Category: Business

UNICEF and Telenor Pakistan hand over Digital Birth Registration system to Sindh government to scale across the province

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Leveraging innovation in technology, Telenor Pakistan and UNICEF have handed over the Digital Birth Registration (DBR) system to the Sindh Government. After its successful launch and implementation in 3 pilot districts, the local government in Sindh is now all set to take over the Digital Birth Registration project and scale it across the province. The project transfer took place at an event in Karachi, attended by officials from Telenor Pakistan and UNICEF along with Sindh Government officials.

Designed with the goal of birth registration for kids under the age of 17, with special focus on children under 5 years of age, the Digital Birth Registration system since its inception in 2016 has already helped recognize the identities of approximately 1.8 million children across Pakistan. The DBR project ensures that every child gets their basic right of identity which would lead to give them better access to education, healthcare, and basic human rights. Together, UNICEF and Telenor Pakistan have facilitated the creation of easy to access, convenient and real time mechanisms bringing birth registration to the doorstep in far flung, hard to reach area; thus, reducing the high opportunity cost and time incurred by the parents. This successful public-private partnership model has shaped regional collaboration in technology and best-practice sharing for the achievement of universal birth registration for children across South Asia. 

Commenting on the development, Irfan Wahab Khan, CEO Telenor Pakistan said, “Birth registration is the fundamental right of every child and is a legal proof of their existence. Every life registered through the DBR platform takes the nation another step closer to the fulfillment of the country’s development goals, and even more importantly, plays a vital role in mitigating the effects of inequalities and socio-economic disparities.Today, we are advancing towards the realization of an inclusive digital society faster than ever.” While speaking on the opportunity to scale the DBR system, he further added, “Together with UNICEF, we are proud to have paved the way for our provincial government to do crucial work in uplifting and empowering communities across Pakistan.”

“The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is rooted in universal rights and inclusive development and is driven by the key principle of “leaving no one behind….” This is also embodied in target 16.9 of the Sustainable Development Goals which says: “By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration”. A birth registration certificate, as a legal document with proof of age, helps to prevent violations of the rights of the child, including such phenomena as child labour, the recruitment and use of child soldier, early marriage, trafficking, and statelessness. Birth registration is important for girl child for protection from the early marriage and the enforcement of laws that set a minimum age for marriage.” Commented Clara Dube, Chief Field Office Sindh.

Present at the ceremony, Zainab Hussain Siddiqui, VP Sustainabilityand Partnerships at Telenor Group said, “Digital Birth Registration started out as an idea of how we could use technology to give children their fundamental right to an identity. Today the project is set to take on a larger scale, helping more children access their right to a future. This progress has been possible thanks to strong collaboration with our global partner UNICEF and the support and engagement of relevant government agencies. It is a great example of the positive impact we can create together by using technology for social good.”

The upscaling of the DBR project shall ultimately contribute to universal birth registration for children in Pakistan; an obligation that Pakistan upholds under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the government’s commitment under the Asia Pacific Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Regional Action Framework. The Digital Birth Registration project will also help Pakistan in fulfilling its commitment of fulfilling Sustainable Development Goals (16.9), particularly those relating to children.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Lahore Central Business District Development Authority (LCBDDA) also known as Central Business District Punjab (CBD Punjab) announces the country’s most unique graduate development program for young graduates and through this apprentice program, the youth can transform themselves into certified professionals. In this fiscal year only, there will be hundreds of apprentices placed in different batches and top performers from each batch will be given permanent slots, based on their respective performances.

The program will offer 12 soft skill training programs and 10 hard skill training programs which includes personal and professional skill development courses. It is a great step in a new direction, providing an innovative approach in developing practical solutions for a better employment breakthroughs for the youth. Announcing “The Apprentice” program at Lahore College Women University, Dr. Shahbaz Gill – Special Assistant to PM on Political Communication said, “Prime Minister Mr. Imran Khan believes in developing institutions, in Lahore only, the Central Business District (CBD Punjab) and RUDA are developing institutions that are in tune with modern requirements which will create millions of jobs and I promise, to give jobs to female students of Lahore College in these institutions”. In this regard, The CBD Punjab HR team will soon initiate a Job Fair and interview female students of Lahore College for the said program.

Taking about this Apprentice Program CEO of LCBDDA – Imran Amin said: “This program will help the youth of Punjab to choose their professional fields by going through focused skill based training session for a better prospect. LCBDDA urges young graduates to register themselves in this program to get professional training relevant to their field of interest and create better employment working opportunities ahead.” Through this program, equal opportunities will be ensured for both male and female top performers which will lead them towards a permanent job placement and it will also give the youth of Punjab, the confidence and the experience to work in a professional environment.

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) Karachi Campus have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for collaboration to provide the students with the necessary training and development to meet the expectations of the future talent demands. 

The MoU was signed in the presence of Naureen Anwar, SVP/Head of Special Projects – Systems Limited, Ovais Khan, SVP/Head of Integration Frameworks – Systems Limited, Adeel Ahmed Chatha, Manager Industrial & Academia Linkages – Systems Limited, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Atif Tahir, Director – FAST Karachi, Prof. Dr. Jawwad Shamsi, Dean – FAST School of Computing, Prof. Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Memon, Head – FAST School of Computing and Dr. Muhammad Saad, Focal person – FAST ORIC.

The collaboration intends to support academic endeavors while broadening students’ practical understanding. Students at the FAST – Karachi Campus will have the opportunity to work with team of Systems Limited. It will bridge the gap between academia and industry by providing tech-market experience to the students throughout their degree program at FAST. It intends to work on curriculum advancement by cooperative efforts of university professors and Systems experts, considering current market trends and future industry demands. In addition, FAST final year students will have an opportunity to seek guidance from Systems experts to gain an industrial perspective for their Final Year Projects (FYPs). 

This collaboration will provide a platform to advance research projects focused on emerging technologies. SL Ambassadors at FAST will be appointed to coordinate activities and events, talent hunt campaigns, and industrial visits of teachers and students, as well as tech-based competitions, to evaluate and improve students’ technical abilities.

Asif Peer, CEO at Systems Limited, shed light on the collaboration, “We are excited to collaborate with FAST Karachi as part of our academic initiative to develop, groom and provide young talent with a fulfilling working experience. We aim to work towards developing self-awareness amongst fresh graduates. Our vision is to provide relevant knowledge and resources to the students to prepare them for future market needs.”

Naureen Anwar, SVP/Head of Special Projects at Systems Limited, also shed light on this occasion, “This MOU between Systems Limited and FAST Karachi is a mutually focused effort to bridge the gap between industry and academia in order to strengthen Pakistan’s software innovation capacity. The linkages between industry and academia will provide multiple opportunities for students and faculty to optimize industry specific and market-oriented learning and development with the help of Systems’ professionals. It will help in exploring various avenues of collaboration in order to address future challenges and excel in the most innovation-intensive industry.”

Prof Dr Muhammad Atif Tahir, Director – FAST Karachi Campus, shared his vision at the moment, “I am very pleased that the FAST-NUCES, Karachi Campus and Systems Limited have signed the Memorandum of Understanding to enhance cooperation between the industry and academia. We as the university have the job to give state of the art knowledge to our students. Partnership building with software companies like Systems is key to achieve learning objectives of our university.”

Mastercard partners with Ravi Urban Development Authority to build cashless economic zone

 Collaboration will simplify everyday payments for RUDA residents and drive transformation across Pakistan

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Mastercard has signed a strategic partnership with the Pakistan’s Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) to transform the community into a cashless economic zone and drive digital transformation in the country.

The collaboration will see Mastercard deploy its smart city solutions in the urban development project to enable residents, merchants and authorities to connect simply and seamlessly through digital channels. Citizens will be able to make everyday payments as well as pay for bills and utility services through automated portals.

Through the partnership, RUDA will achieve efficiencies across its various processes including fee collection and other administrative services. RUDA intends to develop urban areas of the province into sustainable, livable and well-managed engines of economic growth. Mastercard will support RUDA in achieving this vision and establish a cashless framework within the community’s blueprint.

Commenting on the partnership, Khalid Elgibali, Division President, Middle East & North Africa, Mastercard, said: “As Pakistan embraces the power of digital payments, Mastercard is committed to driving digital transformation in the country through our strategic public-private-partnerships. We are working with the government across various sectors to digitize the nation’s economic infrastructure and offer citizens and communities a seamless smart city experience. The collaboration with RUDA is a milestone moment in this journey as we look to power a fully cashless community that offers convenience, simplicity and security.”

The Chief Executive Officer of RUDA, Mr. Imran Amin said: “Mastercard has a stellar track record of powering cashless communities in several economic hubs around the world. We value the expertise that they will bring as we look to power RUDA with the flexibility and safety of smart economic solutions. The collaboration is a testament to Pakistan’s progress as a developing digital hub in the Middle East and North Africa region.”

The collaboration is the latest in a series of strategic partnerships that have cemented Mastercard’s role as a key enabler of digitization across Pakistan. Earlier this year, Mastercard announced its partnership with Special Technology Zone to develop the country’s first cash-free zones and advance the country’s technology sector.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Keeping in view the hype of the new Camon 18 series among online customers and fans, TECNO decided to arrange fun activities for all its offline and walk-in consumers. The activities are in full swing with multiple gift prices and discounts on the latest Camon 18 series in key marketplaces nationwide till December 18, 2021.

TECNO has created its name in Pakistan as one of the most customer-engaging brands. There will be multiple activities being performed such as arm wrestling, open challenge singing competition, and many more fun-filled entertainments. These activities are being performed five times a day where the winners get a discount of PKR 1000/- on the purchase of any Camon 18 series phone. A total of five discounts will be given in a day, making it PKR 5000 daily.

Moreover, on the purchase of Camon 18 Premier, one earbud (TWS) will be given to the customer. With Camon 18 P, the consumer gets a pair of TECNO TWS, whereas, with the Camon 18T the buyer gets one B.T Speaker or any alternate gift from the retailer. Furthermore, every Camon 18 series purchaser and the walk-in customers will be able to participate in the online lucky draw to win grand prizes including Electric Kettles, Temperature Bottles, Power Banks, LED TV, and Gimbal.

On top of the premium features and excellent camera technology of the Camon 18 series, this is a great chance to get a free gift and special discounts from your favorite brand. The most anticipated series from TECNO comes with all this and much more. So head over to your nearest retailer and test your luck today.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) More than 2,290 students today graduated from the PepsiCo-supported career-prep fellowship by the Amal Academy. The educational start-up held its graduation ceremony for students from 180 cities, towns, and villages at a series of celebratory events held in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar. The graduation ceremony was attended by Amal Academy CEO Mr. Ali Siddiq, PepsiCo Senior Director Sales and Corporate Affairs Mr. Mohammad Khosa, and chief guest and notable academic Director and Senior Fellow at the Institute of Development and Economic Alternatives (IDEAS), Dr. Faisal Bari.

The fellowship is part of PepsiCo’s ‘Roshan Kal’ platform aimed at developing students’ professional skills through internships and skills development programs. The program creates opportunities for youth to develop skills such as communications, teamwork, leadership, positive thinking, and growth mindset. It focuses on specific career skills such as interview preparation, job placement, and project presentation. Enhancing professional skills enable university graduates to improve their chances of gaining meaningful employment.  To date, Roshan Kal has created over 6,300 opportunities for youth through its internship program and its professional skills development program that is run in collaboration with Amal Academy. Based on graduate surveys, seventy percent of the program’s graduates receive an offer of employment within three months of completing this program.

Present at the occasion, Amal Academy CEO, Mr. Ali Siddiq, said, “I would like to express my gratitude to PepsiCo for enabling us to expand the reach of our fellowship program across Pakistan, and also for helping us launch a teacher training initiative this year to help bridge the industry-academia gap.”
In his address to the fellows present at the ceremony, he added, “I’m humbled and proud to see how you have chosen a path of lifelong learning and civic responsibility. You are the leaders this country needs, and we are honored to be part of your journey to reaching your full potential.”

 Senior Director Sales and Corporate Affairs, PepsiCo Pakistan, Mr. Mohammad Khosa, commented, “I am truly proud of Amal Career-Prep Fellows 2021 for successfully completing the program and joining us on this life-changing journey to emerge as resilient, knowledgeable, and socially responsible youth, working toward a brighter future of our country. PepsiCo’s investment in this program is part of our broader social impact commitment toward fostering positive developments in accordance with PepsiCo’s In, With and For Pakistan mission.”

In 2021, PepsiCo Amal Career-Prep fellows initiated and led some remarkable community impact projects. The fellows came together to collect PKR 5 million for Edhi Foundation during a fundraising drive and executed other mega projects to positively impact the lives of 9,000 people across Pakistan. In addition, there has been an eighty percent success rate in terms of job placements for the graduate fellows this year.

“Our collective hard work and passion has brought us here today, and my heart is dancing with joy. I have never been this excited or happy to have completed a course or degree. This is a real life-changing experience, and I am truly thankful to PepsiCo and Amal Academy for giving me an opportunity to go beyond my comfort zone, inspiring me to do better,” said Saeeda Wasi, a 2021 graduate fellow. 

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Pakistan Footwear Manufacturer Association (PFMA) organized Pakistan’s first Shoe designers’ graduation ceremony in Lahore after the first batch of Pakistan Shoe Design Hub (PSDH) successfully graduated from the institutions. This studio has been developed by the financial support of the World Bank, Government of Pakistan in collaboration with PISIC, CDI, UNIDO and with expertise of Italian organizations, ASSOMA and PISIE. The Ceremony is followed by orientation seminar that is attended by TVET Chairman Mr. Ali Salman Siddique, Government senior delegates and Chairman PFMA Mr. Zahid Hussain along with stakeholders to get an update on development progress of the Shoe manufacturing sector.

This design studio is providing services and training to footwear SMEs and larger manufacturers in Pakistan with an objective to train local shoe manufacturers to apply latest technological tools and techniques in creating innovative designs of their finished products to make them more competitive for International and national market. PSDH offers various courses and workshops in the field of Shoe Master classic, Shoes Master power, Shoes Master creative, Mood Board development, Design collections development, trend forecasting & market intelligence, traditional & digital shoes design courses to enhance the skills of Shoes manufacturing workforce.

TVET Chairman Mr. Ali Salman Siddique while attending the ceremony appreciated the PFMA efforts in transforming the Shoes industry in Pakistan. He further said “PSDH making a real difference in creating a highly skillful workforce to bring our local Shoes industry at par with International standards and leading towards becoming the export-oriented sector of Pakistan. Their application of latest tools and techniques helping local producers to develop quality products for local and international consumers.  TVET and Government will continue to support such efforts aligned with PM ‘s vision of “Made in Pakistan”.

 PFMA Chairman Mr. Zahid Hussain shared his gratitude on TVET chairman positive views and added that “PFMA continues its all efforts geared towards “Made in Pakistan” vision by enabling local producers to become self-sufficient in terms of Technology and Raw material and reduce reliance on import. Since our inception, we have successfully developed required infrastructure for the local industry to thrive on and facilitated them with the modern technological tools from foreign investors to become leading exporters in the world. We are thankful to the current Government and concerned authorities for providing us with best possible support to grow and make this shoe industry attractive for investors”. 

 

Enthusiasts to Participate in the first-ever HACKADESIGN

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Karandaaz is partnering with Pakistan Fintech Network (PFN), Pakistan Fintech Association (PFA), and IDEATE Innovation to co-host a first-of-its-kind design hackathon, HACKADESIGN. The organizers are currently calling problem solvers, ideators, UX designers, design thinkers, and financial institutions to register for participation in the two-day HACKADESIGN to be held in Karachi in January 2022. Winning ideas will be provided awards and prize money after careful evaluation by a panel of judges made up of experts from the financial and technology sectors. The customer onboarding framework by the State Bank of Pakistan has opened up a plethora of possibilities to redefine and redesign an inclusive and user-friendly remote digital account opening and onboarding experience that requires minimum documentation and facilitates the previously underserved segments, but the lack of attention to human-centric design still poses a challenge for the uptake of banks’ digital account opening channels and results in low uptake and stickiness amongst the users. The HACKADESIGN will be a great platform for problem solvers and design enthusiasts to ideate together, build scrappy prototypes, and co-create a winning experience. To apply for participation in the HACKADESIGN, visit karandaaz.com.pk/hackathon/ The last date to apply is December 20, 2021.

Speaking about the HACKADESIGN, Rehan Akhtar, Chief Digital Officer Karandaaz said, ‘While the digital account opening and onboarding framework by the State Bank of Pakistan presents a great opportunity for the financial inclusion of the previously underserved segments, the uptake and adoption of financial services greatly depends on delivering an inclusive experience for the end-users that includes less digital savvy and non-English speakers. Karandaaz is happy to encourage young innovators and creative thinkers through this HACKADESIGN to create human-centered designs that can lower the complexity and help users make informed decisions leading to trust and wider uptake of digital channels for account opening.’

Syed Nadeem Hussain, Chairman of Pakistan Fintech Network said, ‘Design hackathon is yet another step ahead to the mission of having a fully digital financial ecosystem in Pakistan. Efforts jot down by development sector in Fintech are commendable as I believe every individual has to contribute a brick and joining brick by brick we will be able to build a fully digital financial ecosystem. I would highly encourage fintech experts, students, Design Thinkers to participate in the Digital Account Opening experience design competition and promote an inclusive experience for different market segments.’

Haider Wahab, CEO of National Institutional Facilitation Technologies (NIFT) and Chairman Pakistan Fintech Association said, ‘Financial Inclusion remains a challenge despite regulatory interventions and industry efforts such as Branchless Banking. In my opinion, adopting the Design Thinking process is key to improving the experience of remote account opening. Design Hackathon is a great initiative facilitating the industry to come up with fresh ideas leveraging the SBP initiative of “Customer Digital Onboarding Framework.’

Ali Murtaza, Head of Design, IDEATE Innovation said, ‘Pakistan’s fintech ecosystem has progressed rapidly over the last few years, with financial service providers, policymakers, and technologists alike investing heavily in this space. However, unless fintech interventions are designed around the needs and capabilities of Pakistan’s predominantly low-tech users, they will fall short of their ambitious goals. This Design Hackathon gives us an opportunity to bring together stakeholders from financial services, policy, technology, and more to collaboratively build more user-centered solutions.’

The ideas presented at the HACKADESIGN will be judged on originality and innovation, an intuitive and user-friendly customer journey, relevance, and conformity with the onboarding framework defined by the State Bank of Pakistan.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Pakistan’s cellular and digital services leader, Zong 4G, has partnered with the leading IT support and managed services provider, Smart Future Technologies Pvt. Ltd., as their connectivity partner. Zong is the one of the leading operator to provide such customized solutions to corporates of all domains and sizes in the industry. The partnership with Smart Future Technologies is in line with Zong’s efforts to help businesses digitalize and streamline their everyday operations for optimal productivity. Commenting on the partnership, Zong’s official spokesperson said, “Connectivity drives us forward and as the widest 4G network of the country, our mission at Zong has always been to provide the best services to our customers all over Pakistan. We welcome Smart Technology Solutions on board and are confident that they will immediately feel the immense difference between their old systems and our tailored connectivity solutions that make everyday communications as seamless for them as they can get.” “We’re pleased to have partnered with Zong 4G which is Pakistan’s leading digital services provider, and hope that this partnership will reflect positively on our productivity,” said Brigadier (Retired) Arshad Kayani, Smart Future Technologies. “Our decision to choose Zong 4G’s business solutions to meet our everyday connectivity needs was based on Zong’s extensive data network coverage, speed, and unmatched corporate services and solutions. Smart Future Technologies is one of the first companies in Pakistan to use Zong’s One-Net IoT Platform to offer Industrial 4.0 Artificial Intelligence based solution commercially, which will broaden Zong’s B2B offering. We’re confident that it will prove to be a long and enduring association,” he further added. In a bid to create a digital ecosystem for its corporate customers, Zong 4G is working closely with corporate clientele across the country and is introducing customized solutions to disrupt everyday mundane processes, and innovative approaches to tackle both simple and complex problem statements. Through these technologically advanced business solutions, Zong 4G aspires to reinvent how businesses operate, having an overall impact on the corporate ecosystem in Pakistan. Its unparalleled technological advancement and unprecedented telecommunications experience have acted as a major benefactor in developing these wide-ranging business solutions.