Category: Pakistan

Lahore (Nut Desk)

Shan Shares, the CSR identity of Shan Foods, in partnership with the Robin Hood Army, conducted a ration distribution drive for the month of Ramadan.

The Robin Hood Army is a volunteer-based, zero-funds organization that works to feed less fortunate people in its commitment to beat global hunger. The organization is expanded across international borders, actively operating in 12 countries including Pakistan, India, Bahrain, Nigeria, and Uganda.  

Channeling the spirit of sharing and kindness through this drive, Shan Shares, along with the Robin Hood Army, distributed ration packs among underprivileged people in Karachi’s Korangi area to help them meet their nutritional needs as they fast during the month of Ramadan. Shan Foods employees also volunteered during the drive, displaying their commitment to their company’s values.

Maria Rashdi, Head of Corporate Communications and PR at Shan Foods, while appreciating the employees and the success of the distribution drive, said, “Shan Shares is one family that is committed to creating a positive impact and making a difference in the society by uplifting and enabling the people in need. We believe this is our duty towards our fellow citizens to shape an equitable and prosperous society for everyone.”

Shan Shares has been diligently working for restoring a sustainable world for the welfare of the people and the society. The organization hopes to take forward Shan Foods’ mission of battling hunger among other goals and is taking impactful steps to achieve it.

Karachi (Nut Desk)

Management of Quaid-e-Azam House Museum – Institute of Nation Building is an Amanat given to the Board of Management by the Sindh Government in terms of MOU dated 08.02.2021 and Sindh Government Notification dated 06.04.2021.

 The three functionaries nominated under the Sindh Government Notification had earlier assured the Sindh Government and the public that Quaid-e-Azam House Museum would neither be used for commercial purposes nor any political activity. This position is re-iterated.

 While there is a definite need of a space for use as an Audio-Visual Centre to show Film on Quaid- e-Azam and the leaders in the Pakistan Movement as well as Muslim Statesmen and leaders of the Sub-continent including Pakistan, this activity cannot commence until a definite space is made available. Functions for School/ College students under a Shamiyana in the Garden have commenced and will continue round the year. Similar events of upto 40-50 persons will be held in the Annexe of Quaid-e-Azam House Museum.

While alternate plans for the Audio/Visual Centre and Public Library (Jinnah Library) continue to be explored, any final decision will be subject to the approval of the Heritage Commission under the existing Heritage Laws and Rules as may be applicable. No activity shall be undertaken without such approval and the concurrence of the Sindh Government. The heritage site namely (Quaid-e- Azam House Museum) shall remain intact and un-touched in any manner with a view to its preservation and upkeep by the Sindh Government in terms of the Order of the Chief Justice, High Court of Sindh at Karachi dated 05.02.1984 which specifies the purposes for which Quaid-e-Azam House Museum was sold to the Federal Government by the Administrators of the Estate of Quaid- e-Azam Syed Hashim Raza and Mr. Liaquat H. Merchant in 1984.

The Board of Management expresses its gratitude to the Chief Minister and Government of Sindh for the constitution of the Board of Management and the Trust reposed in the Board of Management and its functionaries. This is in compliance of the Order of the High Court of Sindh at Karachi dated 05.02.1984.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Packages Mall, a leading state-of-the-art shopping mall in Lahore, is pleased to announce its ‘Spring Shopping Festival 2022’. The festival aims to provide the best entertainment, fun, dining, and shopping experience in town till the end of April 2022.

The initiative has been taken to provide entertainment and to push the local business activities for people and business community post-covid lockdowns. Special activities have been planned to attract people and shopping would be more fun as the brands are offering in-trend prints in the top trending pastel colors. Moreover, footwear and accessories are also available for the shoppers to get their hands on and complete the look.

Adding on the occasion, Marketing Manager Packages Mall, Mr. Shahzad Anwar said, ‘our aim is to create exciting and fun shopping experience for our customers and give them something to look forward to every time, Packages Mall Spring Festival will make shopping even better’.

The spring shopping festival offers customer exciting prizes after spending an amount of PKR 7000/- and becoming part of the Grand Lucky Draw. The lucky draw participants will be able to win prizes like television sets, motorbikes, cameras, cell phones and above all a brand new CAR. Moreover, food lovers are provided with an opportunity to take part in the lucky draw as well, on the purchase of any food item from the food court, two vouchers will be given to take part in the lucky draw and win exciting prizes. The early shoppers will be able to participate in the lucky draw as well, by purchasing during the early hours of 11:00 am to 01:00 pm.

Packages Mall Spring Shopping Festival will provide an opportunity to the locals to join them in the celebration of spring. There are many other options available for the visitors, such as décor in multiple colors of spring and different picture-worthy spots, where family and friends can capture their memories.

Gear up and get ready for all the unlimited offers and fun this spring. Head over to the Packages mall with your loved ones and participate to win amazing prices.

Lahore (Nut Desk)

BankIslami, the country’s leading Islamic financial institution, sponsored one of the most popular festival dedicated to food and entertainment which came full circle with its final event in Lahore from 25^th to 27^th March.

The Lahore Eat festival 2022 is a yearly attraction that showcases a variety of local, foreign and fusion cuisines for visitors. BankIslami offered an exclusive lounge and their ATM services at the event dedicated to customers with an aim to enhance their overall experience at the festival. All COVID-19 SOPs were followed at the event and in the lounge to keep visitors safe.

BankIslami has several distinctions in the banking sector being the first scheduled Sharia compliant financial institution and it is also amongst the most technologically advanced organizations in the country. The organization has officially sponsored all three iterations of the food festival held in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore this year. The event is one of the most popular attractions across Pakistan offering a diverse variety of food and entertainment options for customers. BankIslami and its sponsorship of the event is a step in showcasing the brand with a progressive as well as innovative identity that customers can recognize.

Commenting on the occasion, a representative from the Bank stated: “At BankIslami, we are always pursuing opportunities that help us strengthen and expand our brand image as one of the leading, technologically progressive, Islamic finance organizations in the country. Besides displaying robust financial performance and facilitating customers through unique products and services, we also invest in other avenues which hold importance to our customers. Our target audience includes both current and potential customers. This sponsorship of Food Festivals in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore is another step by the Bank to showcase itself as a leading entity in Pakistan.”

BankIslami has significantly increased its focus on building a fresh brand value through sponsorships of leading events like PSL and Eat festival.

Latif Kapadia’s 20th Death-Anniversary commemorated by building 4th Welfare Clinic.

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir)  On the 20th death-anniversary of the legendary actor and generous philanthropist – Latif Kapadia, the LKMWT held the ground-breaking ceremony of its 4th Non-Profit Clinic, to provide affordable healthcare for the deprived segments. As his memories and achievements are still alive in the hearts of the nation, his death-anniversary this year, is being observed, once again, with great honors and inspiration, by the Latif Kapadia Memorial Welfare Trust (LKMWT) – the torch-bearer of the humanitarian-spirit of this great man, who had a vision to improve the quality of life for the impoverished communities.

The iconic author of Satire – Mr. Anwar Maqsood was the guest of honor at this vibrant event, who reminisced the remarkable achievements of the great artist, saying: Latif Kapadia was a dominant Star of the Television industry and Stage Dramas, who was also known for elevating the standards of philanthropy in Pakistan. His precious services towards the evolution of media and national progress can never be forgotten.”

LKMWT had established its first welfare clinic in Shah Faisal Colony, followed by another clinic in Khokhrapar-Malir and one in Quaidabad-Landhi. Over the years, these three ‘Medi-Health’ clinics have been consistently catering to the primary healthcare needs of the deserving people, by providing medical checkups & consultation, at only 40 Rupees per patient, along with free-medication. Every year, more than 60,000 patients visit LKMWT’s Medi-Health clinics, where more than 695,000 patients have been served, so far.

Mr. Ahmed Kapadia – the devoted Trustee of LKMWT stated that: “It is a matter of great pride for us to pursue Mr. Latif Kapadia’s grand mission. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for the selfless donors and volunteers of LKMWT, for their continued patronage and support. It is a delightful honor for me to announce that LKMWT’s 4th Welfare Clinic is now being built near Khuda Ki Basti, in Surjani Town, while this social project is personally managed by the Trustees of LKMWT. I must also thank Mr. Gulzar Mughal, who donated this piece of land in Surjani Town, 8 years ago, for building a clinic and his gracious gesture has greatly enriched this endearing story.”

LKMWT has also launched a Community-Outreach Programme for sustainable socio-economic development and public-awareness. All these noble initiatives are carried out by LKMWT, with; public-donations, contributions, philanthropic-aid, zakat-funds and other resources, provided by the generous citizens and collected by its dedicated volunteers.      

 Established in 2007 – LKMWT has pledged to continue Latif Kapadia’s grand mission, to spread happiness among the less fortunate masses, who are unable to afford the high cost of private doctors. The key objectives of this trust include: provision of high quality health-care OPD facilities, while also conducting numerous other initiatives to promote health, education, poverty-alleviation, nutrition, disease-control and other socio-economic challenges. For details, visit www.lkmwt.org.

Karachi (Nut Desk)  Pray For Pakistan – an event was hosted by the IFGF community on the 27th of March at the YMCA ground Saddar,Karachi. In support of all Christian,Muslim and Hindu communities.

IFGF is a Christian community and organisation which hosted this prestigious One Day Restoration And Meeting. IFGF is a community that firmly believes in a holistic approach for all of humanity. They work towards the welfare of all religions and race. Not only do they create awareness but their main mission and aim is to provide basic needs while making an impact in many areas of life including industry

,business,economy and education.

The trainees under the One Day Restoration And Healing Meeting were  awarded with certificate of participation.

They also spoke about how they can support education for all the Christian,Muslim and Hindu communities. A much needed topic that needs more support and awareness.

The IFGF Peace Ambassador Rev.Dr Daniel Hanafi is the vice president of IFGF Global Mission and a senior Pastor in the US.

He lead the event along with Rev. Saleem William and Evg. Nadeem William

A very promising organisation with a strong mission statement .”To create a better future for the people of our nation”.

An event that brought everyone together for the greater good of humanity.

Karachi (Nut Desk)

Allama Iqbal introduced the idea of an independent Muslim state in 1930, Liaquat Merchant Dialogue on ‘Relations between Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal’ held under Quaid-e- Azam Museum House Management Board Karachi, March 26, 2022: Allama Iqbal wanted an independent state.

He first proposed the idea of an independent Muslim state in 1930 at a meeting in Allahabad. Later, in his booklet “Now and Never”, Chaudhry Rehmat Ali named this independent state as Pakistan. These views were expressed by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s grand nephew Liaquat Merchant while addressing a dialogue session on ” Relations between Allama Iqbal and Quaid-e-Azam”.

The dialogue was hosted by the Board of Management of the Quaid-e-Azam House Museum. Allama Iqbal’s grandson Senator Walid Iqbal, Vice Chairman of the Board of Management of Quaid-e-Azam Museum Ikram Sehgal, Secretary-General Commodore (R) Sadeed Ahmed, and Vice-Chancellor Zia-ud-Din University Dr. Irfan Haider were also present on the occasion. Liaquat H. Merchant said that Allama Iqbal was the ideal logical father of the country and he conceived of the idea of a separate Muslim homeland ten years before the Resolution of March, 1940 commonly known as Pakistan Resolution.

By this time Allama Iqbal had passed away but during the period 1930-1940 Allama Iqbal was largely instrumental in persuading Jinnah who was then popularly called “Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim Unity” to turn around and embrace the two-nation theory as contemplated by Allama Iqbal earlier and on 23rd March, 1940 on the passing of the Pakistan Resolution. Significantly, the Pakistan Resolution does not name “Pakistan” but speaks of four areas namely Sindh, Punjab, Baluchistan and North West Frontier Province. Mr. Merchant added that the Mother of the Nation Fatima Jinnah invited me to come to Pakistan in 1964, since then I have been serving Pakistan.

Addressing the occasion, Allama Iqbal’s grandson Senator Walid Iqbal said that talking about Quaid-e-Azam was tantamount to talking about principles and leadership. He said that the establishment of Pakistan would not have been possible without Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal. Walid Iqbal said that in the last days of Iqbal, Pandit Nehru met him and said that if it were not for him no one would have known Jinnah. This offended Allama Iqbal and he said that I am Jinnah’s soldier.

This is a testament to the trust and confidence between the two leaders. He said that Allama Iqbal’s voice on social media was being wrongly attributed to the fact that neither All India Radio, nor the British or any international radio had any recording of Allama Iqbal. Responding to a question from the participants, he said that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah as the Governor-General of Pakistan had set an example of running the fledgling state effectively under the presidential system.

Ikram Sehgal, Vice Chairman, Quaid-e-Azam Museum Management Board, was moderating the event. He said that this was a historic event similar to the ones held in 2006 and 2007 where Justice (R) Javed Iqbal son of Allama Iqbal and Liaquat H. Merchant grandnephew of Quaid-e-Azam Muhamad Ali Jinnah had participated. And now Iqbal’s grandson Senator Walid Iqbal was a part of the conversation. Everyone talks about themselves, but when there is a dialogue about each other, it adds to the information.

To guide the new generation and acquaint the youth with the concept of Pakistan, it is necessary to provide information on the sayings of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal. Ikram Sehgal said that in this ceremony the vision of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal was re-remembered which today’s generation has forgotten. Before the dialogue, Secretary-General of the Board of Management Commodore (R) Sadeed Ahmad Malik welcomed the distinguished guests, speakers, and participants. A questions and answer session was also held at the end of the event.

KALĀM CENTRE FOR TRUSTING SOCIETIES RECOGNIZES AGAHI AWARDS WINNERS AS TRUST FELLOWS 2021-22

The Right to the Truth is a fundamental component in the context of human rights violations; Trust Fellows 2021 – 22 present their research at the UN Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and the Dignity of Victims.

Islamabad (Nut Desk)  AGAHI observed the United Nations International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and the Dignity of Victims. AGAHI organized the online session with journalists, academics and experts focusing on truth and its importance in the context of human rights violations.

Joining the session Dr Mowadat Hussain Rana, one of Pakistan’s leading psychiatrist and cognitive scientist expressed that, wars, slave trades, colonization, imperialism, and economic subjugations may all become a thing of the past and that the challenges in the context of exponential technologies which will become the key determinants of human pre-thought an essential factor to consider while developing an understanding on the future of human rights. 

As the public struggles to separate truth from fiction; in a post-truth era and advancements in ‘deep fakes’ Journalists have a particular responsibility as a powerful force for change in both developed and developing countries. According to multiple reports, trust in media and particularly in journalism and news has been experiencing a long and steady decline over the past few years. There are multiple reasons behind this declining level of trust, one of the prominent is misinformation and disinformation.

“Understanding factors that drive trust in journalism in the local context is an essential asset that serves media freedom, and this is becoming ever so more critical in times of exponential growth of technology, which is shaping public consciousness” said Puruesh Chaudhary, Lead KALĀM Centre for Trusting Societies and Founding President AGAHI.

Dr Najma Sadiq, Head of Mass Communications, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad (NUST) elaborated on the pillars of trust in the construction of information and news, the indicators open for discussion included: research, credibility, predictability, fairness, balance, relevance, contextualization, presentation, accessibility, and interactivity on online platforms. 

Recognizing these global developments and its impact on the local context, on December 10, 2021, at the 9^th Annual AGAHI Awards with the support from the Ambassade De France AU Pakistan the winners in the categories of human rights and democracy, Sidra Dar and Aiman Mahmood were recognized as Trust Fellow 2021-22. In a three-month fellowship programme aimed to encourage information hygiene by improving the state of factual reporting practices in the country with the mission to cultivate trust in the society.

The Fellowship exposure equipped the Fellows to better comprehend the known and the unknown threats that emanate from information disorders including an advance understanding of the types of misinformation, disinformation and malinformation practices by a network of academics and mentors. The eight contextualized training modules developed by senior academics were designed to enable an understanding around factors that drive trust in journalism.

During the online session the two fellows Sidra Dar and Aiman Mahmood both presented their research work focusing on the categories they won the AGAHI Awards in; Mahmood’s fishermen of Ibrahim Hayderi story was covered through a democracy lens whereas Dar’s was focused on the identity challenges of the Bengali community oriented more towards the human rights.

The mentors for the Trust Fellowship Programme also joining the session Osama Bin Javaid Senior Correspondent at Al Jazeera and Razeshta Sethna Senior International Journalist implied how truth becomes an important pillar for a journalist in current times of chaos and turmoil. The session was attended by leading academics, journalists, students, and other professionals from Pakistan and other countries.

Each year, on 24 March, the UN International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims is observed. The purpose of the Day is to Honor the memory of victims of gross and systematic human rights violations and promote the importance of the right to truth and justice. It also pays tribute to those who have devoted their lives to, and lost their lives in, the struggle to promote and protect human rights for all.

The Trust Fellowship Programme focuses on ‘The Hazards of Information Disorder’. The programme aims to encourage information hygiene by improving the state of factual reporting practices in the country with the mission to cultivate trust in the society. This Fellowship exposure is designed around contextualized academic and research training that enable an enlightened understanding of the factors that drive trust.

‘Kalām’ Centre for Trusting Societies encourages and supports initiatives designed to improve trust as one of the fundamentals of human agency and wellbeing. The platform explored how information overload in a digital age can lead to a crisis of trust at the UNESCO Global Information Literacy Week in October 2021.

 

 

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) A provincial consultative conference was organized by Oxfam in Pakistan in collaboration with SAFWCO (Sindh Agriculture & Forestry Workers Coordinating Organization) on improving rule of law at Movinpick Hotel, Karachi. The conference convened members of provincial assembly, policy makers, legislators, academia, justice providers to collectively reflect and review the challenges women, minorities, and marginalized communities face in accessing justice in Sindh and a need for effective legal and policy reforms to increase citizen’s access to justices.

Oxfam in Pakistan is implementing its project, “Improved Access to Fair, Legitimate and Effective Justice in Pakistan’’, with SAFWCO Hyderabad, Sanghar and Hyderabad districts. The project focuses on citizen’s legal empowerment and strengthens confidence-building measures between citizens and formal justice institutions.

Mr. Suliman G. Abro,Founder of SAFWCO greeted the participants in his welcome note. He applauded Oxfam’s contribution in improving citizen’s access to justice through improving confidence and trust between citizens and justice providers.

Addressing the conference, Ms Asma Kiran Team leader Programme Manager, Governance and Economic Justice Oxfam in Pakistan spoke on the importance of rule of law and inclusion of women and marginalised groups in the justice system, who are often ignored in their pursuit of justice. In her address, she stressed on the paramount need to open spaces where marginalized groups can access justice and engage duty bearers and justice providers.She stressed the need for a collective approach to strengthen the rule of law across the province, which is only possible if all levels of justice mechanism are involved, to ensure an equal and fair justice system for all.

Mr. MurtazaWahab, Advisor to Chief Minister on Law, Government of Sindh, Karachi who was the chief guest at the event, spoke on the need to strengthen rule of law institutions through technical assistance, development of a policy to build capacity and enhance skills of justice providers. He also stressed that civil society should play a part in government efforts to improve rule of law.

Ms Shehla Raza, Provincial Minister for Women Development in her speech shared government’s pro women policies and said that the government is committed to bring more reforms in laws and policies to improve the access to justice of women and other marginalised sections of the society. He committed to advocate at policy level to increase number of women employees in every provincial department to better facilitate more than half proportion of our population.

PirMujjebUlHaq, Chairman of Standing Committee on Law and Parliamentary Affairs said that the provincial government has passed a number of record laws, majority of them are focussed on women, children, minorities and other marginalised sections. He said that improving rule of law and access to justice initiatives are priority for his committee and any stakeholders’ recommendations would be welcome in this regard.       

Mr. SharjeelKharal, Deputy Inspector General, Sindh Police said that the police in recent years have taken several initiatives to ensure access to police services to marginalised sections. Human Rights Cell has been established at the IG office and human rights cell and women complaint cells are also working at DIG and SSP offices across the province. “Reporting on crimes against women and minorities is now a part of regular police reporting to high officials,” he added.

Others who spoke at the conference include Ms Anjum Iqbal Jumani, Secretary Department of Women Development, Suhai Aziz, Senior Superintendent Police, Ms Mangla Sharma, Member Provincial Assembly, Jami Chandhio Social Expert Lawyer Ali Palh,Justice providers and community representatives.

 

AAA Associates celebrated Women’s Day by sponsoring AMAFH & NFWD event to support Women’s Empowerment drive

Islamabad (Muhammad Yasir) AAA Associates celebrated International Women’s Day, 2022, with AMAFH, Society for Inclusion, in collaboration with the National Forum of Women with Disabilities (NFWD) at National Library, Islamabad. This year, the day was globally observed with the theme “Break the Bias: A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination”. AAA Associates proudly sponsored the event.

International Women’s Day was celebrated to recognize the efforts and achievements of women with disabilities and to acknowledge their success stories. Different activities were designed to provide an opportunity to women, especially women with disabilities to showcase their talents. Esteemed guests; Ms. Ghazala Saifi, Member National Assembly, Ms. Farah Agha, Member Provincial Assembly, Ms. Nasira Bashir, Director Compliance. AAA Associates honoured the event with their presence, along with an encouraging and amazing audience. Women with Disabilities came from various cities of Pakistan including Peshawar, Abbottabad, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad. 

Ms. Nasira Bashir, expressed her views saying, “AAA Associates always integrates itself with a prospect to serve our community and play our part, especially in endeavours and events that facilitate disability inclusion and encourage participation. We aspire to create an atmosphere where everyone can completely participate in society without any barriers to achieving the goals they set for themselves.”

AAA Associate committed to pledge to empower the women with opportunities and give them a platform to utilize their talents and contribute to Pakistan’s socio-economic growth.