Category: Business

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir) Jazz, Pakistan’s leading digital operator and a part of the VEON Group, has been conferred with the UN Women Asia-Pacific 2022 WEPs Award for a Gender-Inclusive Workplace.  This award recognises organizations that have incorporated the right measures to make themselves the preferred employer for women.

“Inclusivity is a big part of everything we do at Jazz. We have incorporated policies and global best practices to pave the way for gender equality within the organization. This recognition validates our holistic approach towards empowering women and renews our vigor as we move forward in our journey of creating a digitally inclusive ecosystem in Pakistan,” said Sabahat Bokhari, Director Diversity and Inclusion at Jazz.

Jazz is an equal opportunity employer. It’s one of the first telecom companies with a high female representation in its executive leadership. Not only does the company promote gender diversity in its work environment, it also has programs focused entirely on attracting and facilitating the female gender. For example, ‘Empower’ – Leadership development program in collaboration with a leading business university in Pakistan; ‘MOMentum’ – phase back program for returning mothers; and ‘She’s Back Returnship Program’ for women looking to return to work following a career break.

The company is also dedicated to enhancing diversity and women’s empowerment in the society and focuses on uplifting women in the society through the power of the internet. Female specific products and services are designed to help address many of the wider gender inequalities by digitally enabling them to access health, financial, and other life-enhancing services.

UN Women launched the Asia-Pacific Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Awards in 2020 under WeEmpowerAsia. Launched in 2010 by UN Women and the UN Global Compact, the WEPs are a set of 7 principles that support companies to take a gender-sensitive approach throughout their value chain starting with corporate leadership and looking across the wider value chain from workplace, marketplace and community.  To date, more than 7,000 companies have signed the WEPs globally, and in the Asia-Pacific over 1,900 have committed. Jazz was one of the first companies in Pakistan to commit to the WEPs.

As the only regional awards initiative recognizing private sector action for gender equality aligned to the WEPs, the Awards offer a unique opportunity for organizations to showcase their work in a diverse range of areas relevant to women’s empowerment.

Lahore (Nut Desk) Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (PCBDDA), also known as Central Business District (CBD Punjab), started the construction of Kalma Chowk Remodeling and CBD Punjab Boulevard in the current month. The authority has ensured public relief and safety during the construction of this mega project. CBD Punjab is using multiple platforms to provide maximum information for daily commuters about road blockades to avoid any inconvenience. Minor traffic congestion is witnessed during peak hours but there are no complete jams reported which is evidence of the comprehensiveness of the authority’s traffic diversion and construction plan. CBD Punjab is in coordination with City Traffic Police (CTP) Lahore, to ensure flawless and uniform traffic flow. CTP is also airing hourly traffic updates on Rasta FM 89, an additional number of traffic wardens are also deployed at Kalma Chowk and adjoining routes, whereas the authority has also placed directional and diversion signboards for the assistance of the daily commuters. While talking about the latest development on the project and traffic updates Executive Director Technical PCBDDA Mr. Riaz Hussain said that “this is a massive scale project and we are working nights for its timely completion. Whenever there is construction work going on there are a few minor problems and we are giving our best to avoid any inconvenience for the residents of Lahore. I would like to request the people for their support as this project is for their benefit”. He further added that pile work from Saint Marry Park to Center Point is near completion and pile work on Ali Zeb Road is also started. ED Technical further said about traffic direction that road from Saint Marry to Center Point is completely closed to traffic. The influx of traffic coming from Ferozepur Road towards Liberty is directed to use Qaddafi Stadium or it is diverted from Kalma Chowk Underpass towards Liberty Market, traffic coming from Liberty Market towards Ali Zaib Road can use Main Boulevard, whereas traffic coming from Barkat Market and going towards Ali Zaib Road is using Kalma Chowk Underpass and is diverted from UCH U-turn. Authority has partially closed one side of Ali Zaib Road but for the convenience of people service lane and the other side of the road are completely functional. The 4.2 Billion project will be completed in 180 days the CEO of PCBDDA Mr.Imran Amin has also directed the National Logistic Cell (NLC) to expedite the construction work. Residents of Lahore have really high hopes for this project as it will eradicate traffic congestion and environmental hazards in the economic hub of the provincial capital.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir) P&G Pakistan today reaffirmed its pledge to mentor 1000 women under Million Women Mentors (MWM), a premier network and an initiative of STEMconnector, dedicated to encouraging girls and women around the world to pursue, persist, and succeed in STEM careers. This renewed collaboration of P&G Pakistan with MWM program is aimed at encouraging women across Pakistan to pursue career goals and leadership opportunities under the mentorship of senior leaders of P&G. During the pilot, P&G Pakistan exceeded its target to mentor 500 women from professional circles to benefit from better projects, access to leadership, advocacy at higher levels, and mutual support. Adil Farhat, CEO P&G Pakistan, appreciating the initiative said, “This is something close to my heart and I strongly believe that with confidence and ambition, something women are too often discouraged from when we’re young, mentors can help reignite that fire and push women to achieve more than we’ve been told they’re destined for. Being a strong advocate of equality, P&G aims to enable women to work confidently and become an equal part of the industry through MWM program. We are aligned on taking many more of such initiatives in the future that will result in an equitable society for all.” In the recent years, P&G has bagged the title of Champion at the OICCI Women Empowerment Awards for two consecutive years. With its global initiative #WeSeeEqual, P&G aspires to build a world of equal voice and equal opportunities regardless of gender. The #WeSeeEqual program demonstrates P&G’s continued commitment to create a more equal world. As one of the world’s largest advertisers, P&G and its brands continue to leverage their influential voice in media and advertising to drive further awareness, tackle gender bias, spark conversations and motivate change. P&G has also partnered with HOPE and UN Women for women’s skill development and girls’ education in the country. Moreover, P&G as being a founder member of the US-Pakistan Women’s Council’s corporate initiative, intent to advance its gender diversity mission while supporting the US-Pakistan Women’s Council in its attempts to increase women’s participation in the workforce. “We are very excited to see that after a successful pilot program, P&G is doubling the size of their mentoring program in Pakistan,” said Dr. Jo Webber, CEO STEMconnector and Million Women Mentors. “We know from research that mentoring programs like this have a dramatic, life-changing effect on a person’s personal and professional growth, and social and economic mobility.”

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) The Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce & Industry (OICCI) and the Pakistan Business Council (PBC) collaborated to host a design sprint on best practices needed to develop an effective Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework for Pakistan. The two-day workshop was facilitated by Unilever Pakistan Limited.

Participants of the session included leading local and multi-national organizations. The objective of the workshop was to help participants develop strategies and frameworks to make businesses resilient to environmental, social and governance issues in the post-pandemic world. The design sprint helped participants to explore risk mitigation and navigation approaches, draft a blueprint for organizational strategy, and establish an ESG internal governance framework.

The two-day workshop concluded with a dialogue on ESG policy needed in Pakistan, with stakeholders including Chairman Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, Aamir Khan, Chairperson & Independent Director Pakistan Stock Exchange, Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, CE/Secretary General OICCI, M. Abdul Aleem, CEO Pakistan Business Council, Ehsan Malik and Chairman & CEO Unilever Pakistan, Amir Paracha.

While speaking on the occasion, CE/Secretary General OICCI, M. Abdul Aleem said, “OICCI members not only bring investment, breakthrough technologies, global business practices and knowhow to Pakistan, but are also leading the social and climate agenda through thought leadership. OICCI member companies, the largest network of MNCs operating in Pakistan, are also leading on other climate initiatives such as conversion to alternate energy sourcing, reducing waste, promoting circular economy, etc. through sustainable business practices”.

Shedding light on the sprint session, Ehsan Malik, CEO Pakistan Business Council said that “Leading businesses in the private sector can use this platform for advocacy and capacity building to enable the industry and the financial sector to take actionable steps and learn from each other.”

“The 21st-century innovation and technological revolution has brought most critical challenges and changes in human behavior”, highlighted CEO Unilever Pakistan, Amir Paracha in the opening remarks. “As we now concentrate on our relationship with the planet, our impact and demands on ESG become the most urgent and critical management approach to adopt as a sustainable solution” he added.

The workshop also featured expert sessions from McKinsey’s Robin Nuttall, Saif Hameed from Altruistiq, Partner KPMG Syed Ahson Ali Shah, Maha Qasim from Zero Point and Centre of Excellence in Responsible Business (CERB).

Lahore( Zahid Chughtai ) Zhao Shiren, Chinese Consul General Wednesday said China will continue its support and cooperation in conducting modern joint research for evolving the best quality more new varieties of high-yield hybrid rice seed for a bumper crop. It was stated by him during his visit to the head office of Guard Agricultural Research and Services here today. Talking to Chairman Pakistan Hi Tech Hybrid Seed Association and CEO Shahzad Ali Malik Sitar-I-Imtiaz and senior executive Momin Ali Malik, Zhao stressed the need for further strengthening the cooperation in the agriculture sector and entering into more Joint ventures for research on modern scientific lines to boost yield per acre in Pakistan.He said Pakistan must take advantage of agricultural achievements made by Chinese private sector.He said there is vast scope of investment in the agricultural sector.He said China is proud that Guard Agricultural Research and Services evolved first ever hibrid rice seed with the collaboration and joint ventures of Chinese counterpart Longping Hi Tech Industry. Speaking on the occasion Shahzad Ali Malik said Guard Agricultural Research and Services is the pioneer in introducing hybrid coarse rice seed in Pakistan that developed a new ‘Extra long grain super hybrid rice’ heat tolerant seed with double per acre yield and length after cooking as compared to competitor existing varieties. Momin Ali Malik, Senior Executive said that Guard Agricultural Research is working to bring such seeds to market which can ensure prosperity for the growers and food security for the country’s ever-increasing population. He said they partnered with their Chinese counterparts in 1998 and since then they are putting in efforts to bring high-yielding varieties and have tolerance against climate change as well. He claimed that the new variety can produce more than 100 maunds per acre provided taken good care of it. Final data is being completed as harvesting is still underway at different places, Momin added.

Karachi  (Muhammad Yasir) Marketing and Green Banking Departments organized a plantation drive for Soneri Bank employees in collaboration with WWF Pakistan. 130 employees participated in a Green Banking workshop and a mangrove plantation drive at Turtle Beach Karachi followed by lunch and a group activity session.

The initiative brought together Soneri Bank employees from various units and engaged them in taking steps to improve the environment through volunteer tree plantation. It also provided an educational experience along with the opportunity to do something positive for the local community in an open, friendly environment which has a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing. Mr. Shahrukh Alam, Head of Operational Risk and Green Banking stated “We strive to mitigate the decreasing forest-cover, strengthen communities that are dependent on natural resources, and also brace Pakistan against environmental deterioration.”

Through such activities Soneri Bank continues its vision to contribute towards a greener and cleaner Pakistan for ourselves, for the people of Pakistan, and the upcoming generations.

Roshan Har Qadam!

 

 

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) 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!

 

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir) Zong 4G, a leading telecom service provider in Pakistan, has introduced new countries in a fully customizable “International Direct Dialing (IDD) Make Your Own Bundle” that is exclusively available on MYZONGAPP for prepaid and postpaid subscribers.

Zong 4G is transcending international boundaries to make interacting with your loved ones much simpler and more convenient, staying true to its motto of “Let’s Get Digital.” Zong 4G has once again taken the lead in providing innovative ways to stay connected and meet clients changing needs focusing on being a customer-centric business. Through “IDD “Make Your Own Bundle”, both postpaid and prepaid customers can create their international dialing bundle for multiple countries, of their preference.

ZONG 4G IDD Subscribers can now select a country from 21 options, minutes (10, 25, 50, 100, 500), and validity (Daily, Weekly, & Monthly for Prepaid and On Bill Run for Postpaid) and subscribe to their desired bundle(s) through MYZONGAPP.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir) Karandaaz Pakistan held a webinar to launch its latest study on the potential of Climate-Smart, Low-Income Housing in Pakistan. Industry leaders and stakeholders came together to deliberate on the housing needs in Pakistan and the impact green initiatives can have in meeting the needs of populations especially vulnerable to the impact of climate change. Between 2000 and 2019, Pakistan was found to rank eighth amongst the top ten countries most vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change. This vulnerability became starkly evident Earlier this year, as one-third of the country was flooded as a result of unprecedented rainfall and glacier melt. As estimated by Karandaaz, over 33 million people were displaced, and one-seventh lost their homes due to the floods of 2022. With an ever-increasing frequency of severe climate-related events, depleting energy resources, and a population growth rate that far outpaces the provision of housing, this webinar was arranged as a platform to bring together a wide set of stakeholders, including architects, urban planners, financiers and funding providers, etc. to discuss Pakistan’s housing needs. 

Mr. Arif Hasan, one of Pakistan’s most reputable architects and urban planners, delivered the keynote address. In his address Mr. Hasan stated that “The most obvious climate change event in Pakistan has been the recent flooding. The main cause was consistent rain and though we cannot do anything about rain changing its course, lessons can be learned. A key factor that amplified the impact of the floods and contributed to the damage caused, was the fact that flood waters could not be drained out. Roads without culverts in them; canals, headworks, barrages that have not been desilted; and saim naalis that have been clogged with vegetation led to entire villages being wiped out. Therefore, a very important aspect in the rural areas will be the choice of a location for reconstruction. It has to be in a location where this is a disposal point for water, and any hindrances to reach the disposal point need to be removed. Another important issue in reconstruction is the high cost involved in building conventional housing such as that of cement and steel. So, affordable alternatives become pertinent.  Subsidies cannot be provided to individuals but should be available for the supply of these materials in flood effected areas”.

Dr Shamshad Akhtar, Chairperson Karandaaz said,

“The housing deficit in Pakistan is approximately 12 million homes and the estimated market size for affordable housing was reported to be USD 165 billion in 2020. This is expected to grow to USD 537 billion by 2050. There is ample opportunity for green builders and government to intervene to develop the climate-smart housing value chain and encourage further sector activity as it has important ramifications – the economy benefits from reduced carbon emissions, the units are cheaper to build and buy and the recurring and maintenance costs are lower than that of a traditional home. To this end, it is very encouraging to see the presence of builders that have come up with creative solutions for green housing units”.

Waqas ul Hasan, CEO Karandaaz mentioned,

“Collaboration is key for making the much-needed disruptive impact in the market and transition towards climate-smartness. The level of collaboration will require proactive engagement of the development agencies, private sector, state government agencies, municipalities (local urban bodies) and academia with each other. Karandaaz is contributing to the climate effort through a two-tiered approach mobilising climate finance in the SME space and supporting innovative, climate-smart solutions through knowledge building and providing concessional finance”.

In her concluding remarks, Ms. Sobiah Becker, Senior Climate Change Advisor of the UK’s FCDO stated,

This event deals with a critical yet often overlooked topic; that of affordable climate smart-housing. Residential energy consumption in Pakistan accounts for 40% percent of the total energy consumption of the country. You can imagine the large carbon footprint of this sector and the potential for abating greenhouse gas emissions this sector offers. By making housing climate-smart, not only will there be a positive climate outcome but also an opportunity to address energy poverty brought on by rising cost of heating and cooling for commercial and residential buildings. Climate risk is a reality and no country will be spared the negative impacts of further global temperature increases”.

The webinar also saw presentations from climate-smart, low-cost housing solution providers, namely Modulus Tech, Ansar Management Company, Base-Bahay Foundation Inc (Philippines) and Balochistan Rural Support Programme. These entities presented their designs for affordable, climate-smart housing. In the aftermath of the recent floods in Balochistan, BRSP shared plans to develop 1000 units in Khuzdar, Quetta, Ziarat and Harnai, using a climate-resilient design suited to its local climate and resources. The webinar also served as a platform to build linkages between, financiers, regulators and developers. The webinar concluded with a presentation on key findings of the research report on climate-smart, low-income housing in Pakistan which is available on the Karandaaz website.(https://karandaaz.com.pk/karandaaz-research/climate-smart-low-income-housing-pakistan/).

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir) NEPRA announced to conduct a public hearing on 30 November over the petition submitted by K-Electric on account of Fuel Charges Adjustments (FCA) for October 2022 and Quarterly Adjustments for July to September 2022.

For the month of October, K-Electric has filed a petition for the negative FCA at a rate of PKR 1.883/kWh and is the fourth consecutive negative FCA since July. On the other hand, KE has also requested a reduction of PKR 7.833 / kWh rupees on account of Quarterly Adjustments. According to the spokesperson of the power utility, the impact of quarterly adjustments is usually not passed to consumers under the uniform tariff policy applicable across the country. However, the final decision rests with the Federal Ministry of Energy, Government of Pakistan, and the NEPRA Authority.

FCA is dependent on the global prices of fuel and is passed on to consumer bills under the prescribed rules and regulations of NEPRA and the Government of Pakistan. The negative FCA for October 2022 is primarily due to a decrease in prices of RLNG, Furnace Oil, and power purchased from CPPA-G. The price of RLNG in October 2022 decreased by 16% from September 2022. The price of Furnace Oil in October 2022 has decreased by 6% from September 2022, and the price of power purchased from CPPA-G in October 2022 has decreased by 6% from September 2022.

As per KE spokesperson, FCAs are approved by the regulator, NEPRA, after conducting scrutiny and public hearing, which are conducted independently for KE and state-owned entities (XWDISCOs). The authority also specifies the month during which the charge is applied in consumer bills. This FCA petition is in line with the mechanism given in KE’s Multi Year Tariff whereby changes in fuel prices, generation and power purchase mix are passed through along with certain annual adjustments.