Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Pakistan has to increase the usage of quality hybrid seed to save its agriculture from total destruction. Maize and Rice, out of the total five big crops of the country, are the only two crops which are not only meeting the domestic requirements but also being exported to fetch the much desired foreign exchange. Pakistan was expecting rice production during the current season around 9.2-0.5 million metric tons. However, recent heavy monsoon rains and floods have destroyed 30 per cent of the rice crop especially in Sindh. Pakistan Hi-Tech Hybrid Seed Association (PHHSA) Chairman Shahzad Ali Malik stated this while talking to media persons here on Thursday on the occasion of first-ever Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association. He regretted that white gold (cotton) is facing very serious situation as Pakistan has to spend a lot of precious foreign exchange on its import to meet the domestic requirement and to fuel the biggest industrial and exporting sector of the country. He called for increasing the use of hi-tech hybrid seed for revival of agriculture in the country. While addressing the members, Shahzad Ali Malik said that their association is still at infancy stage having 102 members but they are striving to push this number to 150 at the earliest. He assured the participants to raise the issue of seed at every level for resolving issues faced by the seed industry. He also handed over a cheque of Rs 4 million to Al-Khidmat association and announced to donate another Rs 1 million for KPK as donation by the Association for helping the flood hit persons in Sindh and flood hit farmers in KPK through PARC. Senior Vice Chairman PHHSA Shafiq ur Rehman in his address stressed the need for strong lobbying by the association members to get their issues resolved. He said seed is a federal subject even the agriculture has been devolved to the provinces after 18th amendment. Members on this occasion also raised the issue of free movement of wheat seed which was hindering their efforts to produce quality seed for the next crop. REAP representative Pir Nazim Hussain Shah, Sajjad Sulaiman Malik and various others also attended the meeting on this occasion.
Visa Takes a Shot at Financial Goals with New Soccer Video Game
Visa launches new global version of the Financial Soccer game, bringing together entertainment and financial education in an action-packed virtual game.
Visa to engage fans, athletes and communities by rolling game out through key partnerships and Financial Soccer events.
Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) With FIFA World Cup™ excitement heating up, Visa (NYSE: V), the Official Payment Technology Partner of FIFA, invites soccer fans to sharpen their financial skills on the virtual pitch with the new version of the educational video game, Financial Soccer. Gamers can suit up as the country of their choice and take their best shot for the coveted trophy by correctly answering questions designed to help players make smart, well informed money management decisions. To further Visa’s commitment to uplift lives through the power of sport and the global platform of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, Visa is working in collaboration with clients and non-profit organizations to make the new version of Financial Soccer available to as many people as possible. Visa and partners will host events, learning series and promote game availability in more than 100 markets around the world leading up to and following the tournament. With only one-in-three adults estimated to have a basic understanding of financial concepts, Visa understands the critical need to foster financial literacy early to ensure a stronger relationship with financial health through adulthood. “Access to financial education to gain knowledge is critical to help individuals succeed in an increasingly digital world,” said Michelle Gethers, Chief Diversity Officer and Head of Corporate Responsibility, Visa. “Visa is proud to bring the power of its partnership with FIFA to the global stage of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ to provide a fun and engaging way for individuals and small businesses to begin or build upon their financial education journey.” New Financial Soccer Game Features The free educational game challenges players to answer money management questions at various levels of difficulty to advance down the pitch for a chance to score a goal. New features include: • Men’s and women’s teams and tournaments: Players can now choose between men’s and women’s teams to represent any country in global tournaments, including the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™. • Personal finance and small business game modes: For the first time, the game will include a second mode for small business owners that features questions on starting and managing a business, budgeting and more. With entrepreneurship growth reaching historic numbers, additional education on critical business subjects is important to entrepreneurs’ growth. The personal finance track will feature questions on topics like crypto currencies and the wise use of credit. • Available on-the-go: In addition to online at financialsoccer.com, players can now download for free via iOS and Android mobile app store to play the game on mobile and tablet devices. • Multiple languages: Gameplay in English, Spanish or Arabic, with more languages coming soon including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, Italian, German, Russian and Portuguese. Leaving a Lasting Impact Ahead of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, Visa will host live Financial Soccer games in the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Qatar, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal to engage fans, athletes and communities with more to come. Visa is partnering with Street Child United and WISE in the Middle East to help expand financial education during the tournament and after through several key initiatives: • Street Child United, a UK-based charity dedicated to changing the way the world sees and treats street-connected children, will build a two-year financial education program leveraging Visa’s Practical Money Skills curriculum. • WISE, a Qatar Foundation initiative, will launch a series of programs tailored for Qatari residents to provide youth and SMBs with financial education through Visa’s Practical Money Skills and Practical Business Skills curriculums, respectively, and Financial Soccer. To learn more about Visa’s 30-year commitment to developing innovative, free-to-use and easily accessible financial education resources for businesses, individuals and communities, visit Practical Money Skills.
Homebridge by Beaconhouse partners with Cambridge International for Pakistan’s First Hybrid A Level School
Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir) Beaconhouse, Pakistan’s largest network of private educational institutions, under its A Level school, Homebridge, has signed an exclusive partnership agreement with Cambridge International to offer AS and A Levels qualification through the Homebridge online school programme for students. Homebridge by Beaconhouse is Pakistan’s first hybrid Cambridge International A Level school, offering students an opportunity to study their Cambridge programme with online lectures, teachers and all the facilities required for an uninterrupted learning journey. Through the hybrid model, students have access to Beaconhouse campuses for extracurricular activities, libraries, and labs. The signing ceremony was held at Cambridge International’s head office, in Cambridge, UK. Speaking at the ceremony, Nassir Kasuri, Chief Executive Officer, Beaconhouse Group commented on the partnership saying, “As the world goes through a digital transformation, it is an opportune time for both organisations to work together on a hybrid school that will make A Levels accessible to a new group of students, breaking social barriers, as well as the widely prevalent gender gap in education in Pakistan. This collaboration is a source of social mobility in the country and we are confident that it will help open up new avenues and opportunities for the youth.” Rod Smith, Group Managing Director, International Education, Cambridge International said, “Our relationship with Beaconhouse is close to 50 years old and continues to grow to offer new opportunities to learners. The number of students taking Cambridge qualifications and using our resources in Pakistan is phenomenal, and we greatly value our relationships with schools in Pakistan. I think the more we can do to strengthen these relationships, the more we can do to impact education for the benefit of the country. We need partnerships because we need to continue to learn from each other. Our partners, like Beaconhouse, help us understand how the education services we develop in Cambridge are going to meet the needs of learners in Pakistan.” Other members of Cambridge International’s senior management team also attended the ceremony, including Uzma Yousuf, Country Director, Pakistan; Ian Harris, Deputy Director, Marketing Communications; and Jonathan Hardy, Head of Schools Development. This unique partnership will support Beaconhouse and Cambridge International’s continuing work to make high-quality education accessible to students across Pakistan, particularly students in remote areas where access to international qualifications may be difficult.
Microsoft for Startups’ welcomes third cohort of B2B tech startups to GrowthX Accelerator
12 B2B startups have been enrolled into the program, specifically designed to help innovative entrepreneurs leverage the right technology to drive growth, scale and impact across the Middle East.
Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Microsoft for Startups Middle East have announced the third cohort of B2B tech startups for its engaging GrowthX Accelerator program today.
Run as part of a strategic partnership between the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) and Microsoft, the GrowthX Accelerator offers unmatched training opportunities to growth-stage startups ranging primarily from the Seed to Series A spectrum. Launched in 2021, a total of 36 B2B tech startups have graduated from the virtual accelerator program to date, enabling the founders of these companies to bring their innovative ideas to the forefront and drive impact across the region. The third edition of the program is currently underway and will conclude in January 2023.
Eng. Abdulla Abdul Aziz AlShamsi, Acting Director General at ADIO said, “As part of Abu Dhabi’s commitment to accelerating digital transformation and maximizing opportunities to enhance the region’s digital economy, we recognize the importance of startups in driving innovation and bringing new, creative solutions to solve industry, business and societal challenges. We are thrilled to continue our support for the region’s startup ecosystem by welcoming a third cohort of startups to the GrowthX Accelerator. Through our ongoing partnership with Microsoft for Startups, we are committed to empowering these innovators with the insights and resources they need to grow, scale and drive impact.”
Naim Yazbeck, General Manager, Microsoft UAE said: “Startups offer outstanding potential to not only accelerate digital transformation across the region, but also unlock incredible innovations that will propel our region forward. The startups participating in this cohort of the GrowthX Accelerator program will be able to access knowledge from industry experts to scale their businesses and drive real impact across the region. Together with ADIO, we look forward to empowering our third cohort of startups to develop their innovative ideas into next-generation solutions that will strengthen the regional ecosystem and develop our digital economy.”
As part of the third cohort, 12 startups will undergo training on enterprise sales, technical readiness, investor-readiness and customer engagement tactics. Participating startups include:
- Edraak Systems (Pakistan), which specializes in the optimization of industrial manufacturing workflows.
- Fortyguard (UAE), which uses data track and understand the impact of urban heat on cities.
- Ilmversity (Pakistan), a cost effective one-stop EdTech SaaS platform.
- Klickit (Egypt), which enables educational institutions to deploy custom payment & fees solutions.
- Pay Caps (UAE), a one-stop payment solution designed to meet all online payment requirements of merchants.
- Peyk (Turkey), a cloud-based platform that offers website monitoring solutions.
- Pisano (UAE), an experience management platform that feeds voice of customer and voice of employee programs back into businesses.
- Poilabs (Turkey), which leverages innovative technology to create accessible venues for the visually impaired community.
- Raabtaa (Pakistan), a real-time business collaboration & customer engagement platform.
- Supercommerce (Saudi Arabia), a platform that enables tech teams to build e-commerce.
- Vita Virtues (UAE), which offers transformative digital solutions for insurance companies and brokers.
- Xina AI (Jordan), the world’s first Arabic Interactive Voice Assistant (IVA) and Chatbot.
Find out more about the Microsoft for Startups GrowthX Accelerator program here.
Now ABHI lets you pay your utility bills before you get your salary
Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir) Have you ever found yourself stuck in a situation where you received your bills before you got your salary or had to bear the late fees because you got your salary after the due date was passed? Then ABHI has brought Pakistanis a unique solution, where they can pay their bill from their earned but unpaid salary.
This is the first time in Pakistan that people can do that. People get tired of budgeting and keeping aside a separate amount for bills every month – which usually ends up getting spent on different things because of inflating prices on everything. But now people can budget better by paying the bills from their salaries before their official payroll date. All people have to do is get their companies onboard with ABHI’s Earned Wage Access Product and help themselves and their colleagues in this time of need.
ABHI, launched in April 2021, is Pakistan’s first financial wellness platform that aims to change the way employees receive and spend their salary by allowing them to access their earned wages in real-time. While also providing support to businesses with the products like payroll processing, payroll financing, and invoice factoring. The company has financially empowered 300+ companies like Alkaram, Gul Ahmed, TPL Corp, United King, Soorty Textiles, Dairyland, HRSG, Cnergyico (Formerly Byco), and Sadaqat Textiles and continues to expand its operations rapidly. If you want to register your company with ABHI or need help to smoothen your business cash flows, visit www.abhi.com.pk and reach out to us for expert advice.
Brainchild Communications Pakistan restructures leadership and media brands
Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir) Brainchild Communications Pakistan, the largest media agency in Pakistan according to the latest RECMA media agency rankings report, has restructured its leadership teams to propel new avenues for growth.
Usman Qayam takes over Starcom Pakistan as the new general manager. At the same time, Saud Umar Khan was named the general manager for Publicis Media, and Urooj Hussain was raised to general manager of Mediavest.
Starcom Pakistan
“Usman joined us in 2009 as a management trainee,” said Farhan Khan, the chief executive officer of Brainchild Communications Pakistan. “His experience within the agency network spans a diversified range of businesses, including P&G, National Foods, Dawlance, KFC, HBL, KIA, Engro, TikTok, and Mondelez, to name a few. Usman has been relentless in his pursuit for agency growth and brings passion to the game when working for his clients. His forte has been hand-holding clients when they are looking for communication solutions and leading them to unlock opportunities with market-firsts avenues to test & learn from.”
An alumnus of SZABIST and an adjunct faculty of management sciences at his alma mater, Qayam has inspired many young graduates to join the Starcom Management Trainee program.
“He has built a robust client portfolio out of Karachi only with a multi-billion annual turnover alongside winning many awards for his clients. said Khan. “Starcom Pakistan is all about energy, drive, and passion for being the market leader in the coming years, and Usman hopes to carry that challenge moving on.”
Publicis Media
Starting his career in 2004 with Ufone, Saud Umar Khan has an extensive work experience in the telecommunications sector through the telecom growth years in Pakistan. His last assignment in Pakistan was heading brand communications at Warid Telecom before venturing to the UAE, where he led the commercial team for a construction group.
”Saud joined us in Islamabad as the Associate Director in July 2017 to manage the regional operations,” said CEO Farhan Khan. “In early 2019, he was challenged to manage a more extensive portfolio in Lahore, becoming the portfolio director for the north region. He not only added new clients but also grew the region to a multi-billion-rupee portfolio, delivering the highest-ever growth. He spearheads Publicis Media across Pakistan with Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad offices. He has managed a diverse portfolio of clients, including Coca-Cola, Fauji Foods, Packages, Samsung Electronics, Servis Shoes, Zameen.com, and Zong 4G.”
Harnessing the power of the modern media landscape to drive one-to-one consumer engagement at scale, Publicis Media creates value for clients through global media agency brands and scaled capabilities across investment, strategy, insights and analytics, data and technology, commerce, performance marketing, and content.
The media brand was launched in Pakistan after the group won the Nestle media review in Q4 2021, with Publicis Media gearing up to introduce global learnings to the Pakistani market.
Mediavest
Starting her career with Brainchild Communications Pakistan in 2009 as a management trainee, Urooj has worked across multiple functions in media planning, buying, digital, and e-commerce across various categories such as personal care, telecom, and consumer appliances, with a core focus on the FMCG space across multiple local and international brands such as Procter & Gamble, Unilever, National Foods, Engro, Dawlance, EFU and more.
Launched in 2010, Mediavest is a rising star in the portfolio of Brainchild Communications Pakistan agencies, now boasting a portfolio of clients across over a dozen categories, including telecom, consumer electronics, apparel, and financial services.
“Urooj has contributed an annual billing of over three billion rupees through long-tail SMEs to large multinational clients,” said Farhan Khan. “This spectrum of experience and knowledge enables her to deliver customized, optimized, and business-relevant solutions to all our clients across the spectrum.”
Restructuring strategy
Rated BBB+ by The Pakistan Credit Rating Agency Limited (PACRA), Brainchild Communications Pakistan is embarking on the next phase of its journey of becoming a full-service advertising agency. Distinct media brands and respective general managers open room for a larger client base without compromising conflict of interest in competing categories.
“Our business direction will be much more experiential and thoughtful about data-driven tactics,” said Benish Irshad, the chief operating officer at Brainchild Communications Pakistan. “Supported by Z2C Limited, our new strategy reflects a bold new vision for evolving Pakistan’s media & technology landscape. We must capture the ever-present growing opportunities of a changing marketplace and reward our senior leadership with a streamlined structure built around clients’ needs.”edia trademarks of the divisions of the Publicis Groupe.
CEO CBD PUNJAB & RUDA BRIEFS US AMBASSADOR ABOUT PROJECTS
Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) A delegation of the U.S Consulate General led by the U.S Ambassador in Pakistan, Mr. Donald Blome, met with Mr. Imran Amin, Chief Executive Officer of Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (PCBDDA) and Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA), to discuss the bilateral business ties between governments and business communities of both countries. The delegation was briefed about ongoing projects and the futuristic approach of Pakistan’s first business district, Central Business District Punjab (CBD Punjab) and World’s Largest Riverfront Project RUDA. The delegation was also given a detailed presentation about the investment potential opportunities, environmental and economic significance of RUDA and CBD Punjab in the development of the province. Mr. Imran Amin, CEO of PCBDDA & RUDA while expressing his views said “the interest of foreign governments and the international business community is a corroboration that CBD Punjab has made a positive impact on the global economic map. CBD Punjab is a novelty in the development of an economically stable and welfare state of Pakistan’’. United States Ambassador and CEO RUDA also discussed projects related to Waste Water Treatment Plants. These plants will have modern infrastructure, ensuring water’s effective management and cleanliness which will be first of its kind in Pakistan. RUDA projects related to Information and Communications Technology (ICT), paperless fully digitized environment was discussed in order to build Pakistan’s largest Smart City.
Faysal Bank Limited collaborates with Pakistan Freelancers Association
Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Faysal Bank Limited (FBL) collaborates with Pakistan Freelancers Association to facilitate the freelancer community through providing Shariah Compliant digital financial solutions and capacity building of freelancers.
The partnership initiated since the inception of Pakistan Freelancers Association (PAFLA), a non-profit organization founded to empower Pakistani freelancers, covers joint mentorship programs, seminars, webinars, conferences, professional training events and certification courses on financial literacy, alongside facilitating Freelancers and start-ups to reach out to FBL for their needs of digital financial services.
FBL Head Corporate and Investment Banking, Mr. Ali Waqar said: “FBL has been at the forefront of digital Pakistan initiative. In order to support freelancers, we were the first commercial bank in Pakistan to join the Global Network of Payoneer, facilitating freelancers and companies in receiving payments via home remittance channels. Moreover, our recent collation with Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) is also a testament of the ongoing efforts to support endeavors and activities of mutual interest for the facilitation of freelancers.”
“FBL has launched Burraq Digital Freelancer Account (Islamic), which has opened door to host of banking services, including consumer finance and related payment services. FBL has actively participated in multiple events organized to support the digital technology, youth empowerment and freelancing ecosystem.” Mr. Aneeq Malik, Head of Consumer Finance and Payment Services, FBL added.
Mr.Ibrahim Amin, Co-Founder and Chairman, PAFLA commented: “We are honored to have banking partner like FBL, this collaboration is key enabler for the Digital Pakistan initiative, enabling digital financial services for the growing gig economy. Through this collaboration, both the organizations would continue to extend their digital services to the masses and therefore contribute to the country’s most extensive digital initiative.”
FBL’s partnership with PAFLA will drive financial inclusion. The market opportunity is significant since Freelancing has witnessed an incredible upward trajectory in Pakistan. Pakistani freelancers globally ranks 3rd in software development and technology and generate throughput of approx. $1 Billion annually through providing freelance services on leading global platforms.
Mastercard has set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title with Luis Figo
Mastercard expands decades-long football legacy through GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title with Luis Figo
Please watch the video here.
- World record set with game played at 20,230 ft (6166.1 m) in zero gravity by football legend Luis Figo and a team of football heroes from across the globe.
- Mastercard’s new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title recognizes the world’s most popular sport as a celebration of the human spirit, igniting passion and pride for millions every day.
Pakistan (Nut Desk) Mastercard has set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the ‘Highest Altitude Game of Football (Soccer) on a Parabolic Flight’ alongside football legend Luis Figo and a diverse team of football heroes from across the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America.
The first-of-its-kind football game was played at an altitude of 20,230 ft (6166.1 m) in zero gravity conditions, taking the game to a place where no match has gone before. Through this campaign, Mastercard is celebrating the world’s love for football by taking fans’ passion for the beautiful game to unprecedented heights.
The out-of-this-world game between two four-player teams was played on 20 August 2022. Football legend Luis Figo was on board with seven other players selected to earn their place on the historic flight. The record was presented by an Official Adjudicator from GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ and verified by two witnesses as Figo effortlessly dribbled the ball across a 75 square meter football field specially set inside the aircraft.
The MENA region was represented by the team captain, Hamad Mohammad Hassan and Yasmian Ghanem AlSharshani from Qatar, a market that has become a global hub for sporting excellence and a leading destination for tourists and sporting enthusiasts alike. The other players of the record-setting game were Rhiannon Ishmael, Jonny Fines, Deydson Rocha, Begad Mostafa, and Farah Jefry.
“As a long-standing partner of the UEFA Champions League since 1994, Mastercard is committed to supporting the game at every level by connecting people to their passions and providing Priceless moments to fans across the globe. We are thrilled to have set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the highest altitude game of football on a parabolic flight alongside legend Luís Figo and our seven everyday heroes,” said Beatrice Cornacchia, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Communications, EEMEA, Mastercard.
Luis Figo, a Mastercard ambassador, has been part of several Priceless surprises around the world, captivating audiences with his experiences as a top player. Figo, the 2000 Ballon d’Or recipient, played for some of Europe’s best clubs including Sporting CP, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan, winning 127 caps for the Portugal national team.
“Football transcends boundaries and unites people around the world. I have played in stadiums where the electric atmosphere sparks emotions that cuts across cultures and nationalities; this was the exact same experience I had playing this beautiful game at 20,000 feet above ground with a group of fearless football fanatics taking their passion for the sport to unprecedented heights,” remarked Figo.
“Football continues to be a sport enjoyed in every corner of the world. At Guinness World Records™, we meet people with different backgrounds every day. By declaring this new achievement Officially Amazing™, we hope it will contribute to bringing communities together through the shared love of the sport and the excitement of seeing incredible records being broken,” said Shaddy Gaad, Senior Marketing Manager – Guinness World Records™.
Mastercard has a rich history of connecting people to their passions, their enthusiasm for sport, and bringing them once-in-a-lifetime experiences. During Expo 2020 Dubai, Mastercard hosted its Priceless Surprises series to connect guests to their passions at the global event. Among its hero activities, the company presented football enthusiasts with a unique opportunity to meet Luis Figo as well as a chance to see the UEFA Champions League Trophy, bringing football fans closer to the sports icon.
Mastercard partners with a range of organizations across sports, music, fashion, arts and entertainment around the world. Mastercard’s partnership with UEFA Champions League dates back to 1994 and the brand has been an active supporter of women’s football for more than 25 years.
Log on to Priceless.com to learn more and discover the range of priceless experiences around the world made possible by Mastercard.
The ‘Highest Altitude Game of Football on a Parabolic Flight’ game can be watched here.
ICT can play a vital role in higher education of Pakistan: UNESCO IITE and Huawei reported
Pakistan (Muhammad Yasir) A joint report by the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE) and Huawei has revealed the importance of developing ICT talents and creating relevant ecosystems to enhance ICT skills in the Middle East and expand access to career opportunities in the digital world. The joint publication aims to provide recommendations for decision-makers and other stakeholders on strengthening the digital skills required for employability in the digital era labor market. The report covers Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Pakistan. Commenting on the report launch, Mr. Tao Zhan, Director of UNESCO IITE, said, “UNESCO has identified ICT as a tool for accelerating the progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including equitable access to quality education for all.” Mr. Shunli Wang, Vice President of Huawei Middle East, said, “As the report shows, ICT is a powerful tool to facilitate social impact.” Higher education and TVETs are considered significant enablers of digital transformation and vital components of national visions and strategies for economic development by most of the countries. Therefore, modernizing education systems and upgrading ICT infrastructure have become national priorities across all surveyed countries. Proper infrastructure and qualified human capital are pivotal for achieving SDGs. This focus is reflected in the ever-increasing number of institutions offering ICT-related studies. For example, 23 universities and colleges (out of 30 higher education institutions) in Oman admit students to ICT-related majors. In Iraq, 12 vocational schools offered computer and information technologies courses during the 2018–2019 academic year. In Pakistan, the government has set up the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU), the Virtual University of Pakistan (VU), and the Information Technology University to promote ICT in higher education and TVET.