in the dairy sector, surpassing disbursement of over PKR 100 million, the financing has facilitated the procurement of animals, with a remarkable 333 animals acquired so far. Female participation in this endeavour is significant, accounting for 24% of the total customers. As all proceeds have been dedicated to ‘Dairy Financing,’ it showcases the focused effort to uplift small-scale farmers in Pakistan and encourage sustainable Agricultural practices.

Through the Bank’s digital app ‘Alfa’, customers can select from a range of financing options tailored to their specific needs. These options include equipment financing for essential tools such as fodder cutters, milk chillers, milking machines, and dairy and input financing. Applicants have the flexibility to choose the type and quantity of animals they require financing for, along with the desired loan amount. This is followed by a real-time credit assessment and digital acceptance of the agreement with instant confirmation of disbursement. The paperless process leads to customer convenience and instant gratification.

Speaking on the occasion, Muhammad Yahya Khan, Chief Digital Officer, Bank Alfalah said, “The introduction of Pakistan’s First Digital Agriculture Financing product signifies our dedication to empowering the Agriculture sector and promoting financial inclusion in Pakistan. We are committed to ensuring that small-scale farmers always have access to financial services. Through swift, cost-effective, and user-friendly financing solutions, our goal is to empower small-scale farmers and the broader Agriculture industry to boost productivity, enhance livelihoods, and contribute to the growth of Pakistan’s economy.

The digital agriculture financing features minimal markups and processing fees, ensuring affordability and accessibility for all eligible applicants. With this initiative, Bank Alfalah is poised to transform Pakistan’s small-scale Agriculture industry, paving the way for sustainable growth and prosperity in rural communities.

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir)   Newly licensed by SECP, Pakistan’s first Digital Insurer Salaam Family Takaful Limited (SFTL) and Central Depository Company of Pakistan Limited (CDC) have entered an arrangement for SFTL’s participation in the Centralized Information Sharing Solution for the Insurance Industry (CISSII) and Centralized Insurance Repository (CIR) which are key cross-industry information sharing systems developed and administered by CDC. The agreements were signed by Mr. Badiuddin Akber CEO-CDC  and Mr. Rizwan Hussain CEO-SFTL, in the presence of Syed Nayyar Hussain Executive Director-SFTL, Mr. Abdul Samad COO-CDC, and others senior members of the Companies.

Salaam Family Takaful Limited holds the distinction of being the first digital only Islamic Life Insurance company in the region, persevering in its commitment & support towards the growth and development of the insurance industry in-line with the global trends of digitalization. Central Depository Company of Pakistan (CDC), besides being an integral capital market institution providing electronic custody of securities and settlement of trades, has been successfully playing the  role of an ENABLER by providing innovative solutions to diverse segments of Pakistan’s financial landscape. CDC has always taken the initiative for transforming businesses by increasing efficiency and transparency by leveraging Information Technology, while reducing cost of doing business and saving cumbersome efforts on the part of the stakeholders. In line with CDC’s visionary approach and under the impetus of SECP, The Centralized Information Sharing Solution for the Insurance Industry (CISSII) was launched in April 2014 as an important milestone laying the foundations of a formal information sharing mechanism among the Industry players and harmonizing the sharing of critical information among the stakeholders. The Centralized Information Repository (CIR), subsequently launched by CDC in 2020, took this information sharing even further by allowing the critical policy-related information to be shared and made available to the relevant stakeholders across the Industry.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rizwan Hussain CEO-SFTL said, “SFTL sincerely appreciates these important initiatives of CISSII and CIR by CDC and SECP to facilitate transparency and risk mitigation in the Insurance Industry. I would also like to highlight here that we would always support such initiatives that are aimed at enhancing transparency and facilitating Ease of Doing Business in the economy. SFTL will continue to work with SECP, CDC and our honorable fraternity from the Industry for the mutual benefit of all the stakeholders and of the nation at large!”

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Badiuddin Akber CEO-CDC said, “CDC has a state of the art technological platform and vast expertise to facilitate the development and operation of such groundbreaking initiatives. We welcome SFTL on-board the CISSII and CIR platforms and look forward to a mutually beneficial partnership aimed at fostering growth and confidence. For us at CDC, these platforms have been developed and evolved in line with CDC’s strategic policy to expand its role as an Infrastructure institution facilitating other segments of the financial landscape of Pakistan by leveraging on CDC’s state of the art IT infrastructure and reputation of confidence that it has developed over the span of more than two decades.”

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir)

The Central Business District Punjab (CBD) Punjab has successfully conducted the balloting for plots in the Silicon Block of CBD NSIT City. The event, held at the CBD Punjab Complex, witnessed significant attendance from prominent IT companies, software houses, and a variety of other investors, underscoring the immense interest and confidence in the project. Before the balloting event, the CEO of CBD Punjab, Imran Amin, undertook a visit to the Silicon Block to review the ongoing development projects. This visit also included a tour of the IT Tower Celestia site, where he inspected the progress. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Amin expressed his satisfaction with the level of investor interest and the enthusiastic response from the IT community. He said, “We will complete NSIT City in line with the visionary directives of the Chief Minister of Punjab, Ms. Maryam Nawaz Sharif. NSIT City is envisioned to be a thriving hub for the economic and IT sector growth, playing a pivotal role in transforming Punjab into a major player in the global IT landscape. The balloting process itself was a model of efficiency and transparency, managed by specialized software developed by the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB). This software ensured that the entire process was transparent and fair, bolstering the confidence of the participants in the integrity of the allotment process. Representatives from various IT companies who attended the event commended the software and the flawless execution of the balloting process, which they viewed as a benchmark for future such events. Among the key officials present at the balloting were Barrister Bilal Afzal Khokhar, Executive Director Legal, Riaz Hussain, Executive Director Technical, Ali Waqar Shah, Director Business Development, Waseem Siddique, Director Marketing, Asif Babar, Director Construction and Asif Iqbal, Director Project Management. The Silicon Block, with its strategic location and state-of-the-art infrastructure, is poised to attract top-tier IT companies and startups, providing them with an environment conducive to innovation and growth. The project’s focus on creating a high-tech business environment aligns perfectly with the broader goals of economic development and technological advancement set forth by the Punjab government. The successful balloting for plots in the Silicon Block marks a significant milestone in the development of NSIT City. It reflects the growing confidence of investors in the region’s potential and sets the stage for the emergence of a vibrant technology hub that will contribute significantly to the economic growth of Punjab.

The First Midrange Leather Back Smartphone, realme C63 Will Be Available in Pakistan for PKR 34,999.

realme, the fastest-growing smartphone brand globally, has announced that the realme C63 will be available in Pakistan from the 12^th of June 2024. Priced at PKR 34,999, the realme C63 features a premium vegan leather back cover, 45W fast charging, and innovative AI experiences. It will be available in two stunning colors: Leather Blue and Jade Green.

The realme C63 is the first in its series and price range to offer a vegan leather design, providing a superior texture and durability. This design not only enhances grip but also makes the phone scratch-proof and resistant to abrasions, ensuring it maintains its premium look over time. The 45W fast charging allows for 1 hour of talk time with just 1 minute of charging. Additionally, the smartphone boasts a 50MP main camera for stunning photos.

Flagship-level AI features, such as Air Gestures and Rainwater Smart Touch, enhance user experience. With Air Gestures, users can answer and mute calls or swipe to switch video streams on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook without touching the screen. The AI Noise Reduction feature ensures clearer phone calls by reducing background noise.

The realme C63 also offers impressive durability with a dustproof level of 5 and a waterproof level of 4. The touch screen remains highly responsive even when wet, thanks to advanced touch IC processing and a unique anti-water algorithm.

Powered by an octa-core architecture chip, the realme C63 ensures exceptional performance and efficiency. It includes Dynamic RAM Expansion (DRE) Technology, allowing the phone to expand its 6GB RAM by up to 6GB, simulating a 12GB experience. This enables up to 18 apps to run simultaneously in the background.

Smooth Boost and Game Boost AI strategies enhance system smoothness and game performance, offering faster app launches, improved app sliding smoothness, reduced game lag, and better game frame rate stability.

Grab the realme C63 and experience premium features at an unbeatable price. Stay tuned for more updates on availability.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)

National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) President, Mr. Rehmat Ali Hasnie, participated in the Pakistan China Business Conference held in Shenzhen, China.

Mr. Hasnie was among the delegation accompanying Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who on Tuesday landed in China’s Shenzhen on his official visit to the country, as Islamabad aims to advance bilateral trade and economic ties with Beijing and attract Chinese investors via business-to-business (B2B) projects.

The conference provided a platform for fostering economic ties between Pakistan and China. Mr. Hasnie met with key officials, including Mr. SHI Weigan, Director-General of the Shenzhen Local Financial Supervision Administration, to discuss potential opportunities for establishing an NBP branch in Shenzhen and exploring the city’s government incentives.

The President NBP also held fruitful discussions with representatives from the Ministry of Finance and Silk Road International Investment Management Co. Ltd. (SRIIF) about potential collaboration opportunities.

Furthermore, Mr. Hasnie met with Mr. Wallace LAI, COO of Huawei Technologies, and Mr. Ethan SUN, CEO of Huawei Pakistan, to explore avenues for collaboration on smart products, financial solutions, and services. He also visited the Huawei Technology Centre, gaining insights into their latest advancements.

Mr. Hasnie participated in a media interview with China Economic News and shared his views about the conference with PTV, Pakistan’s national television network.

He expressed his optimism about the conference, highlighting the “new chapter” it opens for both countries and the intention of both sides for “provision of a business-friendly environment.”

He also assured NBP’s commitment to providing maximum banking facilitation for businesses emerging from this collaboration.