News Update Times

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) METRO, the leading international wholesale company, hosted a knowledge sharing session for the visiting delegation from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government at METRO head office Lahore. The delegation was comprised of senior officials of the Food Authority, Local Govternment, and Livestock Department from KPK.

The visit was organized by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) under the Agri-Food and Agro-Industry Development Assistance (PAFAID) program, on the subject titled “Improving Cattle Meat Value Chain in KP”. METRO Pakistan is supporting UNIDO expert working groups to improve value chains of Cattle Meat in KP and Apple in Baluchistan.

The visiting delegation was welcomed by Mr. Zohaib Jamil, Senior Manager, Quality Assurance – METRO Pakistan and briefed the visiting delegates about meat products supply chain model, the associated certifications (FSSC 22000, HALAL) and practices followed by METRO Pakistan from sourcing till delivery to customers during the site visit.

Addressing the delegation, Mr. Azfar Ali, Senior Head of Operations – Sales, Supply Chain & Expansion, METRO Pakistan, explained the supply chain model of METRO Pakistan and challenges faced in procurement from local market due to low level of compliance on international standards. He said “It’s a commitment of METRO Management to provide safe, hygienic and certified HALAL meat products to our customers through improving meat supply chain in Pakistan. METRO will continue to support all initiatives and projects that can improve the meat supply chain, ultimately providing safe, hyienic and quality products to the customers.”

The session ended with note of thanks from the METRO management to the UNIDO team lead by Mr. Omar Khan, Research Analyst, and Ms. Lubna Tajik, Lead National Project Coordinator for arranging the visit which will help officials in improving on the subject of Cattle Meat Value Chain in their province.

METRO Pakistan implement very stringent global food safety and quality requirements throughout supply chain and it is the only cash & carry in Pakistan with FSSC 222000 certification, a globally recognized food safety system certification, and the first cash & carry with certified HALAL fresh meat products available at its 10 stores nationwide.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) SBP issued “Licensing and Regulatory Framework for Digital Banks” on January 03, 2022. To create awareness of this this important development in regulatory ambit, SBP organized an online event – “Digital Banks – A New Era in Banking”. The objective of the webinar was primarily to create awareness about the next generation of banks i.e. digital banks and the potential they offer for financial inclusion in the country. It was also aimed at sharing the details of digital banking framework amongst the market participants and prospective investors and to address their queries.

Dr. Reza Baqir, Governor State Bank of Pakistan in his keynote address highlighted the potential of digital financial services to become ubiquitous in the banking industry and its significance in terms of inclusion and innovation. Discussing the prospects of digital banks in Pakistan, he emphasized that  one of the key goals of the State Bank of Pakistan was to promote inclusion, innovation, and modernization of financial sector of Pakistan. He emphasized SBP’s expectations from digital banks in promoting financial inclusion by providing affordable financial services to unserved and underserved segments of society, alongside fostering a new set of customer experience.

Dr. Baqir highlighted how digitization of financial services is picking up pace and is transforming the way banking is done for both individuals and businesses. He mentioned that Pakistan’s journey for digital financial services started in early 2000s, and since then, a number of enabling regulatory initiatives were launched, notably, Branchless Banking Regulatory Framework, Electronic Money Institutions Regulations, Roshan Digital Account, RAAST, Customers’ Digital Onboarding Framework, and Asaan Mobile Accounts etc. He added that Licensing and Regulatory Framework for Digital Banks is another milestone towards digital transformation and a major step towards revolutionizing our banking services industry. 

The event was attended by prominent members of the banking community, fintechs, business fraternity and Government agencies. While giving his welcome address, Mr. Arshad Mehmood Bhatti, Executive Director, Banking Policy and Regulation Group, informed the audience that SBP will grant up to five (05) licenses for digital banks, as SBP intends to bring digital banks with strong value proposition, robust technological infrastructure, sufficient financial strength, technical expertise and effective risk management culture. He assured the market participants and potential investors that his team will remain available to provide necessary guidance in this regard.

The event also included a panel discussion moderated by Mr. Nadeem Hussain, founder Planet-N along with Mr. Muhammad Aurangzeb, Chairman Pakistan Banks’ Association, Ms. Tania Aidrus, former Executive of Google and Special Assistant to PM, Mr. Qasif Shahid, CEO & Co-Founder of M/s Finja and Mr. Muhammad Akhtar Javed, Director Banking Policy & Regulations Department of SBP as panelists.

The panelist had different rounds of questions which not only covered the real potential of digital banks  in terms of addressing the financial needs of a common man but it also brought further clarity on various aspects of this important regulatory initiative.

The panel also touched upon the possible benefits and compelling reasons for existing banks and MFBs to apply for digital banks’ license and highlighted the relevant challenges faced by various digital banks across the globe. The panelists were of the view that digital banks would offer a faster, cheaper and more efficient solution for meeting the financial requirements of unserved and underserved segments of the society, in particular and welcomed SBP’s landmark initiative.

The panel was confident that digital banks will become an essential part of the financial ecosystem, enhancing market efficiencies, providing access to a wider range of financial services, and thereby, advancing the broader agenda of financial inclusion.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) GrocerApp has recently partnered with EasyPaisa to provide customers the best grocery-buying experience in the country. The partnership was finalized by the CEO GrocerApp – Mr. Ahmad Saeed and Head of Easypaisa – Mr. Omar Moeen.

As part of this partnership, Easypaisa customers can now buy groceries at the lowest prices from the comfort of their homes. The partnership entails the creation of a “mini-app” for groceries within the Easypaisa app.

The partnership aims to facilitate a wider range of audience for improved grocery-buying experiences in Lahore, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Karachi (launching soon). It would also be contributing to the larger goal of creating a digitally enabled economy.

Commenting on the partnership, CEO GrocerApp – Mr. Ahmad Saeed said that the company is working towards making an online groceries brand that offers the largest variety in groceries at the lowest possible rates. This partnership will help GrocerApp reach a bigger audience and benefit users in saving more on their monthly groceries.

GrocerApp is Pakistan’s leading online grocery platform which enables users to order their grocery essentials through its website and mobile app. Mr. Ahmad Saeed co-founded this startup in 2016 with Mr. Rai Bilal & Mr. Hassaan Sadiq, after realizing the gap and potential in the online grocery delivery space in Pakistan. The startup changed its model from using middlemen and delivering via existing stores to a fulfilment led model in 2018.

The app promises users the largest range of groceries at lower prices in general, across the industry. It provides same day scheduled deliveries from 8am to 8pm. GrocerApp saves consumers trips to the supermarket and provides better savings as well as value at their doorstep.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Zong 4G, Pakistan’s leading cellular and digital services provider, has partnered with DHA Multan to provide it with best-in-class 4G connectivity.

Through its well-equipped and bespoke solutions, Zong 4G is aiming to deliver the greatest communication services for the development of present and future residential developments. Zong 4G will be providing total network coverage throughout the DHA Multan premises as part of the collaboration. More in more, the company will also play a significant part in DHA Multan’s future digital initiatives and ESS solutions for Smart Homes.

DHA Multan is one of the leading housing projects in Pakistan. Spanning over an area of 10,000 acres, DHA Multan is a future hub of educational, cultural, sports, and recreational modernization that would stand out to serve the people of Southern Punjab, especially the people of Multan.

“We’re delighted to have partnered with DHA Multan to address the project’s connection demands,” said Rizwan Ahmed Siddiqui, General Manager Commercial at Zong. “The DHA brand is a guarantee of high-quality living, with amenities that provide a safe and enjoyable existence for its dwellers. Residents will have a holistic living experience with all of their needs covered flawlessly thanks to our best-in-class 4G services.”

“Joining forces with the country’s premier cellular and digital services provider is a significant step forward in the construction of this massive project,” said Brig Muhammad Shoeb Anwar Kayani, Project Director DHA Multan. “Through this relationship, we are certain that we are providing our residents with the finest possible connectivity within and around the premises.”

Zong is directly collaborating with corporate clients around the country to create a digital environment for them, delivering tailored solutions to disrupt daily procedures and innovative approaches to handle both simple and complex challenges.

Zong wants to change how businesses function with a large Business Solutions portfolio, with a broader impact on Pakistan’s corporate ecosystem. Its unrivalled technology advancement and telecommunications expertise have served as a forerunner in the development of these diverse commercial solutions.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Guiding young leaders on their path to success, Telenor Pakistan’s Digital Accelerator Program, Telenor Velocity, has opened its doors to applications from startups for its 8th Cohort. Startups in the Velocity program are offered business development support and mentorship via Telenor Pakistan’s experts, analytics, and exclusive access to scaling opportunities.

Telenor Velocity’s 8th Cohort invites applications from startups that specialize in agritech, edtech fintech, m-health, Internet of Things (IOT), media and entertainment, and more. Startups that have been in the market for more than two years will be selected and offered scaling opportunities leveraging Telenor Pakistan’s digital assets and expertise. The 5 startups finalized to be a part of Velocity’s 8^th Cohort will be supported to reach their target audience and will also enjoy special access to Telenor Pakistan’s APIs, data analytics and insights, and support in public outreach and marketing. There have been some successful pilots with startups like Deaftawk, Oladoc, Sehat Kahani, Digikhata and many more where they were not only provided the scale and access to new markets but earned incremental revenue with Telenor Pakistan.

Commenting on the development, Areej Khan, Vice President Digital at Telenor Pakistan said, “The nation’s young leaders are the key to successfully achieve the Digital Pakistan ambition. With mentorship and guidance from experts with decades of experience, we aim at equipping Telenor Velocity’s startups with the necessary tools to give form to their unique ideas. Pakistan’s young minds possess talent and creativity in abundance; and Velocity amplifies those skills while amplifying innovative opportunities through technology.”

Telenor Velocity has equipped startups from different industry verticals with the tools necessary to thrive, create employment, and contribute to the economy. Some success stories from previous years include Pak Agri Market, scaled in more than 120 tehsils in Punjab since 2019; OlaDoc, a mobile medical health service being used by 10 million MyTelenor App customers; Sehat Kahani’s improved data analysis and marketing resulted in an additional outreach of 6 million customers; Digi Khata extended their services to more than 200,000 retailers across the nation, via the Apollo app; and finally, Deaftawk, a sign language interpretation app, catering to 466 million deaf people globally, was featured in Telenor Pakistan’s TV commercial.

Launched in 2016, Telenor Velocity is Telenor Pakistan’s Digital Startup Accelerator, fostering an environment of innovation and collaboration, enabling the nation’s tech-startups to co-create new digital products and services. So far, Telenor Velocity has conducted 7 cohorts, with 40 graduated start-ups, 4+ pilot runs, $40,000 pilot investment, and $5 million investment raised by Telenor Velocity start-ups. To apply for Telenor Velocity’s 8^th Cohort, please fill out the application form:

 http://gust.com/programs/8th-cohort-telenor-velocity-4 .  

Last date to apply is 20^th February 2022.

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) the leading international wholesale company, joins the consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany in Karachi for the launch of an environmental project at Clifton’s Aunty Park. As part of Corporate Social Responsibility, METRO Pakistan provided the cleaning equipment, gloves, garbage bags and bins, and extended its support for the initiative. The DG Parks Karachi, Mr. Junaidullah Khan, was the chief guest for the occasion.

Speaking at the occasion, Mrs Birgit Nicole Kuhlmann, the Deputy Head of Mission at the German Consulate General in Karachi, said “We are here to inaugurate the Aunty Park environmental project 2022, together with our Pakistani partners METRO and TrashIt. We will be refurbishing and cleaning up the park, and will be placing garbage bins, and at the same time we will be running awareness drive for cleanliness of the premises and protection of the nature”.

Representing METRO, Mr. Imran Shamim, Senior Manager Corporate Affairs, said “METRO being the biggest wholesale company always supports the constructive initiatives to protect environment and nature, and today we have sponsored this activity by the German Consulate Karachi. Such projects are necessary for less polluted and healthy public spaces.”

METRO Pakistan is working on many sustainable and green projects throughout Pakistan, and has been the first wholesale company to shift to solar power solutions to generate clean and green energy and to reduce 260,000 kg of carbon emissions per year.