Standard Chartered launches Futuremakers agri-entrepreneur programme to support young people impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan

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Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) Standard Chartered Bank is launching an agri-entrepreneur programme in Pakistan to support young people recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The programme is part of Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, the Bank’s global initiative to tackle inequality by promoting economic inclusion for young people, including those affected by COVID-19. Delivered by the British Asian Trust with funding from the Standard Chartered Foundation, the 18-month programme will provide specialised skills training, mentoring and networking support to 1,000 young people between 19-35 years in rural and peri-urban areas of Punjab and Sindh. British Asian Trust will work with these young people – of whom nearly 90 per cent are women – to grow profitable and sustainable agricultural enterprises by developing and selling products in agriculture value chains with strong local potential. The enterprises will provide a range of activities including selling dried chillies, moringa and other agricultural produce; farming mud crabs; selling fodder for local livestock; and selling market vegetables, jams and pickles. As well as improving skills, the programme aims to increase incomes and access to finance to create more sustainable businesses.

Rehan Shaikh, CEO, Standard Chartered Pakistan, says: “We are thrilled to launch this programme as part of our wider Futuremakers initiative to empower the next generation to learn, earn and grow. The livelihoods projects delivered by the British Asian Trust share our goal of supporting the empowerment of vulnerable communities so they can be independent and create further employment opportunities in the country. With this programme, we hope to enable the young Agri entrepreneurs play an important role in further development of Agricultural eco-system and value chain. Agriculture continues to play a pivotal role for Pakistan economy and we are excited to play our part in supporting the renewed focus and initiatives of the Government and State Bank of Pakistan aimed at providing sustainable economic conditions and futures for people linked with this critical sector.”

Richard Hawkes, Chief Executive of the British Asian Trust added: “We are excited to launch this programme with funding from the Standard Chartered Foundation, as part of Futuremakers. We believe that by harnessing the strength of our aligned agendas, we can make a real positive impact on the lives of these 1,000 participants.” Economic and social outcomes for people in multidimensional poverty in Pakistan were poor before COVID-19, particularly for vulnerable and marginalised groups such as women and young people.

As a result of the pandemic, Pakistan has suffered lower business activity, production levels and imports and exports. The impact has also been felt by the agriculture sector. According to the United Nations Development Programme 2020, the agriculture sector – the primary source of employment for women and girls in rural areas – is rated as 90 per cent vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19. Even before COVID-19, women faced a variety of structured sectoral gender inequalities that prevented them from accessing skills, resources and markets that would help improve their livelihood security and income. In Sindh, 78 per cent of rural women work in pre and host harvest activities but only 33 per cent of women participate in marketing or sales of those commodities. The British Asian Trust has run multiple livelihoods projects in Pakistan since 2016. It has impacted the lives of thousands of women, girls and young adults in a positive way. The programme will harness valuable input from local implementing partners Shirakat and Sindh Agricultural and Forestry Workers Coordinating Organisation (SAFWCO) for market assessments, community mobilisation, vocational skills training, micro-entrepreneurship development training, building market linkages and access to financial services among other things to help participants gain economic stability.

Public-Private Partnerships Moving The Healthcare Sector

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Public-Private Partnerships Moving The Healthcare Sector towards improvement

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Much of the success and progression of a nation rest mainly on its healthcare sector. Healthcare sector has played a major role in the economic and social development of countries all across the world. For ensuring high and inclusive accelerated growth, a coherent road map and clear policies shall be introduced to improve the healthcare landscape of a country. Pakistan, since the time of independence has struggled with its healthcare system; although it has made few notable breakthroughs. One such initiatives is trying hard to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that are set for all developing countries.

But one can’t deny the fact that the health care system in Pakistan is beset with numerous problems, for instance, structural fragmentation, gender insensitivity, resource scarcity, inefficiency, and lack of functional specificity and accessibility. Moreover, it is faced with a precarious economic situation characterized by heavy external debt and faltering productivity, Pakistan’s room to maneuver with health sector reform is quite limited. So, what should be the solution?       

The Public-Private Partnership (An Evolving Instrument)

The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is a phenomenon that has gained popularity in recent times. In the health sector, it is defined as an institutional relationship between the government and the private sector (nonprofit organizations, for-profit private sector, to achieve a shared health-creating goal based on a mutually agreed division of labor and other resources). It provides a window of opportunities and introduces far-reaching changes in the health and social sectors.

Partnering with the private sector gives governments the ability to take advantage of the managerial efficiency, financial diligence and technical innovations.

Experience suggests that involving the private sector has made public sectors efficient and effective. It also brings stronger managerial capacity, access to new technology, and specialized skills that governments cannot afford to develop on their own. It can fill the gaps where governments are slow to respond to demands for the technologically sophisticated infrastructure and services.


The Benefits of Public-Private Partnership (P3s)

Involvement of the private sector ensures that projects and programs are subject to commercial discipline. Public-private partnerships can bring new ideas for designing programs and projects, and greater synergy between the design and operation of facilities. Partnering with the private sector gives governments the ability to take advantage of managerial efficiency, financial diligence and technical innovations. Often, private firms can avoid the bureaucratic problems that plague governments, and they can experiment with new technology and procedures. If we look at the global health scenario, P3s have been most successful in Canada, where they work well with the country’s single-payer health system. According to the Canadian Council for Public and Private Partnerships (CCPPP), P3s offer a number of advantages over traditional financing by providing viable options for other health care infrastructure in the face of limited government and philanthropic funds.

The combination of public interest with private-sector research and development, P3s have injected new life into stalled projects and delivered innovative solutions to numerous industries – especially healthcare.

The Dominance of Private over Public Sector

The private health sector has grown phenomenally in response to deficiencies in government health services. Availability of quality staff and medicines, 24/7 services, latest equipment, accessible locations, and cordial patient handling, all have earned the private sector a loyal clientele. The private sector boasts a substantial share of the blood bank, routine laboratory and X-ray services, and in some provinces, ambulance services too resultantly, the private healthcare sector is outperforming the public healthcare sector in terms of service quality and patient satisfaction. Having said that, one can’t deny the fact that Pakistan is a developing country and most of its population is formed of lower income groups. Millions of needy patients exist that cannot afford the luxury of being treated at private health institutes. So, the question is what should be done to meet the collective health targets of the masses? The solution isn’t that complex, it is very important to create public private partnerships and with the support of benevolent philanthropists, the investments should be made more in the public owned institutions so the deserving patients can get respective treatments.

 Patients’ Aid Foundation – Humanity Meets Healthcare

One of the successful examples of such a partnership is the Patients’ Aid Foundation (PAF), which is a non-profit organization, formed by a group of concerned citizens in 1990. With a vision to alleviate the burden on Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and to provide free and quality healthcare to thousands of patients walking through its gates every day. Through this private-public partnership, PAF is trying build back on the lost glory of JPMC which is struggling with the ever increasing number of patients against its limited resources. With best-in-class facilities and an encouraging staff, PAF has reshaped JPMC and improved its healthcare landscape. Patients’ Aid Foundation has been relentlessly serving the citizens with its motto of ‘humanity meets healthcare’ for over two decades.

Such partnerships in the health sector can ease the burden on the government and also ensure quality healthcare services are introduced as a basic human right. Hopefully, we will see many such partnerships for a better and healthier future.

Global Experts to grace 1st International Conference at the IBA Karachi

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Global Experts to grace 1st International Conference on “Economics and Sustainable Development” at the IBA Karachi

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Growth and economic stability, coupled with urban resilience and its impact on utility services are some of the few pressing issues that the Pakistani economy must deal with in the wake of the ongoing pandemic. To address these social development issues, the School of Economics and Social Sciences (SESS) at the IBA Karachi, in collaboration with the Centre of Business and Economic Research, will be hosting the 1st International Conference on “Economics and Sustainable Development”. The 3-day conference is scheduled to be held from April 2-4, 2021 at the IBA City Campus.

The goal of the conference is to bring creative local and global ideas, best practices, and evidence-based solutions for the challenges faced by Pakistan and the world. The conference has attracted eminent speakers from around the world and aims to act as a bridge between the industry experts and the academia.

Celebrated economist and an accomplished author, Dr. Lant Pritchett from the University of Oxford will deliver the keynote address while Mr. Yasuyuki Sawada, Chief Economist, Asian Development Bank, Dr. Hafeez Pasha, Former Federal Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs, Dr. Sania Nishtar, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Social Protection, Dr. Waqar Masood Khan, SAPM on Revenue, and many renowned personalities will add value to the ensuing discussions.

The research themes for the conference include Public Finance and Fiscal Policy, Growth, Development and Population Policy, Environment and Climate Change, Macroeconomics and Forecasting among other essential topics of concern. The conference will entail panel discussions with field experts, paper presentations from international researchers, technical sessions with eminent academics, poster sessions and a doctoral symposium.

Speaking about the significance of this conference, Dr. S Akbar Zaidi, Executive Director IBA, said, “This inaugural conference will touch upon current macroeconomic issues, having a policy as well as an academic context. For those who are interested in contemporary issues, the panels discussions with industry experts will be helpful.” 

Dr. Asma Hyder, Dean SESS, invited participants to engage in discussions revolving around sustainable development. “We hope to build a dialogue around human development and equality and make a concerted effort to rebuild our future.”

The audience of the conference would include participation from federal and provincial government departments, academic and research institutions, corporate sector, and local and international NGOs.

The Asian Development Bank, Engro Corporation, and K-Electric have partnered with the IBA in organizing this conference.

Ayesha Omar launches all-natural beauty product

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Ayesha Omar launches all-natural beauty product range ‘Ayesha O Beauty’ in collaboration with Hemani

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Actor, activist and fashion icon and now entrepreneur, Ayesha Omar has launched her skincare line under the name ‘Ayesha O Beauty’. The product range is all natural and inspired by naturopathy as a healing force has natural and organic ingredients. The products have been created according to what Ayesha wanted, after a great deal of research and testing, and are being manufactured by Hemani – a trusted name in natural and herbal products.

Believing that wellness is where beauty starts is how the idea of Ayesha O Beauty was born. With a team of skincare experts who also shared the vision of an evolved, holistic approach towards beauty, a range of products has been created that celebrates nature in its authentic form.

At the launch, Ayesha explained that since childhood, she has been drawn to nature. While she is no stranger to the bounties of natural ingredients, it was her mother’s autoimmune skin disease and its subsequent healing through naturopathy, that opened her eyes towards the wonders of nature-based lifestyle.

The brand was launched at an intimate gathering of close family and friends. In attendance were Ahsan Khan, Maheen Khan, Maria Wasti, Ainy Jaffri, Angeline Malik, Sikandar Rizvi, Azfar Rehman, Nusrat Hidayatullah and many more.

The product range is available at all major stores, all Hemani stores and online stores including Daraz and Bagallery. The line is also available for purchase from www.ayeshao.com

Women honoured for contributing in economic development of the country

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Islamabad (Muhammad Yasir) Women of Wonders Pakistan (WOWPK), a social impact community of women, celebrated the International Women’s Day by organizing the 2nd Women of Wonders Awards 2021 ceremony in partnership with InspireMill in Islamabad.

The ceremony was attended by a large number of women from various professional fields. The chief guest of the ceremony was Senator Seemi Ezdi and the ceremony was also graced by special guests, Ms. Shagufta Jabeen, Mr. Hamza Shafqaat, The Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad and Mr. Rana, Waqas, the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad.The Women of Wonders Awards 2021 Ceremony was an annual event dedicated to celebrating Pakistani women’s professional excellence in various fields.

The Awards Ceremony was the premiere event of the year, honouring women who have been contributing tremendously to the economic development of Pakistan and created impact at large. This year, a special award category, Enabler, was also introduced which honors outstanding feminist advocacy efforts by MEN that embody the goal of service to women and that have identifiably improved women’s lives. The winner of the Enabler award was Mr. Zaeem Zia, District Health Officer Islamabad.

In the first phase, nominations in 13 different categories (Agriculture, Artisans, Community Development/Pandemic & Crises, E-Commerce, Education, Health, Lifestyle & Beauty, technology & Innovation, Woman Entrepreneur of the year, Women in Unconventional Business, Public Services, Food & Hospitality, and Media Campaign) were collected from the women all over Pakistan.

The nominees were assessed upon quality of work, excellence and achievements on the basis of materials provided with the nomination form.  In the second phase, the winners were selected through a two tier process, via public voting and a prestigious panel of twelve member jury. The winner of each category was awarded a prestigious WOW Award.

The founder of WOWPK, Mrs. Zia S. Hasan, said, “Empowering the women is essential and is very much necessary for the gender equality. One way forward for women empowerment is to make sure that women support each other and that their achievements are honoured and celebrated by the society. Women hold up half the sky and supporting women will help them advance at work, start businesses, reach big life goals and take part in the progress of the country. This awards ceremony is all about our achievements and taking the credit we deserve.”

Ms. Sidra Jalil, Founder InspireMill, said, “This celebration gives recognition to those woman personalities who have excelled in their own fields. Indeed, women have contributed greatly to the welfare of the society and to the country subsequently”.

LADIESFUND International Women’s Day Greetings

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Dawood Global Foundation and Scentsation partnered to hold a LADIESFUND International Women’s Day with the theme “Feeling beautiful leads to mental health and joy… Let’s overcome fears and stress together.” Dynamic women across the city were invited to experience pampering, exclusive tours, special discounts and surprise presents. Leading make-up guru Nighat Misbah spoke about how feeling beautiful can transform your energy and mental health. Transgender lawyer Nisha Rao shared how make up and beauty have not only helped cover her tears but given her strength to face an often harsh world. The event further encouraged women to collaborate, network and “buy local” products to promote the economy and in particular women entrepreneur brands, to support one another during these COVID-19 times. The gathering facilitated masks and SOPS to safely bring women together to support one another through sales, and build and cultivate relationships in ways that can benefit all parties.

“Every year we recognize and honour the best of talent among Pakistani women, and our known for our LADIESFUND Women’s Awards for Pakistan, including this past year when we honoured female front-line workers who have risked their lives to save the lives of others during COVID-19,” stated LADIESFUND President Tara Uzra Dawood, “but this International Women’s Day, we wanted the focus to be on collaboration not competition, on self-care rather than spotlights, and pamper women – many of whom were suffering this past year from mental health issues due to lockdown – instead focusing on a few.” “We are introducing a Scentsation women’s card to make our top products affordable for more women and to celebrate our women customers,” stated Scentsation CEO Mohsin Feroze, “and naturally we thought to partner with LADIESFUND for this as there are so many dynamic, successful women under their network as well as many who are being mentored and trained by them.” The happy occasion featured many delighted, relaxed faces, and a joy rarely seen in these pandemic times.

Scentsation gifted each guest with its brand new Woman’s Card, Swag bag, and a one day only 20% off on anything and everything in the store, just for LADIESFUND members and special guests. International Women’s Day is not just a day to celebrate but to be celebrated. Depilex was Beauty Partner and LADIESFUND welcomed members of ABFP forum by Afshan Rashid. Spotted at the event were Anisa Faruqui, Lubna Lakhani, Nazneen Tariq Khan, Nazli Abid, Ruby Noorani, Nilofer Yousuf, Afifa Abid, among others.

TransPeshawar Launches the Bike-Sharing Service for the 1st Time in Pakistan

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Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) TransPeshawar launched the Zu-bicycle-sharing service today in a ceremony held at the Peshawar University. In a company statement, TransPeshawar acquired 360 state-of-the-art bicycles docked at 32 stations around Peshawar University and Hayatabad area. The bicycle kiosks installed at each bicycle station will have a facility for customers to view their cards’ status and access their credentials. The ceremony was attended by government officials, including the Provincial Minister Transport of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mr. Shah Muhammad Khan.

The statement further added that by adding non-mechanized traffic along the whole hallway and giving first and last-mile networks, the Peshawar BRT would advance contamination-free climate, great wellbeing, and comfort for commuters. Peshawar will be the first city of Pakistan to be using bicycles as public transport in the city. The BRT public transport system’s motivation is to expand admittance and utilize public transit while avoiding traffic congestion and lessening carbon emission on Peshawar streets. It is additionally about a manageable, dependable, and practical facility for people in general for quite a long time to follow.

On this occasion, Provincial Minister Transport Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mr. Shah Muhammad Khan, said, “The government is determined to fulfill its commitment to provide the best public transport system to the people of Peshawar.” Said the Provincial Minister KPK. “Now it’s your turn to use the public transport as responsible citizens of the country,” he said. On this occasion, the CEO TransPeshawar, Mr.Fayyaz Khan, briefed the government dignitaries and said, “With the induction of Zu-bicycles as means of public transport, Peshawar will be the first city of the country to take the leap in reducing carbon emissions to curb pollution which is on a high in this region.”

TransPeshawar has outsourced BRT and Zu bicycle management, Intelligent Transport System (ITS), and security to LMK Resource (Pvt) Ltd, a globally recognized organization working in Pakistan. “LMKR is proud to play its part in creating smart, sustainable, ethical, and inclusive transportation systems across the country,” said CEO LMKR Pakistan Jahanzeb Moazzam Khan. “Zu bicycle, a program which offers city dwellers a green and affordable means of transport, is a testament to the role technology can play in creating a resilient and inclusive society. We are happy to see Peshawar as the First City in Pakistan to offer this service,” he added.

The registration to avail of this service has begun since the start of the month. The initiative is lauded by the public, including the university students who would now be conveniently reaching the last mile of their destination by using Zu-bicycle.

Malala Yousafzai receives HUM Women Leaders Award in Islamabad

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Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) In commemoration of the International Women’s Day, Pakistani activist, UN Messenger of Peace, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize recipient and the co-founder of Malala Fund, Malala Yousafzai was honoured at the 2nd HUM Women Leaders Award, for her outstanding public service and contributions in the field of education, and for being a symbol and source of hope, courage, determination and inspiration for girls and women across the globe. The award was presented by the president of HUM Network, Sultana Siddiqui to Dr. Maliha Khan, Chief Programming Officer at Malala Fund, who received the accolade on behalf of Malala Yousafzai, who joined the award ceremony via video link at the event hosted at the President’s Secretariat in Islamabad on 9th March 2021. The honourable President of Pakistan His Excellency Dr. Arif Alvi graced the occasion as the Chief Guest along with various other notable personalities from a diversity of fields.

“I dedicate this award to all the young girls who wish for a bright future, who have a desire to learn and get an education. The pandemic has amplified the education crisis in Pakistan, even more so for girls who continue to pay the highest price Poverty, gender and marginalisation have intersected to accentuate inequalities, making it harder than ever for girls from poorer, rural households to learn. With Malala Fund and our new projects, it is our mission to prioritise the education of girls with an even greater emphasis during this pandemic, so they can continue to learn during [the pandemic] without hindrance. I hope for a day in Pakistan when every girl is able to go to school, get an education, be able to fulfill her dreams and lead without fear.” said Malala Yousafzai on receiving the HUM Women Leaders Award. Co-founded by Malala and her father Ziauddin Yousafzai, Malala Fund is working to ensure every girl around the world can access 12 years of free, safe and quality education.

The organisation supports girls’ education programmes in Pakistan, as well as Afghanistan, Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Lebanon, Nigeria and Turkey. Inspired by Malala and Ziauddin Yousafzai’s roots as local activists in Pakistan, Malala Fund established the Education Champion Network which invests in education advocates and activists who are challenging the policies and practices that prevent girls from going to school in their communities. Today, Malala Fund supports 57 Education Champions. Malala Fund, in its November 2020 report on Girls’ Education and COVID-19 in Pakistan highlights how the pandemic has impacted students and their families in Pakistan, especially girls. Although Pakistan has made significant progress for girls’ education in the last decade, over 12 million girls remain out of school, with only 13% of girls reaching grade nine. Malala Fund Education Champions in Pakistan aim to work closely with federal and provincial governments as well as independent bodies to ensure the safe, gender-responsive reopening of schools, alleviate the economic effects of the pandemic to help families prioritise education, protect education gains and build back Pakistan’s education system with gender at the centre to promote inclusive growth and ensure every girl can learn.

EU closing in on Apple over Spotify complaint: sources

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BRUSSELS: The EU will escalate its probe into whether Apple is unfairly squeezing out music streaming rivals, in what could be the iPhone-makers biggest anti-trust case yet, several sources close to the case said Tuesday. The case would land as Apple faces a growing rebellion from firms that want to break free of the global Apple app store´s strict terms, with anti-trust authorities in Britain and South Korea also taking an interest.  The European Commission is following up on a complaint brought by Sweden-based Spotify and others that accuses Apple of making unfair use of its app store to promote its own Apple Music. Spotify filed a formal complaint in 2019 that also accused Apple of unfairly taking a 30 percent cut from businesses using its store, which Spotify says amounts to a violation of fair competition rules. The case is one of four taken up by the European Commission against Apple last year and could force the company to change the way it does business. Sources close to the case said the commission´s investigation seems to be approaching the final stages, with the EU sending signals that it was drawing up a charge sheet, known as a statement of objections, against Apple. If the charge sheet is confirmed, Apple would have the chance to defend its side and offer to tweak its business model, before a final verdict from the EU, potential fines and an order to change its ways. The European Commission declined to comment on an ongoing investigation. Apple referred to a 2019 statement that said its App Store helped Spotify become Europe´s largest music streaming service. The tech giant was previously in the EU´s crosshairs four years ago when Brussels ordered the California-based giant to repay 13 billion euros ($14.7 billion at current rates) in a tax case against Ireland.

COVID-19: 7 Punjab district schools halt co-curricular activities

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Lahore (NUT Desk) The School Education Department have suspended all co-curricular activities in seven districts of Punjab after an increase in Covid-19 cases. A notification in this regard says ‘no co-curricular activity shall be conducted in those districts where Covid-19 positivity ratio is more than 20 cases;’.

Activities were banned in Lahore, Gujrat, Rahim Yar Khan, Sialkot, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad. The Edu Dept also directed the school administrations to ensure implementation of coron standard operating procedures. Punjab Education Minister Murad Raas also shared the notification on Twitter announcing the ban on all such activities. `Restrictions on co-curricular activities in the 7 Districts stated in the notification due to Covid-19. No Gala, sports activities or public gatherings,` the minister said. On Feb 26, Mr Raas had notified that schools in these districts would follow alternate day rules until April 1 due to higher coronavirus incidences there while regular classes would resume in other districts. The situation will be reviewed on March 31, the notification stated.