Second Annual Prize Distribution Ceremony at American Lycetuff School Rehman Campus

    

 The second annual prize distribution ceremony was held at the American Lycetuff School (Al-Rahman Garden Campus) with special guests MPA Mian Abdul Rauf, Punjab Minister for Industry and Commerce Mian Aslam Iqbal, former Nazim Mian Waheed Ahmed, Chairman Complaints Cell Chief Ministers Zubair Khan Niazi, Mian Waqar Ahmed (Sitara-e-Pakistan), President Anjaman Tajran Badami Bagh and MPA Mehr Wajid were present. Director American Lycetuff Rehman Garden Mian Fahad Waheed, Director American Lycetuff Rehman Garden Mian Zubair Waheed and Principal Mubashir Arif were also present. At the end of the program, the special guest distributed prizes among the talented students.

Descon diversifies into the agricultural sector; invests in two agri-tech businesses

 

 Descon is one of the largest conglomerates in Pakistan’s key sectors including Construction, Power-generation, and Chemicals. In its continuing endeavor to spur economic growth in Pakistan, Descon has signed an investment agreement to acquire shareholding in two dynamic enterprises – ‘Vital Agri Nutrient’ (VAN) and ‘Vital Green’ (VG), as part of its strategy to diversify into the Agricultural sector, which is undoubtedly the backbone of Pakistan’s economy.

Both the companies will benefit from this strategic alignment with an enterprising entity, utilizing the resources and expertise at Descon’s disposal to achieve the next phase of their growth. Descon seeks to support these two companies and other such businesses in building technology and infrastructure to organize, empower and enhance the quality of lives of millions of Agri value chain participants in Pakistan. In the initial phase, Descon will support VAN and VG in unlocking their growth potential, while synchronizing the supply-chain for value-addition. 

Descon Vice-Chairman, Faisal Dawood expressed his pleasure on this alliance, stating, “These strategic investments validate the impact that Vital Agri Nutrient and Vital Green have had so far in agriculture and Descon will assist them in enhancing their impact by providing the required strategic, financial and governance support. We have ventured into this space to disrupt outdated farming methods and redundant practices in agriculture value chains, and aspire to create economic opportunities for all those involved in this sector. We look forward to investing in similar ventures to further our agri vision.”  

Agriculture is the single largest sector in Pakistan, but unfortunately, over the past many years, it has received inadequate developmental support, leaving it with near stagnant productivity. Descon’s venture into this area will enhance access of farmer communities to updated knowledge, innovative technologies, trainings, expert advice and financial resources, while positively impacting the larger community through effective partnerships leading to food-security and improved livelihoods.

VAN and VG CEO, Ahmed Umair said, “We aspire to improve the quality of life for millions of farmers to responsibly feed the world and protect the planet.  In partnership with Descon we are creating synergies and we will together grow knowledge to fulfill our vision of an inclusive and collaborative society without hunger and the planet being treated in sustainable manners. We find Descon aligned with our values and vision for the future of the agricultural sector.  With continuous research and development, we are catering to the diverse needs of the agriculturists, achieving higher yields and enhancing the quantity and quality of food and nutrition available to the nation. We look forward to Descon’s stewardship to become an international company within a decade. 

Food security, limited farmland and depleting soil resources are the challenges that drive us.”

‘VAN’ is a leading manufacturer of specialty-fertilizers, soil-amendments and bio-fertilizers and has been in the business for 12 years, achieving one of the largest production-capacity for water-soluble fertilizers in Pakistan. It works closely with its farmers and corporate customers to deliver value added innovative solutions VAN has also developed customized, crop specific and area specific, crop nutrition plans, with reduced environmental impact. 

‘VG’ provides access to credit, quality-Inputs, actionable knowledge, digital tools and market outreach for farmers. It has one of the largest company-operated networks of service-centers all over Pakistan. The company is already working with thousands of farmers and have a structured approach of collaboration with digital, financial, value chain partners. VG serve across more than a dozen value-chains, including sugarcane, rice, wheat, maize, banana, chili and tomatoes.

ACCA and PITB join hands to increase financial inclusion and grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem

     

Lahore: Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Pakistan and Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) Incubation Wing signed an MoU on Friday 25^th March 2022, to explore avenues of collaboration and to work jointly mainly on financial inclusion, financial literacy of PITB incubation wing start-ups and awareness for ACCA stakeholders including members and future members on opportunities in entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The MoU was signed by Assad Hameed Khan Head of ACCA Pakistan and Sajid Latif Director General e-Governance, Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB). Also present at the ceremony were, Shahid Khan-Head of Business Development, Central, ACCA Pakistan; Aamir Saleem-Business Development Manager, Central, ACCA Pakistan; Muhammad Shahid Khan- Business Development Manager, Central, ACCA Pakistan.

Assad Hameed shared his thoughts on the collaboration, saying, “ACCA is looking forward to the collaboration with PITB. At ACCA, we believe financial inclusivity is vital in our country’s social and economic growth and can bring about radical changes in all sectors.”

For more developments on this partnership, stay connected to ACCA’s socials.

 

CBD Punjab Gets Approval of 750 Ft Height from Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)

Lahore Central Business District Development Authority (LCBDDA) also known as Central Business District Punjab (CBD) gets another feather in its cap by getting an approval of 750 ft height for Lahore Prime by Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Getting the approval of an iconic height is a milestone and history making achievement of CBD Punjab.

 Lahore Prime comprises of twelve mixed commercial plots out of these twelve plots five plots were auctioned in September 2021 with the approval of 500 ft height. An advanced aeronautical study was conducted by Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) with the support of the guardians of the skies Pakistan Air Force (PAF). In this advance level study, all the possibilities and constraints were deeply researched and analyzed for practical implementation of skyscraper buildings in CBD Punjab. CAA has ensured the protocols of safe flight operations while giving the provision for 750 ft construction height.

 CEO Lahore Central Business District Development Authority (LCBDDA) Imran Amin said that “Approval of 750 ft height is the epitome of grandeur in real estate and rather extraordinary in the construction sector. CBD Punjab has come another step closer to the dream of Prime Minister Imran Khan of giving Pakistan its first business district. I would like to show my profound gratitude to the management of CAA and PAF for providing their professional support and taking swift action on the request of CBD Punjab for the 750 ft height provision.

 The provision of 750 ft is a gateway to architectural masterpieces and iconic buildings. Business community will avail all the pros of the extra height provision like more sellable area for commercial purpose, construction advancement and provision of helipad. Lahore Prime’s five mixed commercial plots were auctioned on the FAR 1:18-1:24 with the proposed approved height of 500 ft. Now the height is increased to 750 ft so the bidders have to buy extra height of the auctioned plots.

It is the first time in the history Punjab KPK and FATA that CAA has given the approval of 750 ft height before this provision of 900 ft height was given to a real estate developer in Karachi but the only managed to achieve 650 ft. The approval of 750 ft height will completely reform the skyline of Lahore. The residents of CBD Punjab will witness some great architectural wonders.

Every step of CBD Punjab is strengthening the oath of the authority to work for the betterment and economic development of Pakistan. The vigorous of approach of CBD Punjab has washed out all the myths and fears of economic instability and brushed up the image of Pakistan on world economic map.

FFPL III: Pakistan’s House of Blood among teams securing Free Fire World Series final berth, they go on to compete for $2 Million at Sentosa in May

       

Free Fire Pakistan League hosted its Grand Finale event yesterday in Lahore, with thousands in attendance. FFPL III came to a close in a manner of grandeur as we saw Pakistan’s biggest Professional Esports League have a new winner this year, team House of Blood. FFPL has previously attained the coveted endorsement status by MOIB under Fawad Chaudry and has since then grown to become Pakistan’s top-level Esports League.

The tournament saw a massive prize pool of PKR 1 Crore with the cash prize extended to the top-12 teams. The winning team, topping the leaderboard, took home the major share of Rs 35 lakh from the prize money and other amazing Infinix products. The Country Product Manager, Binh Nguyen, was present to award the winning teams their cash prizes alongside.

Onlookers were mesmerized by the grand growth of Esports in Pakistan with the final resembling that of International standards. Live broadcasting, Casters, Celebrity appearances, Cosplay, generous giveaways by Infinix and a technically superior set up showed encouraging signs for Esports in Pakistan. 7 Final matches were played to decide the winning team representing Pakistan in the coveted Free Fire World Series.

Commenting on the occasion, Hamza Hashmani, Esports Lead Pakistan said: “Free Fire is developing the infrastructure for professional Esports in Pakistan. Both the attendance and passion for FFPL have witnessed immense growth. These competitive platforms empower our youth by providing lucrative opportunities, Congratulations to HoB and all other teams who made it to the final”   

 

Falak Gondal, PR & Comms Lead commented on the occasion: “We started off with 2000 teams registering, with weeks of competing to reach the top 12- Congratulations to those who made it this far, enabling Esports as a profession has been dear to all of us at Free Fire Pakistan this year and with phenomenal turnouts such as these we only see the trajectory of Esports as exponential from here”

Sharing his views about the event Mr. Joe Hu, CEO - Infinix Pakistan said “Infinix takes pride in supporting the Pakistani Esports industry to keep up with the latest trends and exciting ways to engage with youngsters. This partnership with FreeFire is a testament to Infinix’s commitment to be a frontrunner in the expansion of technological advancement in Pakistan." He further added “we aim to empower youth with esports enabled interactive technology and to promote E-sport further in Pakistan’’.

TikTok announced as sponsor for Pakistan-Australia ODI Series, T20

      

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced TikTok, the leading destination for short-form videos, as a sponsor for the ODI series and one-off Twenty20I being played as part of the historic tour of Australia to Pakistan.

TikTok will be the presenting sponsor for the three-match ODI series, which will commence at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from March 29, and associate sponsor for the T20I game. The sponsorship comes after the title sponsorship of the Test series. Earlier, TikTok was also announced as the entertainment partner of Pakistan Super League 7 and 8 and the title sponsor of the PSL anthem for the latest season.

The PCB, who are now also officially on TikTok, have entertained cricket fans on the platform throughout the partnership by sharing the highlights of the current and previous matches, fans reactions, favourite moments and exciting challenges. Cricket fans in Pakistan were able to engage with the PCB and their favourite cricketers like never before on TikTok.

TikTok, with more than 1 billion monthly active users around the world, provides a place where cricket fans can follow their favourite cricket content creators, share the best TikTok cricket content, and create their own special moments, reactions, and celebrations around this historic series with Australia.

Paul Katrib, Head of Brand Marketing, Middle East, Turkey, Africa, and Pakistan at TikTok: “We are delighted to continue our strong association with the most popular sport in Pakistan. Being part of this historic Pakistan-Australia Test series first and now the ODIs and T20I has made TikTok the ultimate platform for cricket fandom in Pakistan. With all the content posted during the PSL and the Test series, TikTok has become a place where people entertain themselves with the exciting cricket content that exists on the platform.”

The second and third match of the ODI series that is part of the inaugural 2020–2023 ICC Cricket World Cup Super League, will be played on March 31 and April 2 respectively, while the T20I will be played on April 5 at the same venue. 

Infinix has teamed up with FreeFire to make the FFPL3 Finale bigger than before!

Pakistan’s No.1 selling smartphone brand Infinix, has entered into another exciting partnership with One Degree for further promoting Esports in Pakistan. Kickstarting their partnership from Infinix X Free Fire Pakistan League Season 3 (FFPL3), both brands have lined up a round of thrilling activities for the future as well. FFPL3 provides a stimulating platform for young gamers to showcase their gaming ability and win exciting prizes from Infinix, One Degree and FreeFire. Bringing in an inspiring opportunity for Pakistan’s enthusiastic young gamers, the FFPL3 finale is taking place in Lahore on 27^th March, 2022.

Infinix’s idea behind this effective collaboration with FreeFire and One Degree is to bring the youth together from across Pakistan and motivate them to showcase their talents on platforms like FFPL3. For this partnership, One Degree has exclusively designed a pair of shoes based on the ‘FFPL Theme’ which will be gifted to FFPL3 winners and will also be available to order soon. For further fuelling up the FFPL3 winners gaming journey to Free Fire World Series (FFWS) in Singapore, Infinix will be gifting their latest Game On champion i.e. Infinix HOT 11. FFPL3 finale also offers a number of exciting activities for the attendees as well including giveaways from Infinix, Infinix X Free Fire gaming zone and much more.

Talking about this exciting partnership, Infinix X FreeFire X One Degree, The CEO of Infinix Pakistan, Mr. Joe Hu expressed his gratitude by saying: “Infinix has always been on the forefront when it comes to encouraging young gamers to come forward and show their skills off. Through our exclusive partnerships, Infinix’s wants to bring forward unique elements for the youth and also help discover the hidden young talents of Pakistan’’

Through FFPL3 taking place in Lahore, Infinix, One Degree and FreeFire are collectively aiming to uncover the country’s talent and give them the recognition they deserve.

Startup Founders & Corporate Executives Meetup at BIZNET'22

       

Startup Grind Lahore in collaboration with Transforming Hub, with the support of the Ministry of Commerce & the President House of Pakistan hosted an event to appreciate, acknowledge and encourage Pakistani startups and Corporate Innovation at the President House, Islamabad. BizNet’22 in association with OZI Group powered by PSO was the first of its kind in the history of Pakistan, where entrepreneurs, startup founders and corporations altogether worked on cross vertical integration in order to encourage entrepreneurship and Intrapreneurship at all levels.

At the inauguration of this seminal event, Omar Khokar, the host and Director at OZI Group invited the curator of BizNet’22, Iftikhar Hussain Chapter Director Startup Grind Lahore to  present the opening address. He pointed towards the mission of Biznet’22 as a mechanism to align corporations and startups alike to develop and grow one another. According to Iftikhar Hussain:

“The world has witnessed how strong communities with strong foundations and networks can develop massive ecosystems of change. Last year, we saw exceptional growth in the startup ecosystem and this is just the beginning. Using technology as highlighted by the pandemic is at the heart of the future and I hope that this first iteration of Biznet’22 will work towards this shared goal of a growth driven, collaborative ecosystem.”

He brought the audience’s attention to the Future Fest happening at the end of March’ 22, hosted by Startup Grind Islamabad Director Arzish Azam which is the biggest StartUp & IT event in Pakistan. In his closing remarks, he thanked The Ministry of Commerce and The President House of Pakistan for lending their support in advancing this dialogue. He went on to thank the partners: Ozi Group, PSO, CEO Club Worldwide USA, Popcorn Studios and Daftarkhwan.

The second speaker was Usman Sheikh CEO Ozi Group and Jolta Electric for a presentation on the IT Landscape of Pakistan, he pointed towards how Pakistan needs to understand that’s it’s population is not a liability, but an asset in the technology driven world, just as population has been as an asset for India, China and the US. Making our population into an asset will require massive skill proliferation programs coupled with an ecosystem such as that championed by Biznet’22.

Within a climate of euphoria, the host welcomed the President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi to appreciate the technology hero’s of Pakistan. The startups got the appreciation included Bykea, Finja SimSim, Cheetay, Tag, Educative, QisstPay, and lastly, Airlift, having raised a massive investment whereas Ozi Group and Unilever Pakistan got the recognition as corporate innovation category to support the local startups.

At the end President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi who congratulated the distinguished guests for their achievements and celebrated the growth, development and future prospects of startups and corporate innovation in Pakistan as being fuelled by events such as Biznet’22. When narrating the impact of startups in the overall business ecosystem of Pakistan, he said: “The rise in startups has disrupted the old forms of business, with youth operating at its core, forming innovative solutions and democratising the space of business. This movement of innovation has led to Pakistan being a product and service provider not just within Pakistan, but globally! Within startups, the utilisation of digital platforms means wherever there is internet, Pakistan is there.”

His refreshing take on how COVID lead to the adaptation of technology such as Zoom, which already existed but was under-utilised, lead to the audiences’ praise and acknowledgement.

Pointing towards his own role in furthering digital education, he narrates a program launched by his office for students passing metric which was free and attended by more than a 100,000 students.

“I believe I’m the salesperson of IT in Pakistan. Ministry of Information Technology launched a digital training program of 6 months in Pakistan which was attended by 2.2 Million people . The top 5 performer’s names are kept on my desk and it’s my pride to inform you that they’ve made more than $120,000 just in last year. That’s the impact of technology and education!”

Ending his wonderful speech, he directed the audience of professionals towards the fact that they are the only people who can and will take Pakistan forward!

The event was a huge success, filled with interesting questions and inspiring conversations.

BIZNET`22 in association with OZI Group, powered by PSO, would like to thank our partners:

Transforming Hub, CEO Club USA, Popcorn Studios & DaftarKhawan for making this event possible.

A day wearing the new HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 earphones

These ultra comfortable earphones deliver a studio quality sound and an open fit Active noise cancellation second to none!

 The TWS (True Wireless Stereo) market has never been more crowded than it is in 2021. With so many options to choose from, finding the right earphones can seem daunting. However as a user you have to look at options that prioritise things like sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, and other cool features which you may need when powering through your day.

 Therefore for me to choose my next earphones was narrowed down to earbuds that could deliver what I am looking for on a daily basis. Huawei recently launched its studio-quality open-fit ANC earphone with air-like comfort - the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4. The latest iteration to the HUAWEI FreeBuds Series comes with studio-quality sound, open-fit noise cancellation, air-like comfort for all-day wear. In addition to dual-device connection, new interactions with intuitive controls and a host of other cool features.

 Here I take you through a journey throughout a day wearing these l earphones to show you how it helped me power through my day smoothly.

Morning workout with studio-quality music

What is the best way to start your day after having your cup of coffee and going through your news feed on your phone? Personally, I like to start my day with a morning workout session and I listen to some music for that early morning motivation before hitting the gym. The 14.3mm dynamic driver fitted on the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 generates larger amplitude powerful bass. In addition, the lightweight and strong Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) material reduces treble distortion, so that the frequency response range is as high as 40kHz, producing rich details of the track I was listening to.

Listen to what you want and isolate the rest

I normally commute to work interchanging between metros and buses which can be quite noisy especially during morning rush hours. With the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4, I easily isolated unwanted noise, dived into a serene world where I could hear clearly the audiobook I was listening to with rich details of every word and pronunciation; this is all thanks to dual-microphone noise cancellation technology that delivers top-notch active noise cancellation. To enhance noise cancellation effectively across different wearing scenarios, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 uses Adaptive Ear Matching (AEM) noise cancellation technology that automatically detected the shape of my ears and determined the optimum noise cancellation setup on my behalf!

 Air-like comfort, did not even realise I had them on

One of the things I love about Huawei’s newest earphones is the comfort of wearing them: I do use them for long periods between my commute to taking phone calls, or listening to music in the morning and they still feel very comfortable as they do not put pressure on the ear canal.

 Cool features that come as an added value

The HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 also come with some really cool features, which help make my day a tad smoother. For instance with dual device connectivity the earphones switch seamlessly between my HUAWEI tablet

 when watching a movie to my phone I receive a call. Controlling music/video playback or calls is also smart with Swipe/Double tap/Long press touch controls. Additionally, I usually layback during the evening to play some games and one of the things I really enjoy is the low-latency gaming mode which is perfect because it increases the response time when gaming. Lastly, I am not much of a video creator or vlogger but I sometimes like recording myself working out and the issues I faced with many other earphones is that sound is not clear or loud enough when recording from afar. Thankfully that is not the case with the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 because it supports high-fidelity sound recording with a sample rate of up to 48 kHz, meaning my voice is clear and audible when recording my workouts

 What do I think?

If you want an earphones to deliver sound with studio-quality, while also looking to get rid of unwanted noise in your surroundings. A pair of earphones that are super comfortable to wear throughout the day in addition to ones that come with cool features then I highly suggest you checkout Huawei’s newest studio- - the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4. 

ACCA Pakistan continues the momentum, converging thought leaders at “Pakistan Leadership Conversation 2022” to discuss key drivers for a Sustainable Growth for Pakistan.

       

Lahore & Karachi: ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) Pakistan, in collaboration with SEED Ventures, closed a successful series of its flagship conferences Pakistan Leadership Conversation (PLC 2022) in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore respectively.

The fourth edition of PLC centered on the theme “Rethinking our world: Sustainable growth for Pakistan” and brought together leading policy makers, thought leaders, corporate influencers, academia and business operators for a dialogue centered on the power of digital, sustainability/ESG, ethics and future ready workforce.

In Karachi, Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, Mr. Nadeem Hussain, Founder Planet N Group of Companies/Chairman Pakistan Fintech Network attended the event as Guest of Honour. Speaking on the topic of Accelerated Financial Inclusion, he said, “Digitalization plays an imperative role in enhancing social mobility and these shifts can not be made without understanding the customer need and creating the simplest customer journey.”

Muhammad Ali Tabba, CEO Lucky Cement Limited as the Guest of Honour shared his thoughts on Opportunity and Size - Fast Tracking the investment landscape saying, “The distribution of energy, its mix and privatization is imperative for our growth agenda. Moreover, enabling make in Pakistan environment will help import substitution fueling employment, self-reliance and sustainable economic growth driven by exports.

As a part of her keynote address, Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, Chairperson PSX and PICG spoke on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, while Re-calibrating our Practices for Sustainable Growth she said, “As Pakistan sets to become part of global economies through BRI / CPEC and export focused, strategy - relevance of diversity, equity and inclusion is extremely critical for all stakeholders to achieve the recognised global standards of performance and excellence.”

The first session, titled, “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Re-calibrating Practices for Sustainable Growth” featured Ahsan Jamil, CEO, Pakistan Institute of Corporate Governance; Farrukh H. Khan, Managing Director & CEO, Pakistan Stock Exchange; Maheen Rahman, CEO - InfraZamin Pakistan; Mohammad Shoaib, CEO - Al Meezan Investment Management Limited; Navid Fazil, CEO - Interloop Limited moderated by Sadia Dada, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, K-Electric.

The second session was led by a key note address from Sadia Khan, Commissioner - Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan who shared her thoughts on the topic, ““Ethics, Technology, ESG - Accelerating national economic transformation”. She said, “"Ethical behaviour is at the core of good governance and sustainability. The importance of ESG and sustainability has been rightfully amplified in a short time with increased focus in the areas of financial reporting, investing and business practices." Adding on to the guidelines issued by SECP on CSR, she added, "We introduce voluntary guides to enable good business practices that add value to the community".

The talk was moderated by Hena Sadiq, Partner Audit and Assurance - Yousuf Adil Chartered Accountants; Rana Nadeem, Partner - KPMG Taseer Hadi & Co.; Saquib Ahmad, Country Managing Director - SAP Pakistan; Shahzad Shahid, Group CEO - TPS Online; Zeeshan Shahid, Director Risk and Compliance - BYKEA

Mr. Sharif Tabbani, Owner & Principal – Tabbani’s School of Accountancy also joined the event and spoke on the Talent, Technology & Transformation.

In Lahore, Salman Shah, Advisor to the Chief Minister of Punjab on Economic Affairs and Planning & Development attended the event as the Guest of Honour. Speaking on the topic, “Re-thinking Sustainable Investment Landscape in Pakistan”, he said, “Government has shifted greater focus on sustainable development and enabling upskilling of businesses to benefit from e-market places like Amazon and Ali Baba. Clean and renewable energy is another imperative to the growth of our economy”. He further added, “Creating business hubs in Punjab with demographic sectoral focus is a key government priority to help create job opportunities, enhance economic activity and increase exports”.

Also present as the Guest of Honour was Hashim Jawan Bakht, Finance Minister, Government of Punjab who shared his thoughts on - Talent, Technology & Transformation, he said, “Sustainable and inclusive economic growth is dependent upon agile, data driven and resilient government decision making. Recent policy improvements for technology sector is set to help bring in valuable foreign exchange. We must continue focus on digitalization and amplify ease of doing business to sustain the growth momentum”

The first session discussed, “Putting Pakistan on the Global Digital Map ~ Leapfrog into the future”. The discussion was led by a key note by Fatima Asad-Said, CEO, Abacus Consulting. The panel included Badar Khushnood, Fishry.com E-commerce Platform & Bramerz | x-Google, Facebook & Twitter; Chairman P@SHA; Ahmer Mallick, CEO, PBIT; Sajjad Syed, Chairman, Excellence Delivered; Muhammad Awais, Partner, EY Ford Rhodes and was moderated by Omer Zaheer Meer, Chair MNP & Tax Committee ACCA Pakistan.

The second panel discussion talked about, “Accelerated Financial Inclusion: Ethics, Emerging Technologies and Social Impact”. The key note address was delivered by Dr. Amjad Saqib, Founder and CEO, Akhuwat Foundation. The panel included Zia Ul Mustafa, President ICMA Pakistan; Qasif Shahid, Cofounder & CEO, Finja; Jahanzeb Khan, CEO, FINCA Microfinance Bank Ltd.; Roshaneh Zafar, Founder & Managing Director, Kashf Foundation; Mohsin Khawaja, Director, Mahmood Group of Industries & President, EO Lahore and was moderated by Arif Masud Mirza, Regional Head of Policy ACCA (MESA).

Helen Brand OBE, Chief Executive, ACCA Global joined the PLC 2022 virtually and highlighted ACCA’s contributions and continued commitment to sustainable development, saying, “For ACCA, as accountants and as leaders, it’s about driving good well-considered decisions and business strategies, that consider people and the planet, as well as profit. It’s about a new way of keeping score in business, a new way of measuring success and counting value that considers wider measures than the financial bottom line. It must include impacts on the environment and impacts on society too.”

Speaking at the event, Assad Hameed Khan, Head of ACCA Pakistan shared his thoughts on Pakistan’s path to a sustainable economy, ‘‘ACCA is committed to positively influencing governments, policy makers and regulators on sustainability matters, and develop the profession in alignment with the SDGs. ACCA and ACCA members continue to contribute, collaborate and converge thought leaders to bring conversations that explore high impact action items to drive an inclusive social and economic growth for a sustainable Pakistan.”

ACCA also hosted another ceremony in the evening for their newly qualified ACCA members and High Achievers titled, ‘New Members and High Achievers Ceremony 2022’ that celebrated their achievements as they continue to embark on their professional journey, committed to contribute to a sustainable Pakistan. In Karachi, the guest included Atif Kaludi, CFO Lucky Cement and Asim Siddiqui, Country Managing Partner EY Ford Rhodes. In Lahore, Senator Walid Iqbal attended the event as the Chief Guest.

Orla Collins, President, ACCA Global sent in her message where spoke about her own experiences, saying, “No matter how the landscape changes in the years to come – and change it will - you know that ACCA will be there with you. ACCA will be there for you - offering all the help, advice and support you could need or want.”

Starting in 2017, PLC has now become an important annual event for those who want to stay up to date with the ever-evolving business world and accountancy profession. It has also cemented ACCA’s role as a super connector for key stakeholders. The event was broadcasted live on ACCA’s social media pages with over 2 million followers as well as ACCA’s global audience which includes 233,000 members and 536,000 future members.

Infinix Announces World First Future Light-Painting Leather Technology

Infinix today proudly announced its release of the world’s first Future Light-Painting Leather. The technology works when UV light interacts with the smartphone’s back cover, adding innovative and flexible color options to Infinix users’ smartphones to express their style and mood. This world's first innovation marks a huge step forward in technological breakthroughs for Infinix and sets a new standard for leather back covers on smartphones.

The layers of the leather.

"Infinix seeks to improve the aesthetic experience of the modern-day smartphone through the use of innovative materials and fresh new colors. With Future Light-Painting Leather technology, users can experience satisfying color-changing as well as custom patterns created by shading light on the back cover of their smartphone. It introduces a unique way for our customers to interact with their smartphone and to express themselves,” said Manfred Hong, Senior Product Director of Infinix.

Next-Level Smartphone Technology   

Future Light-Painting Leather technology is a reversible color change technology that occurs when exposed to UV light. Infinix integrated photochromic polymers into the leather, where the molecular structure changes in the presence of UV light which causes the color changes. When users take their device back indoors the leather reverts back to the original color. 

This is a passive color-changing technology that does not require additional energy from the smartphone to produce color changes. It breaks the limitations of traditional leather with a single color and will bring a new look to smartphones with two or multiple color switches.

Light Paint Your Smartphone

The Future Light-Painting Leather is not only about the aesthetics, but also about the expression of the user's personality. With this creative new feature, users are able to use light to paint their smartphone and create different patterns on the back cover giving users endless possibilities to customize their device.

 

Before & after light painting.

Built to Last

The Future Light-Painting leather technology is a result of Infinix’s deep understanding of their target consumers' lifestyle, needs and preferences. 

The development process lasted six months and the engineers tested the leather hundreds of times to achieve the desired effect. Infinix overcame the common issue of leather yellowing by adjusting the leather structure, ensuring the leather’s color remained vibrant after extended use. Additionally, the back cover maintains a thin profile in a complex structure, providing a comfortable grip for the user along with strong protection against knocks and drops.

The Future Light-Painting Leather back cover will be available with future Infinix devices, which will be announced accordingly with future media releases from Infinix. Stay tuned!

Pakistan’s first-ever Inter-University eSports tournament, Free Fire Campus Championship’s Grand Final steals the spotlight.

      

Free Fire Pakistan’s most recent introduction in Esports Competitions FFCC, the Free Fire Campus Championship was Pakistan’s first inter-university Esports competition to be held on a National Stage. The Grand Final was held on the 20th of March in Karachi at Ramada plaza. Last year, Free Fire had announced Pakistan’s first-ever Esports Scholarship, under their Campus Challenge competition, which took place across 9 different universities in Pakistan.

Free Fire Campus Championship 2022 took place across 5 major cities of Pakistan, namely, Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Bahawalpur & Peshawar in 12 different universities. The winning team from each University progressed to the Grand Final Event held on 20th March where the contestants competed for a Scholarship prize pool worth PKR 2,000,000.

The winning team receiving PKR 700,000 was from City University Peshawar, with the team from Comstats following up. Registration desks went live across universities as students played the qualifier tournament to be crowned as their University’s champions. The winning teams went on to represent their University on the National Stage where they compete for a scholarship worth up to PKR 700,000 each. The Grand Final event mesmerized spectators with an incredible light show and performance featuring the famous Young Stunners.

Commenting on the occasion, Zafeer Khan, Esport & Community Manager said, “I’m glad to see FFCC garner such a great response at these Universities. These grass root efforts provide us extreme motivation when we’re able to see the passion students have for Esports in Pakistan first hand. We saw this during the overwhelming response from our Campus Challenge and how much these Scholarship opportunities really meant to these Students. We’re here to stay- our community is growing everyday, the future for Esports in Pakistan is bright”

Free Fire is also behind FFPL, Pakistan’s First Professional Esports League, FFPL III Grand Finale will take place on the 27th of March in Lahore, where the final 12 teams compete for a grand prize pool of PKR 10,000,000 & the chance to represent Pakistan in FFWS, the largest Free Fire tournament in the world, held later this year in Singapore with a grand prize pool worth $2 Million.

Beaconhouse School System revives traditional games with nationwide ‘Indigenous Sports Week’

 

Beaconhouse, the country’s largest network of private educational institutions, has successfully concluded its week-long ‘Indigenous Sports Week’ carried out across multiple Beaconhouse campuses countrywide, with an aim to revive traditional games and sports, and raise cultural awareness among the students.

The traditional sports week commenced on March 14^th and concluded on March 18^th with active participation from students of elementary years, upper and lower primary and middle schools, belonging to more than a 100 Beaconhouse campuses from different cities, including Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Multan, Peshawar, Islamabad, Sargodha, and Faisalabad. Classic and historic games from different regions of Pakistan that were played during this week included Kabbadi, Khokla Chappaki, Stapoo, Rassa Kashi, Pithoo, Kikli, Gilli Danda, Aankh Macholi, Oonch Neech, Barf Paani, Bandar Qilla, Langri Paala, and Pakran Pakrai, all of which depicted a picture of energy, joy, and cultural richness.

As stated by Ali Ahmad Khan, Chief Operating Officer, Beaconhouse School System, “The traditional sports week at Beaconhouse is a step towards the revival of indigenous sports amongst the youth.  We believe that it is necessary to preserve our cultural games for future generations, which has diminished over the years with the upsurge of globalisation, migration, and societal changes.  Such initiatives are not only conducive to physical health and strengthen teamwork amongst the youth, but also highlight the importance of sports in our cultural heritage.”

Physical activity as a part of the education experience is essential for a healthy and holistic development. The aforementioned classic games polished the students’ skills of speed, strength, endurance, flexibility, reflexes, decision making, muscle coordination, and sportsmanship. The aim of this event was also to reflect upon cultural diversity, reintroduce traditional sports to the newer generation, enhance intercultural dialogue and awareness, and encourage values of solidarity, fair-play, and inclusion.

This effort from Beaconhouse to reinstate cultural games in an increasingly modernized world is a commendable endeavor. The organisation was established in 1975 and has been showcasing educational expertise ever since, with a current student strength of over 315,000 across Pakistan.

The new HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 is set to take your audio experience to next level with Studio-quality sound, open-fit Active Noise Cancellation, and an unparalleled comfort

 

Sound is one essential element that completes the overall experience. Every day, we are surrounded by sound coming from all directions and while it is something we are often used to, it sometimes cuts us from what we actually want to hear.

Check out the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4, Huawei’s latest True Wireless Stereo (TWS) Bluetooth earbuds that continues the legacy of the open-fit earbuds with Active Noise Cancelation (ANC) technology that started with the HUAWEI FreeBuds 3.

Offering studio-quality sound as well as open-fit ANC and unmatched air-like comfort, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 doesn’t just work with Huawei products, but also with devices running Android and iOS. Through the HUAWEI AI Life app, users are able to adjust settings or perform various controls such as wear detection, quick control, status query, noise cancelation and device management.

Immersive high-resolution audio with studio-quality sound

While speakers can handle all frequencies created by sound, the same is not the case with earbuds or headphones, which is why there is a need to innovate on how sound can be perfectly replicated despite the narrow frequency range.

With the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4, it uses a classic 14.3mm dynamic driver with a lightweight yet durable diaphragm that brings improved dynamic response to help avoid split vibrations that cause distortions in audio output. The earbuds use a Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) composite diaphragm made of polymer for greater durability that brings improved middle and treble sounds. In various test, dynamic drivers that use an LCP composite diaphragm can support a frequency range of up to 40 kHz which can deliver professional-grade sound quality with richer and fuller trebles.

Using this dynamic driver isn’t enough, and Huawei has implemented a bass tube on the earbuds to create a more pulse-pounding bass. This tube connects to the rear chamber of the audible unit with the external air holes and is part of a newly upgraded bass enhancement engine, bass tube and motherboard that form an independent sealed sound cavity. This results in an enhanced airtightness and acoustic pressure and increased bass performance that is wasn’t possible before on a small earbud.

More than just the impressively rich bass, clear vocals and rich details, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 also uses Adaptive Ear Matching (AEM) technology for the first time in open-fit earbuds. Using this technology, it can intelligently optimise the audio effect and output, allowing users to have a consistent and high resolution audio quality no matter how they’re wearing the earbuds.

Aside from the hardware enhancements to bring rich treble and powerful bass performance, HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 feature Adaptive Ear Matching (AEM) technology in open-fit earphones for the first time. By automatically detecting user’s ear shape and wearing condition, HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 can intelligently optimise the audio effect, allowing users to have consistent and high resolution audio quality regardless of the wearing situation.

Leading the industry with open-fit noise cancelation

Earbuds that feature ANC usually come with an in-ear design, but despite the technical challenges Huawei managed to bring ANC to open-fit earbuds: the open-fit earbuds offer a more pleasant and super comfortable wearing experience as the user is less likely to feel a build-up of air pressure within.

Challenges like how the earbuds should fit in user’s ears for absolute comfort as well as a proper noise cancelling algorithm brought about the adoption of dual microphones used on the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4. Together with AEM technology, it helps address the issue by automatically adjusting the music depending on the user’s ears. When users turn on noise cancellation, the earbuds automatically detects the ear canal shape and wearing conditions and then assigns the best suited noise cancellation parameters for the best listening experience.

Additionally, HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 has a staggered wind-proof structure that prevents wind noise from being generated at the source. This design effectively blocks strong winds from blowing directly into the microphone, allowing for better wind-proof effects.

Ergonomic design for an air-like comfort

More than just the performance, earbuds should also offer comfort levels that will allow it to be worn for long periods. In the case of the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4, Huawei created a 3D evaluation system that mainly looks at the wearing comfort of earbuds from three elements that include suction pressure, stability and stuffiness. Stress tests are then done to simulate how the earbuds are worn. Using 10,000+ human ear models, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 was created factoring in the comfort assessment on these tests to guarantee an optimal wearing air-like comfort for all users.

An audio assistant for a better lifestyle

The HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 can also work as an external microphone when shooting videos. Thanks to the high-sensitivity microphone, it is able record high-fidelity sound using a sample rate of 48 kHz that help retain much if the detail on the audio being recorded. Low Latency Mode is also supported on the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 which is perfect for users who love playing fast-paced games.

Most of the time users want to control playback or answer calls without the need to take out their smartphones, which is why the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 feature intuitive controls built right on the earbud. Tapping twice on the stem allows users to answer/reject a call, play/pause music, play previous/next song and enable voice assistant while swiping up and down will control the volume. Additionally, long pressing on the steam of the earbuds can enable/disable noise cancelation.

In this current digital age, many users typically own more than one device and it could be a hassle if they want to connect the earbuds to multiple devices that would require to be set up every time it is being used. HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 supports dual device connections whether if it’s a Huawei smartphone, tablet, PC, smartwatch or even devices from other brands.

In one scenario, when the user is watching on the tablet and there is an incoming call on the smartphone, the tablet will automatically pause the episode and the earphones will switch to the smartphone for the user to pick up the call.

In staying true to its technological innovations, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 joins Huawei’s line up of products that have transformed the way users interact with devices. This is a true testament to Huawei’s capabilities in delivering what the user wants and in turn taking audio experience to the next level.

Meta Description: Take your audio experience to next level with the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 featuring Studio-quality sound, open-fit Active Noise Cancellation and air-like comfort.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) joins TikTok

 

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that it has joined TikTok – the short video-making app, in a bid to reach a much wider audience. The cricket board made the announcement on social media, urging the fans to follow it on the app for BTS stories, exclusive content and much more.

The announcement does not come as a surprise as the two have been working together for the last 2-3 months. TikTok is also the Title Sponsor of the historical Pakistan-Australia series and had previously sponsored the Pakistan Super League’s seventh edition’s title song – “Agay Dekh”.

PCB in the first five days gained quick followers and likes on the posted videos. The posted content includes some highlights of the matches and some fun content like the dance moves or David Warner and Hassan Ali.

https://www.tiktok.com/@pcb

TikTok has helped the PCB get over 1 billion impressions on the PSL-related hashtags – an event that in itself inspired the PCB to use TikTok to reach much bigger audience from all around the world. With the PCB joining TikTok, fans now have the opportunity to get exclusive content very easily.

It is pertinent to mention here that TikTok has an active user-base of over 1 billion users every month, making it an ideal platform to share the latest updates with Pakistan cricket fans. The PCB had also made terrific use of TikTok during the PSL when it engaged with fans directly and turned them into brand ambassadors for the PSL by asking them to share their dance move videos with it.

Not only did it help the PCB in getting more eyeballs for the tournament, but the reach that the PSL got on TikTok was truly unprecedented. Now that the PCB has officially joined TikTok, fans will be ready for lots of engaging, informative, fun, and above all, entertaining cricket content – something that was a rarity not very long ago.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZSdRUJXP7 

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZSdRUjUq2/

TikTok is already used by many high profile Pakistan international cricketers including Shadab Khan, Hassan Ali, Asif Ali, and Musa Khan to name the few. Not only the players but the Choef Selector Muhammad Waseem is also quite active on TikTok. With the PCB now having an official presence on TikTok, we can expect other top Pakistani players on the app soon.

Standard Chartered Karachi United Youth League Concludes with Impressive Finale in Islamabad

 

Standard Chartered - Karachi United Football League concluded at Kings Football Ground, Ayub Park Rawalpindi, by Standard Chartered Bank Pakistan Limited in collaboration with the Karachi United Youth Football Club.

This league was launched in Islamabad in December 2021. Featuring 113 thrilling matches, among 29 teams, it comprised more than 435 young male & female players, who showed great performances, till the vibrant closing ceremony was held recently. Sponsorship of this tournament was a part of Standard Chartered Bank’s resourceful social-development initiative to promote healthy-sporting activities in the country.

The winning team in the girls’ competition was SMURF FC, while the victorious squad in the under-14 boys’ competition was POPO FC. The under-16 boy’s team contest was won by NISHTAR FC. The tournament inspires enthusiastic participation by children hailing from different football clubs and academies from Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Standard Chartered has been sponsoring this league since 2017. Initiated with engaging 600 children from underserved communities, today the tournament has exceeded the headcount to over 3200 children, who have been supported through sports to become productive citizens. Otherwise, many of these youngsters may have been engulfed in self-injurious activities such as violence or drugs.

Ms. Khadija Hashimi, Head, CABM, AME & Country Head, of Standard Chartered Pakistan commenting on the sponsorship said, “It is a moment of pride for us to see the growth of the Standard Chartered-Karachi United Youth Football League over the past five years. We launched the league in Islamabad late last year and the response received has been overwhelming. True to its promise, the league has enabled us to create opportunities, build healthy competition and inculcate self-confidence and respect in local communities, whilst breaking barriers across class, genders, and abilities, through sport. We hope that through this effort we can continue to bring a positive change in the society by providing an equal playing field for children across the city.” She added.

Commenting on the league Mr. Imran Ali, Director Youth and Community, at Karachi United said: “We must give huge credit to Standard Chartered and its leadership team, for understanding the benefit of such a platform for our youth and communities. We are now witnessing the fruits of this investment on development of children and communities. Some of these players have gone on to represent Pakistan national teams at different levels, whilst others are pursuing higher education and enrolling in coaching programs.”

He further said: “We will leverage these talented players within communities, as role models and future-makers, to strengthen our impact. Through the Liverpool ‘Train the Trainer’ program, we have delivered coaching to over 6000 children, who now understand Liverpool’s coaching philosophy. None of this would have been possible without the continued support of Standard Chartered. We are so grateful to this socially-responsible bank.”

ACCA co-hosted 1st Pakistan Petrochemical Symposium in Islamabad

 

ACCA, as an organization and one of the most forward-thinking accountancy bodies of the world, places a special focus on driving the sustainability agenda. Sajjeed Aslam emphasized on this and said, “Now more than ever, organizations and industries need to champion sustainability in growth. Embedding sustainability in business practices is a continuous journey that needs actions from all stakeholders whether it is the investors, supply chain, clients, talent- it is important to address the topic in a short-term perspective to future proof all businesses.”

The event was attended by industry leaders, foreign delegates, c-suite executives, policymakers and government officials and was also broadcasted live on ACCA Pakistan’s Facebook, LinkedIn & YouTube pages.