Category: Business

TPL Life successfully onboarded 60,000 potential life insurance agents on Muavin – Pakistan’s first virtual life insurance agent platform!

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir) TPL Life Muavin, Pakistan’s first virtual earning and learning platform, continues to grow and reach a new milestone of surpassing 60,000 potential life insurance agents registering onto the portal. This is in line with TPL Life’s vision of enabling Pakistan & every Pakistani digitally, ensuring that economic activity is intrinsic at every step of financial prosperity, highlighting the talent and capabilities that the country fosters.

“We are thrilled to see the remarkable response to Muavin from users nationwide. The platform aligns with our vision of promoting financial inclusion and digitization in Pakistan’s insurance industry,” said Mr. Saad Nissar, CEO of TPL Life. He added, “It provides a unique opportunity for individuals to become financially independent, contribute to the economy’s growth, and access insurance products.”

TPL Life offers cash rewards for each course completion to encourage individuals to complete their education and become productive life insurance agents, helping the company expand its presence across Pakistan. The tremendous response garnered by this platform continues to cement that avenue to generate alternate income streams through digital platforms continues to be an imperative need for every Pakistani.

Speaking about the success of Muavin, Mr. Humayoon Asghar, Chief Strategy & Retail Officer, stated, “We are excited to see such sizeable registration numbers on the Muavin platform in such a short time. This platform is unique in multiple ways, and a positive response like this is a testament to appreciation for the efforts put in by the team.” He further added, “The Muavin platform is an ideal combination of simplicity, accessibility, learning, and earning for every Pakistani through web and app mediums, and we feel we have struck the right chord with our audiences – which is essential for every business idea to scale. We shall continue to invest in this platform, keeping it at the center of our corporate and business strategy”.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)

The government should remove the tax on the income of freelancers who are earning precious foreign exchange for the country through working on different projects for foreign clients.

In a budget proposal sent to the government and relevant authorities, the Pakistan Freelancers Association (PAFLA) demanded the government for removing the variable tax rate ranging 1% on return filers to 2% on non-filers against every income transaction received by freelancers in their bank accounts.

CEO PAFLA Tufail Ahmed Khan said a majority of the freelancers in Pakistan work on different platforms of freelancing which also deduct their fees at different rates, on the other hand, various money transfer services also charge an amount from the freelancers, hence all these factors reduce their overall income significantly.

Freelancers fetched an amount of $400 million in the last financial year 2021-22. This year, the freelancers are likely to match this value by the end of the current financial year as per estimates.

The government should direct commercial banks to provide free services to freelancers in the country so that they could directly maintain their accounts in Pakistan’s banks instead of receiving their income through indirect channels from different countries.

PAFLA demanded the government to allocate a dedicated workstation for freelancers at IT parks and Special Technological Zones which will help them avail the subsidize and fast internet services, and opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange with the professionals of their respective fields.

Also, the government should push more banks to introduce forex accounts allowing them a credit facility for doing major projects with foreign partners. Also, banks should offer special saving accounts for freelancers to maintain their credit history and avail services of auto and house financing.

Pakistan is considered as the 4th largest workforce of freelancers in the world. There are nearly 3.5 million freelancers in Pakistan providing services in different fields.

Use WhatsApp Audio and Video calls through Zong 4G’s Convenient Roaming Data Offer during Hajj.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir) Zong 4G, Pakistan’s leading telecommunications company, has introduced its Saudi Arabia Roaming Offer to assist travelers heading to Saudi Arabia for Hajj. This offer aims to ensure that individuals can easily communicate with their families and friends back home by availing cost-effective Data Bundles during their Hajj.

Zong 4G has designed this offer to cater to the needs of both Hajj pilgrims and business travelers, allowing them to stay connected throughout their stay in Saudi Arabia. The offer provides affordable data roaming rates, enabling travelers to remain in touch. By paying just Rs. 1200 plus tax, customers can enjoy 1 GB of data for uninterrupted connectivity during their time in Saudi Arabia.  Zong 4G also offers 3 GB of data for Rs. 3300 plus tax, and 5 GB of data for Rs. 5400 plus tax.

Saudi Arabia Prepaid IR Data Offer	1 GB	1200 +T	15 Days
Saudi Arabia Prepaid IR Data Offer	3 GB	3300 +T	30 Days
Saudi Arabia Prepaid IR Data Offer	5 GB	5400 +T	45 Days

Zong 4G’s roaming services in Saudi Arabia also include the added advantage of WhatsApp audio and video calls, which are not typically available through local operators in Saudi Arabia. This feature allows customers to easily communicate with their loved ones back home.

The official spokesperson of Zong 4G expressed the company’s commitment to providing exceptional services that meet their customers’ needs. “The Zong 4G team is always committed to providing its customers with innovative solutions to meet their needs. We understand that staying connected with loved ones is essential, especially during Hajj and that is why the roaming data offer is the ideal solution.”

The Saudi Arabia Roaming Offer is available to all Zong 4G customers and for further tariff details and subscriptions, customers can dial *1234#, subscribe through the Zong website (https://www.zong.com.pk/international-roaming) or My Zong App.

 

 

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir)

U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission for Pakistan, Andrew Schofer visited Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (PCBDDA) on Friday, in a bid to learn about the projects and development plans initiated by the authority. The U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission was accompanied by a delegation from the U.S. Consulate General Lahore, including U.S. Consul General William K. Makaneole, Political and Economic Chief Kathleen Gibilisco, and Cultural Affairs Officer Paul Garr. The distinguished envoy was warmly welcomed by the CEO of PCBDDA, Imran Amin and other senior officials of the authority, including COO, Brigadier (R) Mansoor Janjua, Executive Director Commercial, Mohammed Omer, Director Business Development, Ali Waqar Shah and Director Architecture, Sameer Aftab. The delegation led by the U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission was comprehensively briefed about the projects of PCBDDA Punjab. During the visit, Deputy Chief of Mission, Andrew Schofer expressed his appreciation for the significant efforts made by the authority, in fostering infrastructural development and economic growth in Punjab. He recognized the pivotal role that PCBDDA in creating a conducive environment for local and foreign businesses to thrive, ultimately contributing to the prosperity of Pakistan. CEO of PCBDDA, Imran Amin expressed his gratitude for the appreciation from the U.S. Embassy. He highlighted the achievements of the authority in transforming Punjab into a vibrant hub for commercial activities and emphasized the importance of international collaborations to further accelerate this economic growth. Imran Amin stated, “We are honoured to have Deputy Chief of Mission Andrew Schofer acknowledge our endeavors. Our vision is to create an enabling environment for businesses by providing state-of-the-art infrastructure, world-class facilities, and comprehensive support services. We look forward to further strengthening our ties with international partners, including the United States, to foster sustainable economic development in Punjab.” The visit of U.S. officials will serve as a platform for a constructive dialogue between PCBDDA and the U.S. Embassy, facilitating an exchange of ideas and best practices to enhance the business ecosystem in Punjab. We remain committed to promoting investment opportunities and fostering stronger ties between the United States and Pakistan.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)

Daraz, Pakistan’s premier e-commerce platform, has introduced an exciting offer that gives its users a flat 15% discount on every mobile bundle purchased through the platform during the entire month of June. The promotion, which is set to last for an entire month, will span the upcoming Eid-ul-Adha holiday, allowing consumers to save on their mobile expenses, especially during this festive period.

The special discount applies on mobile top-ups and bundles for all telecom operators including Jazz, Zong, Telenor, and Ufone, offering customers a wide range of options nationwide. ‘Daraz is committed to bringing the best value to our customers, and we are thrilled to provide this special deal that gives substantial savings on mobile bundles,” said Muhammad Ammar Hassan, CMO, Daraz Pakistan. “We hope our customers take advantage of this opportunity and enjoy their Eid-ul-Adha with even more connectivity and less expense.” This latest initiative from Daraz further underscores its commitment to offering competitive deals to its customers, solidifying its status as Pakistan’s leading e-commerce platform. Customers looking to benefit from this deal can simply visit the Daraz platform and choose their preferred mobile bundle from their operator of choice. The 15% discount can be availed by collecting a voucher from the Top Up section on Daraz’s homepage.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)

Khurram Dastgir Khan, Federal Minister for Energy, has said that the renewable energy is the need of the hour and the government is allocating resources and putting in sincere efforts to mitigate the carbon footprint in the country.

Khurram Dastgir Khan said this while inaugurating the second International Solar Energy Meet (ISEM) Expo and IEEEP IREM Expo, Pakistan’s premium Solar Energy, electronics and electrical exhibition, at Expo Centre Lahore on Friday.

The Federal Minister said that the government is encouraging the proliferation of the clean and green energy solutions. “This event is a step towards the future of the renewable and wind energy, which will reduce the power cost of the consumers,” he said, adding that government will soon launch a project for the manufacturing of solar panels in the country.

He said that such exhibitions can go a long way towards achieving the goal of clean and green energy vis a vis reducing the carbon footprint in Pakistan. He said that despite financial constraints the government is considering to waive off duty on the import of solar panels and the related equipment to promote the use modern technology.

Ms. Sania Awais, Managing Director Punjab Power Development Board said during the inauguration that commercial and domestic consumers should ensure the use of solar energy to deal with the power crisis in Pakistan.

Ahmed Saleh Baabood – Chairman, White Paper Summits said that such expos are important for the development of energy sector in Pakistan. “This expo is an ideal meeting place for global and local stakeholders, executives, leading industry experts, manufacturers and suppliers, decision makers, policy makers and government officials who were shaping the future of the solar energy sector in Pakistan,” he said.

White Paper Summits in a strategic partnership with the Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Pakistan (IEEEP) is also organizing a conference where expert speakers will share their case studies, technical presentation and latest insights on the problems and solutions addressing the power and renewable energy sector of Pakistan.

IEEEP IREM Expo will focus on Power Transformers, Power Technology, Capacitors, Batteries, Heavy Duty Cables, Power Distribution Equipment, Wind Energy, Hydropower, Bioenergy, Bio Gas, BioFuel, Hydrogen, GeoThermal Energy, Solar Energy and more

The sessions will be attended by the IEEEP members and Technical Delegates. The conference will include active Q&A sessions, networking programs and B2B networking to facilitate much needed access to a wealth of industry leading knowledge, information exchange and actionable takeaways.

Local and international energy and power sector experts, primarily working in renewable power with focus on solar power generation, are attending this prestigious event.

More than 150 stalls are booked including over 30 by the international exhibitors after the government of Pakistan’s favoring policies towards solar power generation which attracts the foreign investors to come to Pakistan. Besides, over 120 local exhibitors will also be displaying their products during the three days Solar show.

The organizers are expecting over 8000 attendees during the three days event and including the top international and local exhibitors, acclaimed technical expert speakers. The event will provide unlimited business networking opportunities, besides B2B deals.

The premium events are organized by White Paper Summits, one of the leading business Event Organizers (Summits, Exhibitions and Trainings) in the Middle East region with its headquarters based in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. The regional office of White Paper Summits is established in Karachi, Pakistan.

 

 

Nutrition International, Federal, and Punjab Governments Launch NourishMaa Campaign to Improve Maternal Nutrition in the Province.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Over 5,000 healthcare providers and frontline health workers will be reached through the campaign to enrich their knowledge of, and capacities around, maternal nutrition and integrating nutrition counseling into their day-to-day practices.

LAHORE, June 02, 2023: Nutrition International joined hands with the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination (MoNHSR&C) and Punjab Health Department to launch a campaign – NourishMaa. This collaborative effort aims to promote maternal nutrition in the province by enhancing the knowledge and skills of healthcare providers (HCPs) and frontline health workers (FHWs) in two selected districts of Punjab.

“Maternal malnutrition’s impact extends across generations, making it crucial for Pakistan to urgently address this issue,” emphasized Ali Jan Khan, Secretary of the Primary and Secondary Health Department (P&SHD) in the Government of Punjab. Dr. Ali praised the NourishMaa Campaign for its collaborative efforts, forming valuable partnerships with the Department of Health and professional medical associations to reach public and private healthcare providers. The campaign’s innovative use of mainstream and social media holds promise in achieving significant improvements in maternal nutrition across the country.

The latest National Nutrition Survey 2018 (NNS-2018) indicates that the macronutrient and micronutrient deficiencies are alarming amongst women of reproductive age (WRA, 15-49 years). 14.4% are underweight, 24% are overweight and 13.8% are obese. There is a very high prevalence of anemia (42%) in this age group. Similarly, the nutritional status of adolescent girls (10-19 years) is also worrisome. The NNS-2018 highlighted that one in eight adolescent girls in Pakistan were underweight, while more than 55% suffered from anemia. The high rate of malnutrition among WRA as well as adolescent girls, combined with underlying complications emerging from early marriages, closely spaced pregnancies, and maternal malnutrition aggravate a vicious cycle of high morbidity and mortality, leading to adverse maternal and child health outcomes. The NourishMaa campaign initiated to complement the Pakistan Maternal Nutrition Strategy 2022-27, aims to help address these issues by leveraging the critical role of HCPs and FHWs.

The NourishMaa Campaign aims to increase awareness about the importance of maternal nutrition and enhance the capacities of public and private sector health workers, key opinion leaders (KOLs), and other stakeholders to advance maternal nutrition interventions in Pakistan. Nutrition International is implementing this campaign with the close collaboration and support of MoNHSR&C, the provincial health departments, the Professional Medical Association, and the Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecologist in six districts of Pakistan including two in Punjab; Rawalpindi, and Bahawalpur while four districts are targeted in Sindh. The campaign targets to achieve some specific outcomes including improved knowledge among HCPs and FHWs on maternal nutrition, effective engagement of key HCPs on maternal nutrition, and improved knowledge and motivation among KOLs for accelerating action towards enhancing maternal nutrition at the national and provincial levels.

Speaking at the occasion, Asim Shahzad Qureshi, National Program Manager, Maternal Newborn Health and Nutrition, Nutrition International stressed the crucial role of HCPs and FHWs in improving maternal nutrition, especially through improved nutrition counseling. “Over the past 20 years, Nutrition International has successfully worked in partnership with the Government of Pakistan on various programs to improve the health and nutrition status of the country’s women, adolescent girls, and children”, he added. The NourishMaa Campaign reflects our global commitment to improving the health and nutrition of people in need, especially women and children. Though the NourishMaa campaign targeting a few districts of Pakistan, it has the potential to scale up nationwide and help break the cycle of malnutrition by improving the maternal and child health outcomes in the country.”

Representing the MoNHSR&C, Dr. Khawaja Masuood Ahmed, National Coordinator Nutrition and National Fortification Alliance said that. 

Dr. Muhammad Ilyas, Director of General Health, Punjab, revealed that out of approximately 250,000 medical professionals and 150,000 outreach workers in the country, the majority have not received formal training on maternal nutrition. Recognizing the significance of the campaign, Dr. Ilyas emphasized that the NourishMaa initiative’s focus on developing models and channels to enhance healthcare providers’ knowledge and capacities will undoubtedly contribute to improving maternal nutrition indicators nationwide. .

An anthem for the NourishMaa campaign was featured at the launch event to promote and spread awareness of the campaign among stakeholders. The two-year campaign will use multiple approachses and channels for enhancing the knowledge, capacity, and motivation of HCPs, FHWs and KOLs including interpersonal communication and targeted media outreach; social media campaigns, talk shows, campaign ambassadors, seminars, trainings, meetings, and conferences at the provincial and district levels.

The NourishMaa campaign launch witnessed the presence of over 100 attendees, including esteemed individuals such as Dr. Muhammad Khalil Ahmed, Program Director IRMNCH&NP, Health Department Punjab, Ms. Uzma Hafeez Chief Health, P&DD, Punjab, Prof. Dr. Ashraf Nizami, President, PMA Lahore, Council Member & World Medical Association (WMA), Prof. Dr. Arshad Chohan, Vice President, SOGP, and Dr. Farhana Shahid, Country advisor for Nutrition, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

LAHORE (ZAHID CHUGHTAI)

Guard Agricultural Research & Services (Pvt) Ltd., Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shahzad Ali Malik has announced the launching of the “Shafi Malik Plant Breeders” award with a cash reward of Rs 30 million for the agricultural scientists developing a high-yielding seed. The award is announced for the breeders of wheat, cotton and rice crops and winners will share Rs 10 million each. The product must exhibit acceptance among farmers, millers and the market and perform as per its traits for consecutive three years, the announcement said. Malik’s company has the credit of introducing rice hybrid in the country, and will bear the funds for these awards. The award will go to the individuals and not to any organization irrespective of the affiliation of the breeder with the private or public sector. Announcing the initiation of the award at a media conference at his office, Shahzad Ali Malik (SI) who is also Chairman of Rice Research & Development Board Punjab said the award was being issued to support the most ignored segment in the agricultural value chain i.e., “breeders” which could bring about a revolution in the sector by evolving new high yielding seed varieties with resistance against different diseases and climatic changes. The Company’s senior Executive Seed Division Momin Ali Malik, GM (Agriculture) Rizwan Younis and senior officials of the company were also present on this occasion. Malik said we direly need to grow more to feed our ever-increasing population and make an available surplus for export more to fetch much-needed foreign exchange. He quoted a survey in the media which claimed that the availability of land per capita was also decreasing in Pakistan. So we need to grow more per acre instead of increasing the area under any specific crop, he observed. He highlighted that out of five major field crops Rice, Maize, Cotton, Wheat and Sugar Cane, only two crops, Rice and Maize performed well due to high-yield varieties with the main contribution by the Private Sector. He said both crops helped Pakistan achieve local demand, export earnings and import substitution. Maize was seeing phenomenal growth due to contributions by foreign companies while rice’s success story was due to efforts by the national companies including his own company which paved the way for hybrid rice seed in the country. He said the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan “REAP” took the lead and approved an incentive of Rs. 10 million for the rice breeders in 2021 and the new award will be in addition to that. Malik urged the All Pakistan Textiles Mills Association “APTMA” and Pakistan Flour Mills Association “PFMA” to also come forward and announce lucrative incentives for breeders of Cotton and Wheat. Likewise, the Government should also encourage Plant Breeders with lucrative awards and suggested that at the government level cash award should be 50 million. Pakistan is currently importing cotton, wheat, edible oil, pulses and other agro-commodities to the tune of approximately 14-15 billion dollars annually. The introduction of higher-yielding varieties in these crops through incentivizing breeders would result in import substitution and help in substantially reducing the trade deficit. GUARD’s Research & Development Chief Dr. Abdur Rasheed and Chinese company Yuan Longping representative Mr. Long also threw light on efforts being made by them for evolving new high-yielding extra long-grain and basmati varieties with resistance to diseases, drought and heat. They said the government had approved two varieties recently which 30 per cent more yield than the traditional varieties and elongation of 8.2 mm. They said they were also working on Basmati hybrid and Cotton hybrid with different Chinese agricultural organizations.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)

Nutshell Conferences Group and Martin Dow Group, in strategic partnership with Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), and Unity Foods Limited, concluded the 6th Edition of the LEADERS IN ISLAMABAD BUSINESS SUMMIT; this year’s theme was “The BIG Rethink,” with a pledge to revisit and rethink the way we work and the way we live.

The second day of the Summit saw 4 sessions, which comprised 11 addresses, 2 conversations and 2 panel discussions; topics varied from the digital future to the landscape of education, and from shaping narratives to climate change.

Senator Sherry Rehman, Federal Minister for Climate Change, spoke about going green for safety and survival. “Pakistan produces plastic trash equivalent to the might of two K2 mountains annually, and having signed the plastic treaty in Paris recently, I would request at least the big hotels to get rid of the plastic bottles that they’re serving water in.”

In a conversation with Mosharraf Zaidi, Founder, Tabadlab, Senator Rehman pushed the local pollution agenda as strongly as the international one, and she stated that Pakistan’s adaptive capacity for compliance with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is in question. Despite being a low emitter, Pakistan is a frontline state for climate change. She defined corporate CSR as too limited for the required effect. She stressed that more needs to be done for inclusivity, and rethink is in order. She urged media organizations to stop politicizing climate change and give sufficient space to discourse around it.  

Gen Zubair Mahmood Hayat, N.I. (Rtd), Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (2016- 2019), spoke on the power of narratives and raised pertinent questions about how, as a nation, Pakistanis need to build a narrative for a better future. The way our Holy Prophet PBUH changed it, the way Martin Luther King changed it, and the way Nelson Mandela changed it. “We are required to think deeply around our political, social, and economic aspects. We need to come out of our comfort zones and take up bigger ideas instead of taking baby steps. We must match our policies with execution and take ownership of our political, national, and individual narrative.”

“Imagineering – The Future of Education” proved to be an insightful dialogue. Eminent educationist Shafqat Mahmood, Former Federal Minister for Education; joined online. Dr. Amjad Waheed, Chief Executive Officer, NBP Funds and Puruesh Chaudhary, Founder & President, AGAHI, also shared their insights about the changing landscape of academia and the urgency around flipping the mode to student-centered. 

Shafqat Mahmood stressed that the Government has to intervene; “Focus on both skill-based education and a unified national curriculum are important to reduce the divide between the haves and the have-nots, secure the future of this country by ensuring social mobility for all.”

Dr. Amjad Waheed shared the worrisome statistics for the out-of-school children; “Out of the 53 million children, 23 million are out of school. Brick-and-mortar schools are not the solution with a shortage of teachers and funds.” Mosharraf Zaidi summed up the conversation by asserting the fact that education cannot be a one-time discussion over a two-day summit; it needs to be the thread that connects all discussions.

“The Digital Future – Emerging Issues” had 6 illustrious speakers delivering individual addresses by Muhammad Salman Anjum, Founder & CEO, InvoiceMate, UAE; Jouni Keranen, Executive Chairman, Kuuhubb & Partner, swissOne Capital; Oscar Ramos, General Partner, SOSV, Managing Director, Orbit Startups; Jimmy Nguyen, CEO, Blockchain for All, and Michael Foley, Regional Director, Airtel Africa. The topics ranged from Metaverse to Blockchain, as well as leadership and collaborative models. Zouhair Khaliq, Founder & General Partner, Teamup Ventures, summed up the learnings of the session in his speech.

Michael Foley spoke at length about the potential of the Metaverse and emphasized that Pakistan has immense untapped potential if it is fully explored. “Metaverse is the environment where users can immerse themselves and achieve greatness. People interact and can exchange ideas which shows the current trends of the emerging markets.”

Muhammad Salman Anjum stressed on the need to build trust between banks, investors, and SMEs so they can conduct transactions with ease. “We use Blockchain and AI, not just because these are buzz words, but because theyensure efficiency of processes and effective fraud detection. With InvoiceMate, we will be playing the role of an aggregator and would be looking after due diligence to ensure a seamless process between banks and businesses.”

Jouni Keranen said; “The BIG Rethink means celebration of failures, because people miss out on successes when they refuse to take risks because they keep limiting themselves.”

Oscar Ramos appreciated transformation and said that it does not happen in a vacuum. “In transformation, all aspects are impacted. The embedded financing influences health, education, sectors which are of sheer importance for all.”

Jimmy Nguyen encouraged people to find new ways to learn and shared various experiences where countries learnt from disruption. “If we look at Vietnam, e-learning came around 2006/2007 but it accelerated greatly during and due to Covid-19, and as of now there are more than 100 start-ups in Ed-tech in the country.”

Zouhair Khaliq shared his optimism. “There is no dearth of hardworking people in Pakistan, and it is encouraging to see start-ups participating in the rethink. The fountain of growth in Pakistan is not the academia and the think tanks; instead, it’s the start-ups that are growing like mushrooms in this country.”

Another sub-theme, “Imagineering the Future,” saw an array of specialists addressing the audience, including Dr. Rehan Al Taji, Founder & CEO, PXDX FZ LLC, UAE and Partner & Head of Projects, Gabriel Jobs, KSA; Kabeer Naqvi, President & CEO, U Microfinance Bank Limited; Ghazanfar Azzam, President & CEO, Mobilink Microfinance Bank Limited; Abdul Haseeb, Managing Director, TMC; and Farhan Hassan, Head of Easypaisa Wallet Business. The Dialogue was moderated by Usman Yousuf, Director, Nutshell Communications; Chairman, ProPakistani; Co-founder, K-Cap Ventures and CEO, Interactive UAE. The panelists agreed on the need for financial inclusion in Pakistan and changing rigid views around conventional modalities. 

Kabeer Naqvi said that social inclusion is necessary to achieve financial inclusion. “We have faced situations where women were given less amount as a loan compared to their male counterparts, and I have intervened to address this issue.”

Dr. Rehan Ali Taji felt that governments need to give ease to start-ups to foster a culture of innovation. “We need to educate and advocate for new technology because if we do not adopt, we will be left behind. Saudi Arabia has introduced tax exemption to encourage new businesses in technology to pave ways for investors to bring forward innovation.”

Ghazanfar Azzam listed three factors that determine the level of development in any society as access to education, healthcare, and finance. “The areas we need to focus now revolve around providing credit facilities to our consumers, they should have various options to choose from and they should be able to avail this facility from the ease of their homes and offices.”

Farhan Hassan threw light on the structures of Fintech apps and said that there are many factors that affect success. “Essentially any Fintech app cannot work in isolation. We are bound to collaborate with other institutions to use our services and offer financial inclusion to the end users.”

Abdul Haseeb said that, as Pakistanis, we really need to work towards producing talent. “Corporate organizations need to give opportunities to the youth, and the youth must also benefit from various software that do not necessarily need a state-of-the-art setup to earn for themselves.”

The session titled “Emerging Issues” comprised individual addresses by Dereck Hoogenkamp, CEO, Yalla Limited & Co-Founder, Ascended; Mark Linder, Founder Amöl Projects, Market Development, NEOM Design & Construction; and Ron Thomas, Managing Director, Strategy Focus Group, USA & UAE.

Derek Hoogenkamp insisted on Pakistanis realizing the rich resources that they have inherited and how each has a scope of becoming a good business on the virtual and actual platforms.” Pakistan’s North has immense potential for tourism and people need to take it seriously.’’

Mark Linder spoke on TAKT – an assembly line formula that helped the build of giants like Toyota. “Pakistan is ripe for collaborative models that can bring in expedited progress at half the cost.”

An interesting conversation on “The BIG Rethink” between Tauseef H. Farooqi, Chairman, NEPRA and Sajjeed Aslam, Regional Lead Public Affairs – Asia Pacific, ACCA, had the former talk about his journey at NEPRA and the measures he has taken to uplift the energy sector; “The power sector in Pakistan has gone through major transformation in terms of reducing the electrocution cases, increasing the number of women in the workforce, and expanding the customer base.”

The vote of thanks was delivered by Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman (Rtd.), Pakistan’s Chief of Air Staff (2015-2018). He thanked the speakers, guests, sponsors, and the audience for their energetic engagement both days of the Summit. “Pakistan’s potential is not in question; the willingness of people to make the change is. We all need to understand the threats of climate change and appreciate the efficiency of technology that can help us not only combat the danger, but expand our footprint in the economic sphere. Rethink is in order.”

LIIBS 2023 brought together more than 50 speakers from national and international organizations from a variety of sectors. This Summit is the largest and most sought-after corporate event of the country. At the end of the Summit, Muhammad Azfar Ahsan, Founder & CEO, Nutshell Group, announced the dates for the 7^th Edition of LEADERS IN ISLAMABAD BUSINESS SUMMIT, as March 6 and 7, 2024.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)

Every now and then smartphones serve as a personal gateway to all sorts of entertainment outlets. Which is why it is quite important to choose a right smartphone that enables a power packed entertainment experience just like Infinix SMART 7 series.

While the series is about to launch soon, let’s quickly have a look on what are the important things to consider while finding the right smartphone:

Entertainment Preferences

Rather it’s about playing games, watching movies, reading an e-book or making never ending calls; entertainment preferences differs from one user to another. Either identifying what has been keeping you entertained on your smartphone can help finding the right smartphone. Or a simpler way would be choosing a dedicated entertainment smartphone just like SMART 7 series which checkmarks all entertainment scenarios entirely.

Display type

A pre-requisite to all entertainment scenarios, smartphone display can make or break the whole viewing experience. For instance, 6.6’’ HD+ sunlight readable display enables users to use the smartphone in any given lightening condition thereby bringing out an immersive viewing experience altogether. It is yet also quite comfortable to watch content or use phone even in broad day light.

Performance and Power  

For a refreshing performance, it’s preferred to have a minimum of 4GB expanded RAM available such that multiple tasks can be achieved all at once. An extended RAM of upto 7GB in SMART 7 series aids in seamless multitasking whereas a 5000mAh bigger battery encourages a carefree usage experience altogether. Thereby making it an avid choice for users who are looking for a durable yet power packed smartphone.

Precisely, right smartphone can be found by identifying entertainment preferences, assessing display quality, evaluating performance, and ensuring sufficient battery life such as Infinix SMART 7 series which is the right most choice among entertainment smartphones available in the market.

So, it’s better to stay tuned in order to find more about Infinix SMART 7 series!