Category: Pakistan

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir) 

Pakistan Tobacco Company (PTC) Limited and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) have launched a collaborative initiative, “Throw and Grow,” to promote the greenery of Islamabad’s iconic Margalla hills. This campaign aims to engage hikers and visitors in contributing to the region’s ecological growth. At the entrance points of Trail 3 and Trail 5, stalls offering seedballs made from native species like Sukhchain, Pine, and others have been set up where staff will guide participants on how to disperse the seedballs as they hike, taking advantage of the favorable Monsoon season for rapid germination. PTC has a proven track record of community-focused activities. It operates six nurseries across Pakistan, with two in Islamabad. It has planted and distributed over 150 million saplings since 1981 through its afforestation program. This year, PTC aims to donate and plant over 2.5 million saplings across Pakistan to support afforestation efforts. Pakistan Tobacco Company (PTC) continues to encourage people from all sections of the society to join the “Throw and Grow” movement and contribute to the Margalla hills’ beauty and biodiversity!

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir)

LADIESFUND Hosts Mango-Themed Eid Milan with over 100 guests from diplomatic circles, corporate sectors, ministries, developmental agencies, press, women SMEs, celebrities, fashion designers, all dressed in yellow and orange according to the mango theme. Spotted at the event were British Deputy Head of Mission Martin Dawson, Geneva-based UNOPS’s Moin Karim Khan, Washington, DC based Natasha Dossa of IFC, Shanaz Ramzi, Atiya Khan, Majyd Aziz, Pervez Madraswalla, Saira Saigal, Sana Sharifuddin Pirzada, Faisal Kachelo, Pir Saleh, Moneeza Butt, Haseeb Khan, Khursheed Hyder, Farrukh Shahab, DIG Police Quetta Ashfaq Alam, Samina Aslam, Uzma Soomro, Nasir Shekani, Sibtain Naqvi, and Ayaz Dawood, among others. Aatikah Hussain’s Melted by A created a special mango-themed LADIESFUND cake for the occasion, as well as cake prizes for Best Dressed and Best Mango Dish, which were won by Mariam Faisal Amin and Shazleen Vahidy respectively. Igloo Pakistan has made fresh mango ice cream with pulp for guests and Vital Tea served a variety of chai. Nighat Misbah’s Depilex was Beauty Partner for the Milan.

Tara wore C’est La Vie by Saba Khan.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)

Pakistani journalist Kamal Siddiqi @Tribunian received the prestigious Journalists Courage and Impact Award today at the East-West Media Conference in Manila, Philippines. 

He was among seven recipients honored for their dedication to journalism and press freedom, often in difficult circumstances. 

Siddiqi’s insightful writing and commitment to truth have educated and inspired countless readers, setting high standards in journalism.

The citation to honour him highlighted his work in the print, digital and broadcast media and his contribution to excellence through media education and trainings. His work in regional networking of journalists and to media freedom were also mentioned. He is the first Pakistani journalist to receive this award.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir)

THAAP’s 58th talk was on the book: Nawan Sij (New Sun) A Rock Opera for Children, in Seraiki, presented by Mr Sarmad Khawaja of Zoya Science Schools. Mr. Khawaja explained that Nawan Sij combines several ideas: it is a story of a girl, in eleven songs, who wishes to know how big is the Earth and finds out in Zoya School. The lyrics are by Nawab Muztar, a teacher at Zoya school. Mr. Khawaja said above all, the book is about making the children aware of the socio-cultural realities that shape their lives, and about their capacity to transform these realities. Three video songs on this theme packed with local singing and music talent were presented to the audience who watched with rapt attention. The opera features music from around the world, including Beethoven’s Ode to Joy in the finale. Mr. Khawaja explained how Zoya Schools use posters, videos, and poems to teach abstract math concepts. They take children into the realm of abstraction step by step, starting from the concrete reality where it arose, which is the proper way to teach math. He illustrated this by taking the audience 1,500 years in the past of the northern areas of our country, where modern numbers were invented and commonly used several hundred years before they appeared in the West and showed how concepts such as heliocentrism are best explained by linking them with the everyday lives of the children. In this case with local festivals, such as Poh, which coincide with the solstices.This teaching, he said, produced Pakistan’s Pi champion Hafsa Khan of Zoya Science School Nala Khudaadad. Mr Khawaja said the example set by the eight Zoya schools, which serve over 3,000 underprivileged children, should be a model for addressing the education crisis in the country. He suggested building schools 2 kilometers apart on either side of the Indus river to reach the most neglected children. And giving them hot meals in school and potable water in their homes, as Zoya schools do. Because chronic hunger and diseases severely impact the lives of our children, often with fatal consequences. Therefore, improving the nutrition and health of children must be an integral part of any educational initiative. The talk concluded with a lively question-and-answer session. The audience, including academicians, archaeologists, linguists, and other experts, posed various questions about the Zoya Schools’ work model and their achievements. The host of the evening Professor Pervaiz Vandal thanked Mr. Khawaja for his talk, urging everyone to support Zoya Science Schools’ mission to educate underprivileged children in far and neglected corners of the country.

Renowned journalist Hamid Mir emphasizes the importance of ‘independent judiciary’, ‘strong democracy’ and their links to ‘free media’.

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) Pakistan can’t survive without strong democracy, strong democracy can’t survive without free media and free media can’t survive without independent judiciary, stated renowned journalist Hamid Mir during a panel discussion in a seminar titled ‘Media and Democracy: An Essential Partnership’. Mr. Mir – who has covered conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Kashmir, among others – is known for his fearless reporting and analysis as well as his commitment to press freedom.

The seminar was held at the Centre for Excellence in Journalism, Institute of Business Administration (CEJ-IBA) in collaboration with the School of Economics and Social Sciences (SESS), IBA and in partnership with Free Press Unlimited. The event brought together distinguished journalists to discuss the critical role that media plays in sustaining and enhancing democratic values.

In his keynote speech, Dr. S Akbar Zaidi, Executive Director, IBA Karachi, laid emphasis on the importance of free media, calling it ‘a fundamental component of democracy’, and adding that “Democracy requires a free and transparent media where journalists and reporters can speak the truth to those who hold power and public office”.

“All elected and unelected representatives of the people need to be held accountable for their actions; hence a free media is a prerequisite and essential component of democracy,” said Dr. Zaidi.

Lamenting the ‘stifled and muzzled’ state of media in Pakistan, where journalists are not free to report what they see, facts, interpretations and opinions, Dr. Zaidi stated, “While we continue the ritual of elections, the formal subsumption of democracy is a long way away. Unless the media is free, there can be no democracy in Pakistan. This is non-negotiable.”

Adil Jawad, a seasoned journalist with over 20 years of experience in the field, highlighted the rampant impunity in cases of journalist murders, pointing out that it is ‘the absolute norm in Pakistan’. However, he added, “As journalist murders and impunity continue apace, willing actors that are committed to fighting impunity are not planning to sit by idle.”

Discussing a new coalition in the works which aims to unite civil society against such impunity in the country, Mr. Jawad said, “We are laying important pieces of a puzzle at the moment. If we are able as civil society to engage with the authorities, we have a chance to finally decrease impunity rates in the murders of journalists.”

Ms. Lynne O’Donnell – one of the panelists, who spent many years as a foreign correspondent – talked about the unlimited availability of information online. She stated, “There has never been so much information available — we are drowning in a rising sea of words, photos, videos, blogs, vlogs, podcasts, social media, misinformation, disinformation, artificial intelligence, and propaganda.”

In her opinion, while ‘journalism, apparently, is thriving, the space for good journalism is shrinking’.

Ms. O’Donnell pointed out, “Our integrity as journalists, and the veracity of our work are persistently and consistently undermined.” She further said that “Our challenge is to redefine our purpose for a brave new world that needs journalism – meaningful, informative, trustworthy journalism that holds power to account without fear or favor – more than ever.”

Amber Rahim Shamsi, who has 20 years of experience in journalism, moderated the discussion. She highlighted the global impact of populism, the takeover of news distribution by social media platforms, and new technologies on journalism. She termed the seminar ‘an opportunity to understand the future of journalism in these tumultuous times in both the global and Pakistani contexts and chart a solution’.

FrieslandCampina Institute Launches as a Trusted Platform for Healthcare Professionals– Aims to Revolutionize Nutrition and Health Education in Pakistan.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)  The FrieslandCampina Institute was officially launched in Pakistan by Kashan Hasan, Managing Director of FrieslandCampina Engro Pakistan Limited (FCEPL). The inauguration ceremony, held at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, marks a significant milestone in advancing healthcare professionals’ education and nutritional awareness across the region. The Institute in Pakistan aims to equip local healthcare professionals with essential tools and knowledge, particularly about the nutritional value of dairy, enabling them to improve health outcomes across communities.

Having operated successfully in countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Nigeria, China, and Vietnam, the FrieslandCampina Institute now brings its expertise to Pakistan to address critical nutritional issues, including widespread malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies.

Kashan Hasan, Managing Director of FrieslandCampina Engro Pakistan, highlighted the Institute’s commitment: “The FrieslandCampina Institute maintains high standards of quality and credibility, ensuring that the information provided is reliable and useful.”
He also emphasized: “While we ensure that the institute is a credible and trusted science-based engagement platform for healthcare professionals, we also ensure that it is 100% independent without being influenced from brands.”

Dr. Muhammad Nasir, the Institute’s lead in Pakistan, emphasized the unique position of the Institute: “Realizing the overwhelming significance of milk, its contribution to nutrition and health, and the versatility, brought us to the conclusion that Pakistan needs a fact-based, formal, non-branded way of training, communication, and collaboration.”

During the launch, the FrieslandCampina Institute formalized its commitment to Pakistan’s healthcare sector through the signing of MoUs with the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) and the Pakistan Nutrition and Dietetic Society (PNDS). These agreements underscore a shared goal of improving health outcomes and expanding the reach of nutritional education across Pakistan. The collaborations will facilitate a broad range of initiatives aimed at equipping healthcare professionals with the latest in nutritional science and practical health strategies.

Francis Riekhoff, Manager of FrieslandCampina Institute Netherlands, stated: “Our mission at FrieslandCampina Institute is clear and resolute. We believe that by sharing scientific-based knowledge about the role of dairy in a healthy diet, we can significantly contribute to the improvement of the nutritional status and the promotion of safer food consumption throughout Pakistan.”

The event was honored by the presence of distinguished guests, including Rana Mashhood Ahmad, Senior Parliamentarian and Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Program, who expressed his support: “This Institute promises to be a credible source of knowledge and support, very important for nurturing a healthier, more informed generation.” Rana Mashhood also expressed that “In Pakistan, the dairy landscape faces significant challenges, particularly with widespread myths and misconceptions about dairy products and dietary practice . The FrieslandCampina Institute can play a crucial role in debunking these myths by providing accurate, science-based information about the food safety and dietary preferences.”

Khawaja Imran Nazir, Minister of Primary & Secondary Healthcare Punjab, also supported the initiative: “In Pakistan, we face the dual challenge of undernutrition and rising non-communicable diseases. Initiatives like this are crucial for our health and nutrition goals.” He emphasized: “As Punjab’s Minister of Health, I am devoted to enhancing the health and nutrition of not only the residents of Punjab but also our entire nation. This initiative aligns perfectly with our goals.”

Romina Khurshid Alam, Coodirdinator to PM on Climate Change and Environmental Coordination remarked on the occassion “Platforms like the FC-Institute enables the use of awareness and education as a tool, vital to the social and intellectual development of the country with practical benefits in healthcare.”

The launch event highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts to enhance the healthcare and nutritional awareness in Pakistan. The FrieslandCampina Institute is poised to become a cornerstone for healthcare professionals seeking to expand their knowledge and improve health outcomes across communities.

Aga Khan University’s Human Development Programme signs MoU with UNICEF on Early Childhood Development in Pakistan.

Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir)

The Aga Khan University – Human Development Programme (AKU-HDP) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to collaborate on the project ‘Reducing Inequalities by Enhancing Early Childhood Development for Vulnerable Population in Pakistan’. The two-year contract was signed by Dr Salim Virani, AKU Vice Provost, Research and UNICEF Country Representative Mr Abdullah Abdulaziz Fadil.

Early Childhood Development (ECD) is an important area of focus in developing countries, the wider Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), as well as around the world. This project will develop a comprehensive ECD manual that will provide guidance on all elements of the nurturing care framework as well as other cross-cutting themes for promoting the optimal development of children from birth to eight years. The project will establish a sustainable network of ECD master trainers for ongoing knowledge dissemination.

Dr Salman Kirmani, Interim- Director at AKU-HDP said: “The Human Development Programme at Aga Khan University has always stood up for the most vulnerable amongst us, and I am thrilled to partner with UNICEF on this vital project.’Reducing Inequalities by Enhancing Early Childhood Development for Vulnerable Populations in Pakistan’ is a significant step towards ensuring that every child, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential. Together, we are committed to creating a brighter future for the children of Pakistan.”

In addition, Dr Salim Virani remarked, “Early Child Development (ECD) is an important area of focus in the world, especially in the developing countries. Healthy development in early years provides a strong foundation for lifelong health, educational achievement, economic productivity, responsible citizenship, and successful parenting of the next generation. That is why investing in the development of young children maximizes their future well-being.”

In this project, AKU-HDP will develop ECD educational materials, including modules. The project will also include the creation of a guidebook on ECD in emergency situations. ECD workers across Pakistan will be trained on these modules to help institutional and local authorities plan, coordinate, monitor, and evaluate ECD programmes. AKU-HDP will use existing data for decision-making to improve the outcomes of young children, as well as conduct operational research, generate evidence and knowledge management for decision-making to improve child development outcomes.

UNICEF Regional Head, Mr Abdullah Abdulaziz Fadil said, “We need to make ECD an indigenous concept. The most basic caring practices are missing in our routine. We need to demystify ECD and bring ideas from the Globe into it and work on them from within the community.”

Collaborations, such as the current partnership between UNICEF-Pakistan and AKU’s Human Development Programme, which has resulted in projects such as ‘Reducing Inequalities by Enhancing Early Childhood Development for Vulnerable Population in Pakistan’ are key to realizing full human potential. Such programmes benefit not only ordinary Pakistani children, but also those who are often denied the opportunity that every child deserves.

Islamabad (Muhammad Yasir)

On the occasion of World Environment Day, Bank Alfalah, one of the largest commercial banks in Pakistan, in collaboration with WWF-Pakistan, committed to planting 25,000 mangroves in 2024 along the coastline of Balochistan. This initiative is part of its pledge to plant 100,000 trees by 2030 in partnership with WWF-Pakistan.

In 2023, Bank Alfalah took a significant step towards environmental sustainability with the #GreenWayForward initiative by planting 15,000 mangrove trees at the WWF Wetland Centre in Sandspit, Karachi, symbolising its total number of employees.The ongoing initiative builds on last year’s efforts to further contribute to mangrove reforestation and enhance natural resource management in Pakistan.

WWF-Pakistan is a leading environmental organisation that works with governments, private sector and civil society to undertake conservation action in ecological areas and enable transformative changes in the use of natural resources. This collaborative effort aims to contribute to the reforestation of mangroves at Khdri Miani Hor, located on the Balochistan coast that covers approximately 12 acres, with species like Rhizophora mucronata selected for their adaptability to local climate and tidal conditions, as well as their economic and carbon sequestration benefits. Spacing will be tailored to species and site conditions, ensuring optimal growth and sustainability.

The plantation of 25,000 mangrove trees will enrich local biodiversity, creating vital habitats for marine and bird species, and playing a pivotal role in maintaining ecological equilibrium. These mangroves serve as a natural defence against hurricanes and coastal erosion, during storms and minimise the threat of coastal flooding. Moreover, they play a crucial role in mitigating climate change by sequestering carbon, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, mangrove ecosystems offer essential resources for local communities, including timber, fuel wood, and fodder, alleviating pressure on natural forests and facilitating rehabilitation and slope stabilisation efforts.

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir)  Male Champions of Change (MCC) Pakistan’s members convened for their quarterly meeting in Karachi, hosted by Syngenta Pakistan, where they collectively shared actionable best practices on the ongoing themes for gender equality including “Power” and “Gender Equality Targets”, in addition to making new commitments for empowering women in their organizations and communities.

The private sector leaders gathering for the meeting also collaborated around the theme of “Building Buy-In for Gender Equality”, identifying ways of internalizing the “Champions of Change Coalitions” Strategy within their organizations while sharing the best practices and actionable interventions all members have undertaken, for cross-pollination and knowledge sharing.

During the meeting, Syngenta Pakistan showcased its commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) by sharing details about initiatives such as the “Women in Sales”: a first-in-the-industry program which is designed to shift mindsets and open opportunities for women in areas which have previously been male-dominated. These female employees are operating in the field and are working in farmer-facing roles.

Speaking on the occasion, Zeeshan Hasib Baig (Country GM, Syngenta Pakistan) stated “At Syngenta Pakistan, we understand the importance of taking bold actions to disrupt the status quo and achieve greater representation of women in workforce & leadership roles as gender equality is one of the key levers for ensuring a healthy society and a successful organization. MCC offers a unique platform in this regard where committed industry leaders from various sectors come together for a shared vision of a diverse and an inclusive workplace environment.”

The Convenor of Male Champions of Change Pakistan, Fiza Farhan further added; “It gives me great pleasure to see the actionable momentum at MCC Pakistan, led by our members with their collective commitment and action towards gender equality. With every meeting, knowledge and best practices to accelerate action on empowering women is shared, enabling all members to accelerate the bold and disruptive action they are undertaking within their organizations and communities. The needle is finally moving!”

The Male Champions of Change Coalition share a commitment to creating a fair, diverse, and inclusive world, shaped by empowered and capable women in every industry with a strategic focus on elevating women in leadership and executive roles. Members meet quarterly to set objectives and share their learnings. This bold initiative signifies a pivotal step towards fostering a culture of equality and empowerment within Pakistan’s corporate landscape, setting a precedent for meaningful progress in gender equality and inclusivity.