Category: Education

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) The Institute for Art and Culture is hosting a spectacular exhibition comprising of exquisite art work highlighting the innovative themes of modern art by seasoned artists at its campus gallery on Raiwind road Lahore. The exhibition is a collateral of the Lahore Biennale Foundation, LBF-02, and was inaugurated by Mr. Syed Shahid Ali, Chancellor of IAC on the 29 January, 2020.

It features works of distinguished artists including Risham Syed, Masooma Syed, Nusra Latif Qureshi, Sania Samad, Humaira Abid, Usman Saeed and Asif Sharif. It also provides a platform for the younger, promising lot of the Lahore art scene like Faseeh Saleem, Sadqain, Sameen Agha, Shuja ul Haq and Shahzad Ali to display their artwork for the ever- growing audience of art in the historical city of Lahore.
Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sajida Haider Vandal welcomed guests at the occasion and said that the IAC was proud to host an exhibition that aligns with the Institute’s search for an expression that moves forward combining knowledge that has been passed down to us through the centuries, with what the present-day science and technology have to offer.

The curator, Dr. Sadia Pasha Kamran, briefed the guests about The Eighth Garden exhibition, which to her is a utopian space that one desires to be in, a safe haven for the practitioners of conventional arts and crafts. She said that, “The garden is an ever-changing entity, where plants grow, yield flowers and fruits. They wilt and die and new seeds are sown and tendered. Similarly, art practices are adopted, they are appropriated they become tradition only to be replaced by the new and the novel; the modern.”

The exhibition received immense response from the audience and participants who appreciated the beautiful thematic art work. The exhibition will remain open till 20 February, 2020.

Mitsubishi UFJ Foundation and MUFG Bank

provide financial assistance to IBA, Karachi students

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Mitsubishi UFJ Foundation and MUFJ Bank awarded USD 6,000 to 8 scholars of the Institute of Business Administration, Karachi at a scholarship award ceremony held at the IBA Main Campus.

The Mitsubishi UFJ Foundation was represented by Chairman Ryosuke Tamakoshi and Managing Director Kunihiro Watanabe, while the MUFG Bank was represented by Managing Director & Country Head Hitoshi Kanahori and Managing Director Haseeb Saied. The representatives from the IBA, Karachi included Acting Executive Director Dr. Sayeed Ghani, Director Finance Moied Sultan and Director Alumni, Corporate Relations and Communications Malahat Awan.

Five students from the undergraduate programs and three students from the graduate programs received their scholarship certificates increasing the tally to 48 scholars, since the inception of the scholarship program in 2014. The IBA, Karachi is one of the two institutions to have partnered with the MUFJ foundation for supporting higher education.

Dr. Ghani informed the audience that every year, out of the 4,000 enrolled students, 1500 apply for financial assistance and the IBA is able to provide scholarship to around 900 students with the help of generous donors.   

Mr. Tamakoshi lauded the efforts of the IBA in easing the financial burden of the students and reaffirmed the commitment of MUFJ Foundation and MUFG Bank towards supporting this noble cause.

Later, the Mitsubishi delegation interacted with the students and discussed their career aspirations.

Mitsubishi UFJ Foundation is a Japan based organization that provides financial assistance to students in Japan and overseas.

Carrefour operated by Majid Al Futtaim collaborates with Miracle School Ministries to support underprivileged families in Lahore

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Majid Al Futtaim, the leading shopping mall, communities, retail, and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, has joined hands with Lahore-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) Miracle School Ministries to support fifty underprivileged families through the harsh winter season. The families, which are associated with the NGO, were provided with essential food items and warm clothing from Majid Al Futtaim’s supermarket franchise, Carrefour. Without such assistance, children are often forced to engage in child labour by working at brick kilns to provide an income for their family.

The donations by Carrefour were distributed by the Miracle School Ministries to members of the benefiting families.

The Miracle School Ministries works to protect underprivileged children — particularly those forced to work at Pakistan’s brick kilns — from child labour and other rights violations. The organisation also provides education to more than 600 children through its two schools, where it teaches the core values of dignity and self-respect to help transform students’ lives for the better.

Jean Marc Dumont, Country Manager of Carrefour Pakistan at Majid Al Futtaim Retail, commented: “Majid Al Futtaim actively seeks to make a positive contribution to the communities we operate in, and we’re pleased to partner with the Miracle School Ministries to do so in Lahore. Pakistan’s unprecedented harsh winters this year, compounded by a worrying lack of resources, threatens the safety and health of these vulnerable families. That is why Carrefour Pakistan is supporting the Miracle School Ministries by providing vital food and clothing to underprivileged families. Not only are they now able to cope with the frigid weather, their children are also spared from the gruelling labour that many are forced into.” 

Carrefour Pakistan has made a wider commitment to support underserved communities in the country through its various social support programmes. Majid Al Futtaim Retail places corporate social responsibility at the heart of everything it does, driven by its belief in operating in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.

 

PPAF launch project for small farmers in Swabi and Torghar

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund launched a project on “Enhancing Food Security through Strategic Interventions in Agriculture” in 12 union councils of districts Swabi and Torghar of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa The project aims to develop skills and knowledge of farmers on modern agricultural crop practices and facilitate setting up of agriculture value chains for improving livelihoods of small farmers. A ceremony was held in Swabi in this regard which was presided by Speaker National Assembly, Asad Qaiser, also present were representatives from government line departments, MNAs, MPAs and officials from PPAF. On this occasion cheques were also distributed among borrowers of the interest free loan component of the Government of Pakistan’s flagship Ehsaas Program for poverty alleviation.

Lauding the efforts of PPAF and its partner organizations for starting a unique initiative targeting the farmer community, Speaker National Assembly said, “Farmers are the backbone of this country. During my tenure as Speaker KPK assembly, I was closely involved in the agricultural sector. We introduced many projects for smart irrigation system and in future we hope to continue with the same zeal. Innovation in agriculture sector is a crucial and projects such as these will not only provide profitable alternative farming options to local communities but will also enhance their capacities.”

CEO Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund, Qazi Azmat Isa was also present at the launch ceremony. Speaking on this occasion, he said, “Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund has always been at the forefront of empowering people from the underprivileged communities. We are committed to achieving the sustainable development goals on poverty eradication by introducing innovative practices which could benefit people belonging to different sectors.”

Head of Programs, PPAF, Ms Simi Kamal highlighted the need for adoption of modern techniques in the agricultural sector in order to boost economic growth. “Pakistan’s GDP heavily relies on the agricultural sector and small farmers are one of the biggest assets of the country. It is pivotal for us to equip farmers about sustainable practices such as effective water utilization so they can maximize output and use resources wisely. This project shall lay a solid foundation for all of us”

The project which is being implemented by PPAF partner organizations namely CERD and IDEA has been designed to address the critical issue of poor crop productivity and low economic return. As part of the project, activities are planned to ensure efficient water input and improved agricultural value chains. Community institutions will be formed along with establishment of field schools for farmers where they can be educated on sustainable practices. Additionally, modern agricultural enterprises will also be formulated for community institutions.

PPAF is also implementing the interest free loan component of  the Ehsaas program through its partner organizations. Loans worth Rs. 16.65 billion have been disbursed so far to 490,122 borrowers. 45% of the borrowers being women. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone, interest free loans of around Rs. 1,249.98 million have been rolled out to more than 39,956 borrowers. The initiative draws funds from the Government of Pakistan, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

In total Rs 42.65 billion have been set aside for 110 districts across the country under the Ehsaas Program. The amount will impact 16.28 million people with 50% women including youth, persons with disabilities, transgender, minorities and marginalized communities. During the next 4 years, as many as 3.8 million interest free loans will be provided to 2.28 million households. In total, 14.7 million people will benefit from this component. The program is being executed through Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) and Akhuwat.

As one of the largest sources of pro-poor spending in the country, the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund is the lead agency for poverty reduction in Pakistan. It embodies the spirit of public-private partnership to address the multi-dimensional issues of poverty with a view to achieving social and economic change. PPAF outreach extends throughout Pakistan as it has partnered with 130 organizations working in over 100,000 villages/settlements with more than 133,000 community organizations and 440,000 credit/common interest groups at the grassroots level in 137 districts.

 

 

 

 

 

IBA-CICT to participate in Digital Pakistan Conference as an Academic Strategic Partner

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) The Institute of Business Administration, Karachi’s Center for Information and Communication Technology (IBA-CICT) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AMFCO Technologies to participate as an academic strategic partner in the Digital Pakistan Conference. The conference will be held on April 15, 2020 at a private hotel in Karachi. The ceremony was attended by C-level executives from a number of organizations.

Sharing his views on this occasion, Director IBA ICT and CICT, Imran Batada said, “As we know that the world has entered into the fourth revolution which is driven by new technologies such as Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, Block Chain, Internet of Things (IoT), Machine Learning etc, therefore, it is high time for Pakistan to bridge the gap in order to achieve the goals. Digital Pakistan Conference is not ‘just-another-conference’ but through this platform we would like to contribute to the government’s agenda of digitalizing Pakistan.”

CEO AMFCO Technologies, Maroof Ayub said, “Digital Pakistan Conference envisions a digital Pakistan which will be characterized with e-governance, digital schilling and its implementation, and utilization of latest technologies. We are really glad to collaborate with the IBA, Karachi for the first time to organize this conference. We hope that this conference will provide digital awakening in Pakistan.”

Digital Pakistan Conference will aspire globally successful entrepreneurs, technology experts, and leaders, and help in bringing them together to showcase the potential of Pakistan as a tech-hub. The conference will explore five main pillars of digitization in Pakistan including: 1) Access and Connectivity, 2) Digital Infrastructure, 3) E-Governance, 4) Digital Skilling and Literacy, 5) Innovation and Entrepreneurship. These pillars can play a pivotal role in the overall socioeconomic growth of the country. The conference will provide a platform where participants can not only share their ideas with each other, but will also provide guidelines for the government’s various projects.

The ceremony concluded with a group discussion

where the attendees shared ideas with each other.

 

ACCA highlights investment opportunities in Pakistan at Davos, stresses on sustainability and inclusivity  

Senior representatives from ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) are in Davos promoting investment opportunities in Pakistan in emerging sectors such as Shared Services and outsourcing, pushing for sustainable business practices, and focusing on the value of the accountancy profession in Pakistan and beyond at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, 21—24 January 2020 in Davos, Switzerland.

ACCA’s head of Pakistan, Sajjeed Aslam, Global head of public affairs, Anthony Walters, Council Member Ayla Majid FCCA, senior ACCA member Kabeer Naqvi FCCA, and the CEO of its Approved Learning Partner, TMUC, Chaudhry Faisal Mushtaq TI are among the key profiles representing ACCA, in addition to partner employers from Pakistan, including the Founder of Akhuwat Foundation, Dr Amjad Saqib, Wajid Mirza, Partner, Arthur Lawrence, and Irfan Muneer, Director, Din Leather (Pvt) Ltd.

ACCA’s head of Pakistan, Sajjeed Aslam is building conversations at various events in Davos-Klosters elaborating Pakistan’s potential for becoming a hub of global outsourcing and Shared Service Centres, as well as sharing the exciting economic opportunities resulting from the ongoing and planned projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Sajjeed emphasised that Pakistan is home to 4th fastest growing freelance community, and we have we’ve the 6th largest pool of engineers, finance professionals trained on global standards, and talented IT experts positioning Pakistan perfectly for becoming a hub for Shared Services.

At the main event of World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, ACCA’s global Council Member from Pakistan and newly appointed Board Member, Ayla Majid FCCA is scheduled to moderate a high profile panel discussion on global risks and environmental challenges under the theme ‘How to Save the Planet’ featuring contributions from global leaders. The Highlight speakers under this theme include Justin Trudeau, Angela Merkel, Christine Lagarde, Deepika Padukone, and Greta Thunberg. Sweden’s Foreign Minister Ann Linde, Alison Martin, CEO, Zurich Insurance Group, Eric Parrado, Chief Economist, Inter-American Development Bank, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, VC – Board of Trustees, WEF, and Salvador Gomez-Colon, Founder, Light and Hope for Puerto Rico are among the panellist who will be answering Ayla’s questions on climate change and sustainable business practices.

Ayla Majid FCCA is part of World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Energy and has written extensively on renewable energy and environmental sustainability.

In addition to engagements at the main event, ACCA is participating at the Pakistan Pavilion set up by the Pathfinder Group and Martin Dow. Under the leadership of Ikram Sehgal and Ali Akhai, Pakistan Pavilion is hosting influential world leaders and policy makers and engaging them on numerous forwarding-thinking conversation themes, including Prime Minister Imran Khan.

“Pakistan has all the right ingredients to become a hub of global trade, innovation and entrepreneurship. We have the best talent in accountancy and finance. And as a nation we have an appetite for entrepreneurship and growth that bodes well for the future. b. With foreign investment in CPEC projects and global brands setting up their Shared Service centres in Pakistan, we can surely enter an unprecedented era of economic uplift. For that to happen, we need strong presence in platforms like WEF pushing the accountancy profession and Pakistan’s case, and the role of Martin Dow and Pathfinder group is highly appreciable.” – Sajjeed Aslam, head of ACCA Pakistan

ACCA’s presence in Davos is aimed at attracting more interest in CPEC by global business leaders to amplify its economic impact for our country. ACCA has done extensive research on CPEC in Pakistan and has produced highly useful global thought leadership on China’s Belt and Road Initiative in partnership with organisations such as Shanghai Stock Exchange, Singapore Accountancy Commission, Shanghai National Accounting Institute, EY, Deloitte, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), and Pakistan-China Institute.

ACCA member Kabeer Naqvi FCCA, CEO, U Microfinance Bank spoke at a dinner organised at the Pakistan Pavilion and focused on how they are working towards promoting financial inclusion in the country and making a difference in the lives of millions of micro entrepreneurs who did not have the fundamental access to capital before the development of micro-finance industry in the country. Other speakers at the dinner included Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Sajjeed Aslam, head of ACCA Pakistan, and Governor State Bank of Pakistan Reza Baqir.

“When it comes to encouraging collaborative action on the most pressing issues facing our planet and all its inhabitants, ACCA has always been at the forefront, and leading the way. To continue representing accountancy profession at the global stage and sharing our rich, future-focused insights and forward-thinking policy recommendations, we’re in Davos this week pushing for a fairer, sustainable and inclusive world.” – Ayla Majid FCCA, Council Member, ACCA

With over 677 speakers from across the globe, The World Economic Forum is one the most popular platforms for leaders to come together to address the most pressing issues facing our world today. ACCA’s presence will mean that high profile investors are more informed on the exciting opportunities that our economy offer and get help in building meaningful partnerships with key stakeholders using ACCA’s diverse network.

With more than 219,000 fully qualified members and 527,000 students worldwide, ACCA is the world’s leading body for professional accountants which uses its unrivalled connections across the world to connect people with fulfilling careers, organisations with the best finance talent, and economies with the ingredients for growth.

Children’s agency remains at full swing at CLF Lahore

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) After the two exhilarating days of literature celebrations of Lahore, the 64thChildren’s Literature Festival (CLF) wrapped up at Children’s Library Complex on Wednesday with children’s participation and agency being the most vibrant aspects of the fun-filled event.

The two-day event organized by civil society organization Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) and sponsored by Oxford University Press (OUP) Pakistan, Open Society Foundations (OSF), Oxfam, British Council, Life Skills for Kids (LSK), Lahore Grammar School and Roots Millennium School.

The co-hosts, sponsors and partners of CLF Lahore were also pleased to see such a great turnout in the event held in the capital. They all pledged to continue their efforts in improving the means and outcomes of learning for the children.

On the second day, Amjad Islam Amjad visited CLF as a special guest and engaged with the kids on the importance of literature and creative writing. He also distributed his signature pens as a souvenir for young writers and encouraged all the aspirants to use the power of pen to change the world.

Children’s agency remained at full swing at CLF Lahore 2020 as they were at the center of the two-day festivities at the Children’s Library Complex. The literature festival received a huge response from students, teachers and the general public as over 30,000 children attended the event. Schools from distant districts like Kasur, Faislabad, Gujrat and Sheikhupura also participated in the event.

“This is not co-curricular activity but Children’s Literature Festival is Mainstream Curriculum,” said the Minister Food Punjab Sami Ullah Chaudhary, as he heard the young authors and read their writings. This was the best tribute to the Children’s Literature Festival (CLF). He further said that “CLF is indeed mainstream curriculum where reading, creativity, Science, Math, heritage, technology, theatre, music and movement is being promoted for making “Learning” happen. He said ‘when a child learns in this mode, she/he never forgets, the dots begin to connect – the truth begins to illuminate. This is an unforgettable and largest learning event for children that I have ever seen!”

At least 80 sessions were held at CLF Lahore with over 125 resource persons and 36 partner institutions who were a part of the learning activities. Learning was at the heart of the two-day festival, CLF was packed with Augment reality sessions, robotics, pottery making from Harrapa, toy making, Science Fuse, Kitabgari, Alif Laila Book Bus activities, theatre workshops, open mic sessions, Cinema Ghar, Dastan-Goi, puppet shows, book launches, science activities, STEM workshops and experiments and exhibition, panel discussions, history of coins by State Bank of Pakistan and many more activities organized for the children. Child poets from Sanjan Nagar schools impressed the audience with an energetic Moshaira. Moreover, there were insightful and thought provoking panel discussions on topics concerning children’s literature, heritage and child rights.

The second day’s morning session saw the main ground packed with children who were being entertained by non-verbal storytelling session through animations by Fauzia Minallah followed by sing-along session with Khaled Anam, a wonderful puppet show by Rafi Peer that was the main attraction of children and theater workshop by Atif Badar.

Bano Qudsia room had several panel discussions in which one of the session was about Child Protection “Hamari Hifazat Kaun Karay Ga”. During the discussion CLF Ambassador, famous host and panelist of the session Juggun Kazim, ardently stressed on the rising concerns and alarming cases of child abuse and how we all need to knit together against it. There was a unanimous spirit of spreading maximum awareness and fighting this evil to make the society more amicable for our younger generation. CLF Advisor, Rumana Husain had wonderful session on history of Lahore and its heritage, creative writing and also she launched a book named “The Winged One”.

The room titled Karwan-e-Iqbal had sessions through the day varying from storytelling to talks on Truck Art, Craft and Literature and innovative approaches to learn poetry. Suno Kahani Meri Zubaani was also there that was the main attraction to promote Urdu as a language alongside giving children valuable input on morals and ethics. Iqbal Shah from Shaman family of Kailsah joined CLF to narrate stories from the children’s literature from Kailaash.

Faiz Ghar Auditorium had theater performances by Sanjan Nagar School, puppet show by Alif Laila, drum circle, theater performances by kids, theater competition by Khaled Anam. The CLF also gave special tribute to Fehmida Riaz, the poet-author who had been associated with CLF since its inception in 2011 and wrote many beautiful books for children. While in Waris Shah ki Baithak OUP had a full-day activity on the art of bookmaking.

In other spaces CLF was packed with Augment reality sessions, robotics, pottery making from Harrapa, toy making, Science Fuse, Kitabgari and Alif Laila Book Bus activities.

ITA CEO and CLF founder Baela Raza Jamil expressed great delight over the successful event. She said that it is very encouraging to see all these young faces excited to broaden their knowledge. “This is a dream come true that we have managed two amazing days in Lahore. We encourage and celebrate the joy of literacy and welcome anyone with an interest in children’s literature to join us. The festival went really well and I am thankful to all of the sponsors and partners for their support and love,” she added.

With the success of 64th CLF held in Lahore, it has become the largest social movement for children’s learning in Pakistan. Through these interesting and interactive activities, CLF Lahore promoted the ideas of multilingualism, girls’ education, children’s literature, multiculturalism, diversity, sustainable lifestyles, tolerance, and gender equality, among others. Having a nationwide footprint with a reach of over 1.4 million children, CLFs continue to promote a culture of learning, focusing on creativity, imagination and multi-sensory stimulation, and not just on school textbooks, tests and examinations.

 

64th Children’s Literature Festival kicks off in Lahore with a bang!

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Day 1 of the two-day programme of 64th Children’s Literature Festival CLF culminated here today at the Children Library Complex Lahore, with 1000s of children, teachers and families participating with great spirit in over 50 sessions. CLF is the largest children’s learning festival of the country! Graced inclusively by government, private, and special schools it is created a positive narrative for learning through feelings and inquiry for ALL in Pakistan. Nearly 10,000 children attended the festival on the first day.

Punjab Minister Food, Sami ullah Chaudary inaugurated the 64th Children’s Literature Festival (CLF) cutting the ribbon of a beautiful installation celebrating the theme and tarana of the CLF “Hamein Kitab Chahiye”. The festival’s inauguration at the CLC Main Ground or the “Walled City Lahore Gardens – “Nai Reesan Shehr Lahore Diyan” mesmerized the entire audience with brilliant renditions by the children from Government Special School Choubarji and Shahdab School, two young authors who share their writings in Urdu and English, and the Sanjan Nagar School students of Faiz Ahmed Faiz poetry. The Minister whilst presenting the CLF Awards to longstanding CLF unique resource persons said. “Today is a very special day for me; I want to be a child once again- let us all work for the learning beyond the narrow text books culture”.

Commenting on the event, Ms. Talat Fatemah Naqvi, member of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab said, I am just awe struck at the scale and beauty of this festival – the only one of this kind in Pakistan.

Earlier Dr. Fauzia Saeed, Director General Pakistan National Cultural Academy (PNCA) invited as the Guest of Honor, said that CLF is a powerful platform that celebrates diversity and learning! She said “I am overwhelmed each time by this unique festival for children committed to enhancing the love of reading and critical thinking among children through beautifully crafted storytelling, creative writing, illustrations, theatre, music, puppet shows, digital, robotics and STEM workshops, book launches and book fairs.

The festival opened with multiple sessions taking place simultaneously making it very difficult to make choices by children and teachers alike as they hopped from one segment to another in a bid to attend as many as possible within the same time slot, learning the rich ideas of CLF!

Whilst announcing the need to celebrate learning, reading, storytelling, and children focused activities, Baela RazaJamil, CEO ITA and founder CLF said, “We are back today with the tilsm / magic of CLF all due to the efforts of over 40 amazing partners and 130 valuable and celebrity resource persons present making our children happy; multiplying the love for stories, storytelling, reading and inquiry for expanding our imagination. Good things happen when we work together for them to happen,” she said, adding that books, literature as performing arts and science as interactive inquiry of nature through all senses broadened the minds of our children and teachers to new and fresh ideas. To honor and encourage our teachers the Teachers’ Literature Festival will be held to foster professional development and multiply the CLF in the classrooms on January 23, 2020 from 9:00 -3:00 p.m.

The first day saw the Main Stage packed with kids interested in the atre conducted by Khaled Anam, AtifBadar to storytelling sessions by Suno Kahani Mari Zubaani and through the mural of love by Fauzia Minallahan open mic session for students” bolkay lab Azad hein teray” and a concert titled “Rocking Timeless Poetry by Ali Noor, Ali Hamza and Rakae Jamil”

The Shakespeare Hall held dramatic storytelling, puppet show by Alif Laila Book Bus Society, and Shair o Shairi ,Mushaira by Sanjan Nagar school students. Bano Qudsia held book launches by a 7 year old Zahra Bokhari and first time author Anam Khan along with Sign Language Facilitation and panel discussions. In Waris Shah di Baithak 1, full-day activity on the art of bookmaking was held by OUP’s team. FaizGhar Auditorium had Theatrical performance by Sanjan Nagar Students, theater performance by Rafi Peer and development through astronomy in Pakistan by Cosmic Perspectives. Digital Pakistan and Arfa Karim room featured digital various digital activates and session Safe Internet by ITA team.

Karwan-e-Iqbal held public speaking workshop, History of Lahore by Rumana Husain, Critical thinking and creativity, storytelling session of folktales of Kalaash were narrated by the ‘Shaman- .from the beautiful Kalash Valley and  Khurshid Khan an amazing school teacher from Peshawar.

The programmesat Abdus Salam hadrich learning spaces with daylong activities including robowars by Oxbridge, the amazing LHC tunnel by Khwarizmi Society, Robotronics, Science Fuse and heritage activities by State Bank of Pakistan Museum teams. Potters, paper making, wooden toys experts, arts and crafts and three mobile libraries from CLF and Alif Laila Book Bus Society enthralled everyone!

Cinema Ghar had film screenings from Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy (SOC) Films, Quaid say Batein, many others.

CLF Lahore has been generously supported by the Children Library Complex, School Education Department Punjab, Oxford University Press (OUP), Open Society Foundations, Oxfam, the British Council Library, Life Skills for Kids (LSK), Lahore Grammar School and Roots Millennium Schools.

CLF promotes creativity, imagination and responsible citizenship through multi-sensory stimulation both in and beyond classrooms and textbooks, a truly unique platform that practically illustrates ways of motivating children to learn through self-expression, tolerance and critical thinking.

CLF continues to spread the love of learning and propagation  practically as the  largest learning festival for children and teachers in Pakistan promoting multiple intelligences; being held from Mithi, Turbat and Muzaffargarh to Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi  & Islamabad since 2011-Lahore marks the 64thCLF!

Entry is free for all-Children as the VIPs of the CLF and adults must be accompanied by them.

Economic confidence sees a bounce in Pakistan for Q4 2019, finds global survey

A survey of nearly 100 senior accountancy experts on economic conditions in Pakistan shows a marked increase in economic confidence during the last three months of 2019, recovering strongly to above both its long run and recent average levels.

However, the global report Global Economic Conditions Survey (GECS), jointly published by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and IMA^® (Institute of Management Accountants) also points to an unusual economic picture for Pakistan: while confidence increased, the orders balance was weak and below average.

Explaining the situation, Sajjeed Aslam, head of ACCA Pakistan says: ‘This is unusual, but in fact it makes sense as the rise in confidence relates to progress in addressing structural imbalances while orders point to continued weak GDP growth in coming quarters.’

Results for Pakistan show:

• The focus of policy continues to be the correction of imbalances in the government and external sectors and the reduction of inflation from double digit rates to within a 5 to 7 per cent target range.
• There has been a big fall in the current account deficit, including a monthly surplus in October 2019, mainly as a result of weaker imports.
• The fiscal deficit is also declining as revenue raising measures instigated by the IMF take effect. The bad news is that inflation has increased in recent months, reaching 12.4% in December compared with just over 7% at the start of the year. Nevertheless, the State Bank of Pakistan kept interest rates on hold at 13.35% at its latest policy meeting in November.
• The outlook for the economy remains for modest growth of around 3.5% in 2020, below the long run average.

Sajjeed Aslam adds: ‘The view from Pakistan’s central bank is that temporary factors have pushed up inflation to an elevated rate, notably through food prices. As these effects diminish, inflation is likely to moderate. In addition, the State Bank of Pakistan notes that a stable currency and the end of monetary financing of government deficits have eased inflation expectations.’

The global picture

Global economic confidence bounced back in Q4 2020, to around its level in mid-2019. The global poll of 2,560 accountants shows that all key regions reported a bounce in confidence and the most confident part of the global economy was again South Asia and the Middle East.

In Q4, GECS’s inflation measure fell to the lowest level in three years at 42%. Inflation in developed and many developing economies is running at low levels. Indeed, in some cases concerns are growing that inflation is too low such that deflation cannot be ruled out

Looking ahead, the GECS report takes an in-depth year ahead look at the prospects and risks facing the global economy in 2020, predicting that after slowing in 2019 the global economy is likely to expand at a steady if modest rate this year of close to 3%. It also says that the risks of 2019 will mainly persist into 2020, including a re-escalation of trade tensions, geopolitical risks especially in the Middle East, high levels of emerging market debt and the UK-EU trading relationship post-Brexit. 

Speaking of the global picture, Michael Taylor, ACCA’s chief economist added: ‘Many risks to the global economy in 2020 are the same as in 2019, including trade tensions between the US and China, which were a major cause of slowing global growth. Recent developments in this area have been positive, but risks of a re-escalation with renewed tariff increases remain. The Middle East is the current focus of geopolitical risk although the potential for conflict here to hurt the global economy through a surge in oil prices is much reduced.’

Sajjeed Aslam concludes: ‘What our GECS Q4 2019 emphasises is the fact that individual country’s economies are hyper-connected. Social, political or fiscal movements in one country affect another, sometimes very powerfully. There are risks ahead which need to be managed very carefully, such as debt levels which are at elevated levels and rising  in many emerging markets.’

GECS Q4 2020 can be found online at: https://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/professional-insights/global-economics/GECS_Q4_2020.html