Category: Education

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) The Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi and the Akhuwat Foundation, have joined hands to support the Institute’s deserving yet meritorious students to pursue their higher education.

The Executive Director, IBA Karachi, Dr. S Akbar Zaidi and Founder, Akhuwat Foundation, Dr. Muhammad Amjad Saqib signed an MoU at the Foundation’s headquarter in Lahore. Through this 5-year agreement, Akhuwat Foundation will provide Qarz-e-Hasna to selected 3rd and 4th year IBA students.  Under the arrangement, selected students will be able to avail interest free loans of up to PKR 125,000.

Dr. Zaidi thanked Dr. Saqib and appreciated Akhuwat’s efforts to support the youth of the country in pursuing education and remove financial impediments in this pursuit. They also discussed mutual avenues of interest and vowed to strengthen the relationship between the two organizations to further the mission of making higher education accessible to the masses.

Every year, the IBA, supports around 30% of its student body through its financial assistance program ensuring that the maximum students benefit from quality education at the IBA.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) LUMS hosted its first-ever virtual homecoming event, which brought together the growing alumni community from all corners of the world. The much-awaited annual event held during April 08-10, 2021, consisted of a variety of exclusive online activities that connected the alumni from all over the world.

The reimagined activities ranging from a virtual campus tour to conversations with the nation’s favorite singers and cricketers, interactions with faculty members to a master class on Pakistani cinema, poetry recitals to fireside chats with LUMS leadership, and much more kept the audience engaged during the three-day event.

The ‘Give a Day to LUMS’ campaign was also launched by the institution during this event which encouraged the alumni to contribute as little as a day’s income from their annual incomes for scholarships. The drive intends to resolve the financial worries of highly talented students coming from across the country, by helping them acquire the required skills at LUMS to become pioneering change makers.

A zealous participation by the alumni was witnessed during this period as they reflected on their Luminite experience, educational success, and the lifelong friendships and relationships they had formed at the University. Perspectives on navigating through the job market and starting up own ventures after graduation were also shared by the former students during these sessions. Moreover, Adeel Hashmi, moderated some of the sessions and kept the audiences entertained with his witty discourse and charismatic appeal.

The viewers were also fascinated by conversations of the founders of LUMS, Founding Pro-Chancellor, Syed Babar Ali, Pro-Chancellor, Abdul Razak Dawood, Founder and member of the LUMS Governing body, Dr. Parvez Hassan, and Rector, Shahid Hussain during the Founder’s Friday session, as they reflected on their long association with the institution.

While reflecting on the institution’s incredible progress during the 35 years of its establishment, Founding Pro-Chancellor of LUMS, Syed Babar Ali associated it to the hardworking faculty and alumni by saying, “A university is not recognized by its building or logo, rather what comes out of it by way of students. The credit for this goes to the faculty who nurture and teach them. We want to celebrate our alumni and keep in touch with them. We want to learn from them and also make sure that they are a source of pride and credit to their families, the environment they come from, and to Pakistan.”

Staying true to its tradition, the Vice Chancellor’s Alumni Achievement Awards were also bestowed to eight individuals. The awardees shared their success stories with everyone and expressed sincere appreciation for the honor, while vowing to continue serving to the best of their abilities.

Speaking about the importance of Alumni Achievement Awards, Vice Chancellor, Dr. Arshad Ahmad said, “These awards are given to the alumni for bringing honor to the legacy of excellence of LUMS. In recognition of their exemplary accomplishments across various sectors, and services rendered in communities at a national/international level, the institution feels proud to celebrate their achievements in the most meaningful way with the world.”

LUMS successfully did away with the constraints imposed by distances to provide everyone the opportunity to be a part of its first virtual Alumni Homecoming event. The alumni also held the institution’s efforts in high estimation to bring the event to them at a time when it couldn’t be held physically on campus, due to current pandemic.

A majority of activity sessions were broadcasted live on Facebook and these can be viewed at the institution’s official page.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Veteran journalist Zia Shahid passed away on Monday 12th April after a prolonged illness in Lahore. He was 78 years old. Shahid had been undergoing treatment for kidney & heart-related ailment at Shaikh Zayed Hospital for the last two weeks.

Zia Shahid’s funeral prayers will be offered at N-Block ground, Model Town, here at 4.20pm on Today. Zia Shahid was blessed with a creative mind, which helped him in excelling from a common media worker to owner of a media house. He was the editor-in-chief of Roznama Khabrain – an Urdu daily – and Channel Five. His Newspaper Khabrain became the voice of people and its slogan “ Jahan Zulm Wahan Khabrain” still popular in journalistic circles. He is also mentor of many leading journalist currently working in Pakistani media.

The seasoned journalist remained associated with various publications during his illustrious career. People belonging to different walks of life including journalist and politicians expressed grief over the death of the senior journalist.

News Update Time stands with family of Zia Shahid in this difficult time and also pays rich tribute to journalistic brilliance of Zia Shahid sb. His bravery and creative style will be missed for a long time.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Coca-Cola joins hands with Rizq to share meals with Pakistanis who need them the most. The partnership begins in Ramazan and extends well beyond the holy month aimed to make Pakistan more food secure. A much-loved brand, Coca Cola reconnects Pakistanis to those in society they may not be familiar with – strangers, neighbors they don’t see often and people in the margins of society. Pakistan’s generosity combined with the Ramazan spirit creates a fantastic time to carry forth the mission to make ‘giving and sharing’ an everyday practice under the slogan – “Ao ehad karain: Mil kar bhook mitayain.”

The pledge is to sponsor a free meal for every Coca-Cola product sold in the market during Ramadan – share a Coke, share a meal. The initiative is part of a multi-faceted food donation campaign inviting everyone to celebrate the idea of togetherness, giving and solidarity.

According to UN’s World Food Program, about 135 million people globally suffer from acute hunger. Moreover, the Covid-19 pandemic impact has doubled this number making the challenge staggering – In Pakistan alone, about 8 million are going to bed hungry and children under the age of 5 years face severe malnutrition. This makes it imperative to roll out the effort to mitigate hunger, first by raising awareness and then by encouraging everyone to contribute to the cause.

While highlighting his vision, Fahad Ashraf, VP and General Manager for Pakistan & Afghanistan region at The Coca-Cola Export Corporation said, “Our brand value of togetherness and sharing resonates strongly with our partner, Rizq. The idea here is to nudge every Pakistani to join the fight against hunger by making it effortless to contribute. Our promise is to not just create a limited impact, but also approach the problem of food insecurity from a community perspective, one that we hope outlasts the campaign.”

Rizq is Pakistan’s leading food sustainability and social welfare enterprise. Speaking about the partnership with Coca-Cola, Qasim Javaid, Co-Founder of Rizq said, “Pakistan has the potential to become a rich breadbasket of the world, yet this potential remains untapped as majority of its population remains food insecure. Through this campaign we will use Coca-Cola’s nationwide outreach and our on-ground executional excellence to deliver free meals for millions during Ramadan.  We are grateful to Coca-Cola for supporting us to in this noble mission of creating a hunger-free Pakistan.”

At Coca‑Cola, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are championed as an important framework for collective action and impact on the systemic challenges our world faces. Coca‑Cola has long embraced cross-sector collaboration as a best practice for addressing global challenges, as exemplified through meaningful partnerships and programs, many of which align with the SDGs. The above initiative is in line with UN’s SDG number 2 titled ‘Zero Hunger’ which is aiming to end acute hunger by the year 2030.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Telenor Pakistan has set a new precedent for enabling women’s education and digital literacy by training 1,100 women as part of the World Bank’s Girls Learn Women Earn (GLWE) initiative. As part of the programme,1,100 women were trained in digital skills including, solving business problems and upskilling women/girls in utilising digital tools to help scale their businesses.

While women make up half of the country’s population, unfortunately the share of girls among out-of-school children is even higher at 53%. Women’s labour participation in the country rests at 29% and only 1% of women engage in entrepreneurship. This was the core focus of the GLWE initiative and in order to achieve the committed targets, Telenor Create, the design academy at Telenor Pakistan, developed a customised curriculum to train and enable aspiring women entrepreneurs on digital skills.

Speaking on the development, Khurrum Ashfaque, Chief Operating Officer, Telenor Pakistan stated; “The challenges that we face today require collaborative efforts from all stakeholders, and at Telenor Pakistan, we’ve always considered it our responsibility to create meaningful impact in the society. Women’s education and empowerment is one of the pressing challenges and we are proud that through this project, we have successfully brought about positive changeand empowered 1,100 female entrepreneurs to realise their dreams.”

Out of 1,100 trained females, 770 participated from different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Malakand, Swabi and Charsadda. Moreover, urban female participants were upskilled with industry knowledge and relevant skills to enhance their employability and enable them to create a more human-centered business. After successfully bringing ‘Girls Learn Women Earn’ to a glorious conclusion in collaboration with the World Bank, Telenor Pakistan continues to stay committed to leveraging technology and its digital expertiseto promote diversity and inclusion across the country.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-Pakistan) have joined hands to commemorate Earth Day 2021 aiming to promote awareness about climate risks, shedding light on key environmental issues and concerns and inspiring collaborative action among citizens to address these challenges. Focusing on how professional accountants can collaborate with conservationists to better understand and manage natural capital by preserving its value and help organisations become more environmentally-aware and sustainable, ACCA and WWF-Pakistan are jointly holding a virtual webinar featuring prominent leaders from across the Middle East and South Asia region. Jimmy Greer, Head of Sustainability, ACCA, Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General, WWF-Pakistan, and Dr Eric Wikramanayake, Senior Conservation Scientist are among the conversation leaders. Emphasising on the role of finance as a profession in promoting sustainable business practices, the head of ACCA Pakistan, Sajjeed Aslam, stated ‘Finance professionals have a key role to play in any organisation’s journey of sustainability as there is an urgent need for them to fully understand the interconnectivity between financial capital and natural capital, recognizing that failing to do so is raising reputational, physical and transitional risks.” Moreover, commenting on the collaboration with ACCA, Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General, WWF-Pakistan said ‘WWF-Pakistan and ACCA in Pakistan have previously worked together in introducing the Pakistan Environmental Reporting Awards (PERA) that resulted in greater adoption of sustainable reporting by the corporate sector in the country. We are happy to be collaborating with them again on a regional level to start a dialogue about the serious climate and environmental risks our communities and economies face.’ Globally, ACCA has been working in the sustainability field since the early 1990s and, for example, it has a 20-year record in promoting sustainability reporting. ACCA believes businesses would best be able to deliver enhanced sustainable performance if they embrace transparency and effectively measure their impacts. ‘Increasingly, professional accountants will be involved in the assessment and pursuit of sustainable development goals (SDG)-related opportunities, understanding the wider context of operating in more complex markets, where sustainable development issues lie at the heart of value creation. Therefore, it’s absolutely critical to involve finance professionals and provide them with all the tools and support.’ said Arif Masud Mirza FCCA, Regional Head of Policy – MESA, ACCA On the Earth Day 2021, ACCA will also be launching an online Sustainability Hub to provide finance professionals around the world with access to highly relevant resources and knowledge enabling them to rise to this global challenge and make a difference. Last year ACCA renewed its commitment to UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Recognising the importance of the 17 interconnected SDGs, ACCA says its commitments demonstrate that ACCA and its community can make the most significant contribution towards nine of them. These include offering access to quality finance and accountancy education that is free from artificial barriers, committing to ‘net zero’ carbon emissions by 2030, and working in partnership to build an inclusive global profession that supports the development of ethical, sustainable and successful businesses and economies. South Asia and the Middle East are amongst the most vulnerable regions impacted by climate change and countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are already paying a significant price as a result of frequent river, coastal and urban flooding that is only increasing as our planet becomes warmer, putting livelihoods of millions in peril. In Bangladesh alone, one-third of the population is at risk of displacement because of the rising sea level. Strict enforcement of the COP-21 Paris Agreement on climate change in Sri Lanka, the Billion Tree Tsunami initiative in Pakistan and the recently announced ‘Middle East Green Initiative’ by Saudi Arabia are some of the examples showing that the region is committed to playing its part in this global fight. The collaboration between ACCA and WWF-Pakistan will help the respective governments in the region in getting greater support for the corporate sector as they become more aware about the climate risks and realise the significance of their contributions.

“Eco-system is not conducive for companies to work optimally; utilities corridors are the need of the hour” – Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, K-Electric

“Empower the youth, more than helping them” – Co-Founder, Balochistan Youth Action Committee

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) The first International Virtual Conference on Economics and Sustainable Development organized by the School of Economics and Social Sciences at the IBA Karachi, in collaboration with the Centre for Business and Economic Research, successfully concluded with an interactive session on ‘Contribution of Youth in Social Development’ and a doctoral symposium.

Earlier, a panel discussion on ‘Urban Resilience and Impact on Utility Services’ featuring Dr. Javed Younas, Professor of Economics at American University of Sharjah, Dr. Noman Ahmed, Dean Faculty of Architecture and Management Sciences, NED University of Engineering and Technology and Ms. Sadia Dada, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, K-Electric.

Dr. Younas opined that our government services departments are ill-equipped to provide sufficient services to the people of Karachi. He held the authorities responsible for lack of provision of services resulting in the city’s dysfunction in the event of natural disasters.

Ms. Dada informed the audience that 75% of Karachi today does not experience load-shedding, adding that the illegal encroachment in the city is leading to safety impairment. She said that the eco-system is not conducive for companies to work optimally and that utility corridors are the need of the hour.

Dr. Ahmed recommended that the physical existence of service delivery corridors should be notified to the public and a comprehensive plan needs to be put in place to create awareness about the rights of the consumers and utilities service providers.

The final day of the 3-day conference began with an online session on ‘Contribution of Youth in Social Development’, featuring Mr. Sikander Bizenjo, Co-Founder, Balochistan Youth Action Committee. Mr. Bizenjo spoke at length about the role that the youth of Pakistan has played in uplifting the society and social development.

Addressing the audience, Mr. Bizenjo shared his journey of how his team helped people in far-flung areas of Balochistan when the Covid-19 pandemic hit. “We have a lot of inequalities in Pakistan; not every individual has the same exposure, the same level of interest and education. One thing that distinguishes our country is that 60% of the population is under the age of 30 and that is a huge potential for our country,” he added.  

The session was followed by Doctoral Symposium Presentations, where the participants showcased their research and discussed the goals, methods, and results of their research. A prize distribution ceremony was held at the closing ceremony, where Symposium Awards were given to successful participants.

Notable speakers including Dr. Lant Pritchett, University of Oxford, Mr. Yasuyuki Sawada, Chief Economist, Asian Development Bank, Mr. Knut Ostby, Resident Representative, UNDP Pakistan, Dr. Miftah Ismail, former Federal Minister for Finance, and other eminent scholars and experts shared their expert opinion in various sessions held over the three days of the conference.

1st International Virtual Conference on “Economics and Sustainable Development” at the IBA Karachi

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) Governor Sindh, H.E. Mr. Imran Ismail, inaugurated the 1st International Conference on “Economics and Sustainable Development” hosted virtually by the School of Economics and Social Sciences at the IBA Karachi, in collaboration with the Centre for Business and Economic Research.

In his speech, the Governor Sindh spoke at length on the devastating impact of Covid-19 and the hardships faced by Pakistani households. “The households adopted adverse coping strategies to deal with this shock. They reduced their expenditure on health, and education and switched to lower quality or decreased quantity of food. In this context, I appreciate the lead taken by the IBA to discuss and bring to the table the economic and social issues in the current times.”

The Executive Director, IBA Karachi, Dr. S Akbar Zaidi, highlighted the reason for organizing the conference, “There is a need for us to think about why Pakistan’s economy is not doing well and understand a wide range of explanation for our present imbroglio. This extensive conference will touch upon current macroeconomic concerns and help policymakers in making informed decisions on matters related to inequality, economic growth and development”.

Later, celebrated economist and accomplished author, Dr. Lant Pritchett from the University of Oxford delivered the keynote address. In his speech, Dr. Pritchett spoke at length on state capability and the major role that governments and policymakers play in the development process, constantly introducing reforms and policies to achieve developmental objectives. Many of these interventions have limited impact, and reveal gaps in capabilities, and weaknesses in the process of building state capability.

Dr. Pritchett highlighted that state capability is central to achieving higher levels of human wellbeing outcomes in some ways even more important than growth. “In a centralized system all the sub-units, whether political or administrative, are compliance driven, however, in highly regulated, weak capability states, making the law stronger reduces compliance.” Dr. Pritchett presented a Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation process which empowers people working in governments to find and fit solutions to the problems they face and help the governments in building state capabilities.

Technical parallel sessions followed Dr. Pritchett’s address, where PhD scholars and leading researchers presented their papers on a variety of topics ranging from free-trade challenges for Pakistan to fiscal challenges in South-Asian countries.

The day will conclude with a panel discussion on “Growth and Economic Stability: Challenges and Prospects” featuring renowned speakers including Dr. Miftah Ismail, former Federal Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs, Dr. Nadeem-ul-Haque, Vice Chancellor, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics and former Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, Mr. Sakib Sherani, CEO Macro Economic Insights & Member of the Economic Advisory Council, and Mr. Asim Bashir Khan, PhD Scholar at the IBA Karachi.

 

 

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) In continuation of its social empowerment efforts, Pakistan’s digital services leader and CSR frontrunner, Zong 4G, has joined hands with Dur-e-Yateem Welfare Trust Orphanage for Girls in Rawalpindi. As part of its support, Zong 4G established a digital lab and offered digital vocational training to the girls of the orphanage in order to up-skill them and enhance their employability in today’s increasingly digital job market.

The Digital Vocational Center being set up by Zong at Dur-e-Yateem Welfare Trust Orphanage for girls educated girls aged 16-25 years on digital learning for freelancing and earning a livelihood with respect and dignity while staying at home amid the current pandemic. These young girls were trained on how to work with freelancing websites such as Fiverr, YouTube, Google AdSense, Article and Blog writing, Instagram, graphic designing, Photoshop, video editing, audio editing, mixing, voiceovers, and more.

“Pakistan is undergoing a swift digital transformation that is led by Zong being the country’s digitalization frontrunner,” shared Zong’s official spokesperson. “This makes it imperative for our youth, girls and boys alike, to become digitally- savvy and equipped with the right skills to enhance their employability in these competitive times. We hope that these young and talented girls of Dur-e-Yateem Welfare Trust Orphanage will not only prove to be fast learners but will also gain financial independence to stand on their own feet.”

“We thank Zong for their kind support that is unique in a way that it prepares our young girls for the jobs of today so they can go out and earn with respect and dignity.We want these girls to stand on their own feet, be able to support themselves and raise their own families, and become active and contributing members of the society. I’m confident that Zong’s support will make that happen.” shared Abu Bakr, Dur-e-Yateem Welfare Trust Orphanage for Girls.

Besides being a leading connectivity partner for Pakistanis, Zong 4G also leads corporate social responsibility and support to Dur-e-Yateem orphanage is a testament to that commitment. The company also extended support to the SOS Children’s Village, Bint-e-Fatima Old Home in Karachi, and more in the recent past. Zong’s proactive Covid-19 response has also been highly effective and helpful for Pakistanis.

Earlier a vocational training scholarship program and undergraduate program was also launched for the youth of District Lakki Marwat

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) In continuation to support education in Pakistan and provide affordable education for the deserving students, Lucky Cement Limited has launched yet another scholarship program for the youth of District Lakki Marwat.

Under this program, the eligible students can apply for scholarships for graduate and post-graduate programs. The Company will cover the tuition fee expense of the selected students.

Students residing permanently and holding domicile of District Lakki Marwat can apply for the program through Company’s website. The program offers an opportunity for the students from this district to attain a degree from leading universities of Pakistan including NUST, LUMS & IBA. Students can apply for various disciplines including Business Management, Engineering & Medical.

The aim of the program is to make education accessible and affordable for deserving students especially from the rural areas regardless of their financial background.

Continuing with its long-term vision to provide merit-based support for the deserving and less privileged segments of the society, the Company has granted a number of scholarships to various students of leading universities in Pakistan. Furthermore, to empower women through education the Company has been supporting two leading Government girls’ schools in Karachi, which have been transformed into model girls’ educational institutions in collaboration with an NGO.

Recently, the Company also launched a dedicated scholarship program for the students of intermediate and as well as a vocational training program for the youth of District Lakki Marwat in which more than 150 youth appeared for the entry test. The selected students are now settled in The Hunar Foundation’s Rashidabad Branch in TandoAllahyar District. Where they will attain professional vocational training diploma in various trades. Lucky Cement Limited is covering the boarding, lodging, and tuition fee of these students with an aim to empower them for financial independence and for strengthening their social and economic status so they can contribute to the development and progress of the Country.