Google trained over 800 women developers under its Women Techmaker initiative

            

 

 

More than 800 women developers across Pakistan received training through a series of Women Techmakers sessions organized by Google this year. The events were held as part of celebrations for International Women’s Day (IWD), and covered important topics such as online safety, as well as coding and presentation skills.

The theme behind IWD this year is #ProgressNotPerfection, which seeks to celebrate the progress of women in all of its forms rather than holding on to preconceived notions of perfection and failure. In line with the theme, the Women Techmaker sessions by Google featured inspiring women speakers who shared stories on how they resolved roadblocks in their lives and careers, as well as networking events, which enabled women participants to connect with more people in the industry and forge new opportunities. 

Farhan S. Qureshi, Google Regional Director for Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka said: “At Google, we actively work to recognise the achievements of women in tech, and inspire more women in Pakistan to embark on a tech career. The Women Techmakers ambassadors have done an amazing job this year to organize meaningful and helpful programmes for the women developer community, and we look forward to seeing more women in tech step up to become role models for other women.”

Hira Tariq, a WTM Ambassador in Karachi, said: “Based on feedback, the Women Techmakers sessions brought a lot of positive energy to the women communities and gave many women the confidence to overcome obstacles in their own journeys. Aligned with the theme of #ProgressNotPerfection, we have hopefully helped spread the message that it is okay for women to fail and that we should celebrate the incremental successes we make for the women community.”

Since 2013, Google has hosted thousands of Women Techmakers events across 75+ countries in honor of IWD. The mission is to build a world where all women can thrive in tech, and through the events, we help provide visibility, community, and resources for women in tech.

realme's Ultimate 828 Fan Fest Celebration Culminates in a Beachside Music Party for Loyal Fans

           

realme Pakistan concluded their Fan Fest activities with an exciting music party featuring Shamoon Ismail and Hussain Dossa

 realme, being one of the most popular brand of the Gen Z marked its 4^th anniversary celebrations with a fun-filled musical party at Fan Fest 828. realme music party was attended by its loyal fans, celebrities and lifestyle media at Turtle beach Karachi. With its “Keep It Real” brand philosophy, realme Fan Fest is a celebration of the brand to stay connected with its loyal fans community that continues to support the brand. Every year realme welcomes the month of August with the comeback of their annual Fan Fest. The most anticipated realme Fan Fest was filled with exciting activities lined up for fans to enjoy. Team realme also took the opportunity to announce the winner of the super fan award at the event.

On realme's very first Music Party at the ocean side, the stage came alive with musical performance by Youth Icon Shamoon Ismail and DJ Hussain Dossa. Truly embodying the saying “Music brings people together” the performances ended with the fans gathering on stage matching to the dancing beat. Aside from the thrilling concert event, the realme fan squad also got a chance to enjoy an experience zone which let them try out realme’s products, realme cocktail hub, photo booth, and a wide selection of buffet items.

Pakistan’s hip celebrities like Saboor Aly, Ali Ansari, Nabeel Zuberi, Adeel Chaudhry and Nimra Khan joined realme fans to enjoy the party to make moments memorable. Team realme did a special announcement of Super Fan Award which was won by Alisha Zaidi for showing her consistent loyalty towards the brand.

Making event a great success for fans, activities concluded with amazing never seen before special Fireworks. Fans were highly appreciative of realme for providing this experience to them until next 828 where they hope to bring something else new and exciting because realme always comes with new and exciting entertaining ideas for their fans.

Undoubtedly, there is always more to “Keep it real” than one could think of, it signifies how far realme has travelled, now providing a platform for the youth to take a leap and explore their passion. The message stands still- to be able to establish an unbreakable bond with its users, making them the true brand ambassadors.

 

HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro Wins EISA’s Best Smartwatch Product for 2022-2023 Award

           

Huawei Consumer Business Group (CBG) recently received an award from the Expert Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) for its latest smartwatch device, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro. Composed of over 60 of the most respected international specialist consumer electronics magazines, websites, and journalists, EISA named the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro its ‘Best Smartwatch Product for 2022-2023’, based on the independent technical reviews of its members. Huawei has been awarded this category for the third consecutive year. The award comes in the wake of several other publication awards for the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro, which has also won prestigious industry awards from the likes of Android Headlines, Tech Advisor, and PhoneArena.

In the judges’ comments, EISA referred to the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro as ‘Huawei’s most polished and perfected smartwatch to date,’ praising its ‘classic’ and ‘luxurious design’ which comprises a ‘titanium casing, ceramic back and sapphire glass face’ as well as Huawei’s ‘crisp’ and ‘colourful AMOLED display.’ Its ‘advanced operation system’ and ‘plethora of applications and features’ were also marked out for praise, including its blood oxygen level monitoring, stress testing, water resistance, and ‘exceptional’ battery life.

The latest instalment in Huawei’s highly popular HUAWEI WATCH GT Series, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro is a flagship smartwatch which aims to marry exquisite craftsmanship with high-end aesthetics, allowing users to take their health and fitness to the next level, or even down to completely uncharted waters thanks to its 5ATM and 30 meters diving waterproof. Sporting a premium, Neo-crystalline look in either the Titanium or Ceramic colourway options, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro is the ultimate workout companion which further illustrates the benefits of Huawei’s Seamless AI life and 1+8+N strategy.

Featuring a more robust battery life, and a 30 percent faster charging time than the last generation, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro also offers a host of specialist tracking features which can help users improve their daily lifestyle habits. This ranges from the device’s 100 plus workout modes and its ECG analysis to its Smart Heart Rate Monitoring and HUAWEI TruSleep 2.0 sleep tracker. In line with the Huawei Seamless AI life’s philosophy of connectivity, users can also pair the HUAWEI WATCH GT3 Pro with other smart devices, including additional Huawei products, as well as iOS and Android phones.

“All of us at Huawei are extremely honoured to receive the EISA Best Smartwatch 2022-2023 for the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro, especially since this marks the third consecutive year a Huawei device has won EISA’s esteemed smartwatch prize,” commented Kevin Ho, Chief Operating Officer of Huawei

Consumer Business Group. “Huawei has long committed to using technology to enhance and streamline our day to day lives, allowing us to achieve both our personal and professional goals in a way that empowers our sense of self. With its plethora of health and fitness tracking features, the HUAWEI WATCH GT 3 Pro is the perfect example of how Huawei’s consumer tech aims to aid us in becoming better and happier version of ourselves.”

 

Standard Chartered Pakistan delivers record half-yearly operating profit

 

Standard Chartered Bank Pakistan Limited (SCBPL) delivers record half-yearly profit before tax of PKR 22.0 billion, registering an increase of 84 percent. Performance was driven by strong income growth, as well as continued cost and risk discipline.

Overall revenue grew by 60 per cent to deliver highest ever top-line of PKR 27.4 billion, with positive contributions from all segments. Operating expenses continue to be well managed through operational efficiencies and disciplined spending with an increase of 11 per cent from the same period last year. Moreover, reversal of Covid-19 general provision, coupled with lower impairments and strong recoveries led to a net release of PKR 1.3 billion in H1’22 against a net release of PKR 0.7 billion in loan impairments in the comparative period.

With a diversified product base, the Bank is well positioned to cater for the needs of its clients. On the liabilities side, the Bank’s total deposits grew by PKR 48.0 billion (up 8%), whereas current and saving accounts increased by PKR 58.0 billion (up 10%) since the start of this year and comprise 94% of the deposit base. On the other hand, advances increased by 2% during first half of the year and the Bank continues to monitor the portfolio in the prevailing economic environment as part of its strategy to build a profitable, efficient and sustainable business.

The external environment remains challenging, however we remain fully committed to delivering a sustainable growth for our shareholders, bringing the best in class services and solutions for our clients and playing our part in the growth story of Pakistan. Standard Chartered continues to make good progress against its strategic priorities. The global network differentiates the Bank for its clients, bringing forth innovative solutions, product specialisation and structured offshore offerings. The Bank strives to maximise the contribution to State Bank’s initiatives on promoting housing finance and is consistently ranked amongst the top institutions. As of now over PKR 4.9 billion have been dispersed under Mera Pakistan Mera Ghar scheme. SCBPL has been a major contributor towards the Roshan Digital Account (RDA) initiative and has channelled remittances of over USD 367 million into Pakistan since inception and contributed USD 320 million to the investments in Naya Pakistan Certificate (NPC).

In line with the State Bank’s efforts on financial inclusion, with enhanced digital offering Standard Chartered is now able to reach more clients across the country and provide them with convenience of opening accounts as well as subscribing to products and banking services online. Overall, the Bank’s transformation journey stands well-curated, closely aligned with the Pakistan’s landscape and helping lift participation through digitization. Sustainable finance along with digital solutions for clients and their ecosystem stay as areas of keen focus for the Bank. SCBPL continues its efforts with the global initiative Futuremakers by Standard Chartered in Pakistan to tackle inequality and promote greater economic inclusion for young people in the community.

Commenting on the results, Mr. Rehan Shaikh, Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bank (Pakistan) Limited said, “I am pleased to share our record performance for the first half of 2022, which clearly reflect strong foundations, enhanced productivity and good headway towards achieving our strategic priorities. The results give me the confidence that we have the right strategy to deliver real value to our clients, our investors and the communities where we operate. I am thankful to our clients and business partners for their ongoing trust in our capabilities and to our associates, colleagues and staff for their resilience, dedication and hard work in delivering such outstanding results. The Bank stands committed to their growth and well-being.

While we are investing heavily in our people, giving colleagues the skills they need to succeed, bringing in expertise in critical areas and evolving to a more innovative and agile operating model, we intend to drive innovation and increase our operational efficiency further. This operational leverage allows us to create capacity to invest in the many exciting and potentially transformational initiatives as the Bank’s pivot to digital continues.”

With a strong Return on Equity (ROE) of 20.2% for H1’22 and a Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of 15.3%, the Bank remains well positioned for future growth. On the back of a strong performance, the Board of Directors were pleased to announce highest ever interim cash dividend of 15% (PKR 1.50/- per share) in respect of the half year ended June 30, 2022.

Punjab Assembly Expands CBD Punjab To All Over Punjab.

  

 Lahore Central Business District Development Authority (LCBDDA) also known as Central Business District Punjab (CBD Punjab) has recently been renamed as Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (PCBDDA). The authority was formed in February 2021, by an act of parliament and was tasked to establish Pakistan’s first and most anticipated business district in the heart of Lahore. LCBDDA has achieved new horizons as its wings expand from Lahore to all over the province of Punjab. 

The authority has done many remunerative wonders and proved itself as a wealth generator for the development of Punjab. Keeping in view the track record of LCBDDA, the Punjab Cabinet has done amendments to its act and expanded the jurisdiction of the authority to all over Punjab. PCBDDA will work in various cities of Punjab like Faisalabad, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Multan and Rawalpindi & more to boost the economic activities for the development of the province. 

Chief Executive Officer of PCBDDA, Mr. Imran Amin stated that “it is all due to the trust of the business community in CBD Punjab. I would like to show my profound gratitude to the Punjab Government for expanding the authorities work scope all over Punjab and giving us an opportunity to work more aggressively for the development of the province. I assure you that the authority will keep on delivering with the same passion as it has delivered in Lahore”. 

PCBDDA will not only boost economic activities and develop new business avenues in Punjab, but it will also help the national development by creating job opportunities and raising the living standard of the people of Punjab.

realme Pakistan’s Country Director Syed Mashood Hassan Shares His Opinions on the Smartphone Industry

          

realme Pakistan’s Country Director offers insight on the string of tough months the smartphone industry has endured leaving industry players feeling downcast

 

After a long and arduous wait, the Government of Pakistan recently announced that LCs, which had previously only been open for essential goods, are now open for all goods including non-essential and luxury items. The final decision to lift the import ban entirely was made in accordance with the final requirements imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the Country. The past few months have been plagued with high levels of uncertainty and panic in the market as smartphone companies struggled to adapt to the restrictive situation. The industry has seen quite a shake up as a result.

 

Consumers in the smartphone industry are having to shift from the premium to mid-segment due to a decrease in buying power caused by the dollar deficit, rampant taxation, and inflation. Market share in the industry has also become more widely spread across the different players in the industry as consumers have started to jump ship between brands seeking better value propositions. The import ban has also led to the shutdown of smartphone and automobile assembly plants across the country, which sent ripples of unease across these industries.

 

When speaking with Syed Mashood Hassan, Country Director, realme Pakistan on the situation, he went into details regarding the perseverance of the realme team and the strategies one should adopt in turbulent times like these. realme is a Chinese smartphone brand that caters mostly to the interests of the Pakistani youth segment. Their “Dare to Leap” philosophy is reflective of youthful values such as being adventurous, taking risks, and bold, trend-setting behavior. As a result of the current political and economic conditions, realme has put its focus on sustainability in the short-term. The tech-democratizer isn’t short-sighted however. In the long term, it aims to get a larger share of the mid-range category through realme’s stellar number and C series. During our discussion, Syed Mashood Hassan had some recommendations for his peers in the smartphone industry for weathering the turbulent phase the industry is in.

 

His first recommendation was to shift towards a sustainability mindset. In the past few months, many local startups failed and some global companies withdrew or reduced their operations in Pakistan. With this in mind, focusing on sustainability is of utmost importance to eventually reach stability. Secondly, he advised his peers to focus on consolidating their existing key territories instead of expanding further into tier 3 and 4 cities. Expansion at this time is a highly risky move as it involves high levels of investment with uncertain returns.

 

His third recommendation focused on utilizing existing stock to cover demand. This would be the perfect opportunity to give an extra push to existing stock lying around and liquefy those assets. His final recommendation had to do with the retention of key employees. In difficult times companies tend to let go of whatever team members they can in order to make their operations more efficient. realme greatly values its employees as it believes they are the cornerstone to its success. Human resources are extremely valuable and if let go prematurely can take their talents to a corporation that values them more.

 

Hopeful times are just around the corner as the situation in the smartphone industry will begin to change now that the Government has lifted restrictions around imports. This is the time for players in the industry to strengthen their bases so that they can quickly prosper when conditions in the country start to improve.

Seventeen teachers from Beaconhouse complete the International Subject Leadership Certificate

             

Seventeen teachers from Beaconhouse, one of the largest private educational networks in the world educating over 315,000 students, have successfully completed the inaugural International Subject Leadership Certificate by the UK-based Professional Training Institute.

The 18-month accreditation is a modular course that allows participants to work with experienced practitioners to design exceptional lessons. It aims to develop subject leaders through the design and delivery of challenging Schemes of Work (SOW).

Teachers enrolled in the course reflected on the current context of their subject within their school curriculum, considered what makes successful subject leadership, and explored the course success criteria during the online launch meeting. They gathered evidence to help reflect upon and illustrate the impact of their work on pupils, colleagues and themselves. During the course, participants were assessed in peer-to-peer professional interviews during an online review meeting, to discuss and reflect upon the success and impact of their work.

The Professional Training Institute is a UK education charity supporting teachers at all stages of their career to develop specialist subject knowledge. It believes that all children, regardless of their background or ability, are entitled to a rich education delivered by passionate and knowledgeable teachers.

Commenting on the accomplishment, Ali Ahmed Khan, Chief Operating Officer, Beaconhouse said,“This has been a great learning experience for our hardworking teachers. At Beaconhouse, we prioritise teacher training and believe in continuous development that supports them in facilitating effective learning in the classroom. I congratulate all the Beaconhouse teachers for completing the certification and look forward to seeing them implement their learnings.”

Sana Saleem Agha, Omema Hassan and Saima Nazli are among the Beaconhouse teachers who completed the certificate.

Sana Saleem Agha said, “It was great to observe that my students felt more positive about their ability to read and have improved reading skills. They have shown great confidence in speaking too. It was observed that they raised and answered questions about the characters, settings, events, etc. from stories easily. Hence, the designed schemes of work had a significant impact on my students.”

Omema Hassan said, “I am happy to be part of this unique experience where I felt empowered to choose my own focus, design my own SOW, implement it, and plan further. Learning, unlearning and relearning has made me a reflective practitioner and a better teacher. I now keep on improving my teaching strategies.”

Saima Nazli said, “My students have developed a love for reading after the pandemic had drastically deteriorated their reading skills. Furthermore, the SOW helped to develop and regain their confidence in public speaking.”

Chris Pope, Co-Director, Professional Training Institute said, “The Professional Training Institute is delighted to congratulate these teachers on their incredible hard work and effort to complete our International Subject Leadership Course. It takes a lot of dedication to complete this course and we couldn’t be more thrilled to celebrate their incredible achievement. It is great to see that not only does this help teachers improve their confidence and skills in the classroom, but also translates to the students feeling more inspired.”

Beaconhouse and the Professional Training Institute aim to inspire teachers and school leaders to become more effective, enthusiastic, and influential. Their sustainable approach to professional development helps teachers become experts in their subjects and pass on a love of learning to their students.

 

Celebrate Free Fire's 5th Anniversary on 27 August with music, action, and new experiences!

         

●        A new track by Justin Bieber, “Beautiful Love (Free Fire)”, will premiere in Free Fire on 27 Aug.

●        Free Fire's Celebration Day offers players and fans more rewards, a Free Fire character modelled after Justin Bieber, and more.

Come join Free Fire's 5th Anniversary Celebration Day on 27 August!

Justin Bieber performs new track “Beautiful Love (Free Fire)” on Free Fire’s virtual stage for the first time

Free Fire's 5th-anniversary festivities will culminate on 27 August alongside a carnival of events in the game and beyond, including an in-game performance and a new track by Justin Bieber. The global superstar will perform, Beautiful Love (Free Fire), on Free Fire’s virtual stage for the first time. During the event, fans and players participating will also get a chance to get up close with Justin Bieber's in-game character, J.Biebs, through a series of minigames.

Get a sneak peek of what's in store this weekend!

On 30 August, “Beautiful Love (Free Fire)” - the song dedicated to the milestone year of Free Fire - will also be released globally on music streaming platforms such as Spotify, prior to the official release of the music video in September.

Celebration Day rewards and highlights on 27 August

A variety of exclusive items and rewards will also be available to players and fans on 27 August, including a character modelled after Justin Bieber. Among the collectibles co-created with Justin Bieber will be an exclusive sports car, groove emote, and more!

 

 

 

 

 

More to come in September

In the wake of the 5th Anniversary celebration, players can still look forward to new content in the pipeline. The Reunite the World special event will finally wrap up on 3 September with the Memory Capsule chapter, where players can complete the final few missions. The final chapter (Memory Capsule) will feature past Free Fire events and tokens redeemable for time-limited rewards.

 

Players can also enjoy Droid Apocalypse, a new in-game mode that will strike on 3 September, while reeling from the high of the 5th Anniversary celebration. The new game mode features a 12-player match between Humans and Droids that begins with an assigned "Droid" player, who will assume the form of a new avatar and attempt to transform the other players (Humans) into Droids. Humans, on the other end, will strive to defeat the Droids in the match to win.

Stay tuned to Free Fire’s social media channels for the very latest on its 5th anniversary celebrations, and more.

 

Download Free Fire on the Apple iOS App or Google Play store.

HUAWEI Band 6 Offers All-Day Health Monitoring for Proactive Health Management

     

With society becoming more advanced, people are paying closer attention to their health, and self-health management has become one of the most important measures for people to help prevent diseases and maintain good health. Health management refers to the comprehensive monitoring and analysis of personal health risk factors based on a scientific lifestyle, and reasonable guidance for people to actively and effectively maintain health, and to change passive treatment into active prevention. Smart wearables come with the advantage that allows people to wear them around the clock, which makes more people willing to try them to actively manage their health. With the HUAWEI Band 6, all of this is made easily possible.

All-Day SpO2 monitoring for accurate and smart health monitoring

Many users do not fully understand the concept of blood oxygen saturation. SpO2 (blood oxygen saturation) is the percentage of the combined volume of oxygen and haemoglobin in the blood to the total haemoglobin volume, that is, the concentration of blood oxygen in the blood. It is an important physiological parameter of the respiratory system and one of the important vital signs, which can reflect the body's oxygen supply status. When the SpO2 level is lower than 90%, it can be considered as low blood oxygen saturation, which is prone to symptoms such as fatigue, tiredness, rapid heartbeat, and lack of energy. It will affect the body function for a long time and requires continuous monitoring and auxiliary judgment.

Simply speaking, SpO2 level keeps track of the body’s condition through the changes in blood oxygen level, heart rate fluctuations, sleep depth, and tracking exercise data which is based on the practical consideration of users' health demands.

Huawei positions user’s health as the core of product development since day 1. In 2019, Huawei applied the SpO2 monitoring feature to wearable devices for the first time. Based on a single time SpO2 monitoring, it can help users understand their current physical condition to reduce injury or accident. Based on HUAWEI TruSeen^TM 4.0's deeply optimised hardware modules and AI power-saving algorithm, Huawei upgraded the SpO2 monitoring feature to All-Day SpO2 monitoring in 2020. As Huawei's first smart band to support All-Day SpO2 monitoring, HUAWEI Band 6 can monitor user’s health status around the clock and automatically send out alerts when the SpO2 levels are too low, helping users to take actions promptly and manage their health proactively.

HUAWEI Band 6’s FullView Display leads a new way of active and healthy lifestyle

In the smart wearable industry, Huawei is committed to technology research and innovation, continuously paying attention to consumer needs and insights to solve user’s pain points, leading the enhancement of the smart band experience, and launching generations of innovative products. Huawei recently launched the new smart band, HUAWEI Band 6, revolutionizing the smart wearable market once again.

The all-new HUAWEI Band 6 features a 1.47-inch AMOLED display to offer vivid content and a stylish design. The smart band is also extremely light, with the smart band’s body weighing just 18g. Together with the soft and skin-friendly strap, it provides users with a comfortable wearing experience. Additionally, the two-week battery life provides uninterrupted use on a single charge.

24/7 proactive health care turns passive treatment to active prevention

As we all know, our habits and lifestyle are key factors that affect our health. To develop a healthy lifestyle, we need to start from daily nutrition, workout, sleep, and consider our physical and psychological health. In the past, people often went to the hospital for diagnosis only when they felt unwell or sick, and then took medicine and adjusted their diet and rest according to the doctor's instructions. Such a passive treatment may cure the symptoms but not the root cause. If we want to change from passive treatment to active prevention, we need to rely on the real-time monitoring and suggestion from smart wearables.

As a comprehensive smart band with a friendly price tag, there are even more health features than just detailed. Aside from All-Day SpO2 monitoring, the HUAWEI Band 6 supports HUAWEI TruSeen^TM 4.0, HUAWEI TruSleep™ 2.0 scientific sleep monitoring, HUAWEI TruRelax™ pressure monitoring and other functions to offer 24/7 active health management.

For example, cardiovascular disease is the number one health threat globally. Since the early symptoms of arrhythmia are not obvious, causing patients to have lower awareness and difficult to treat actively for early screening and diagnosis. With the development of technology, smart wearables have opened up a new path for arrhythmia screening, effectively improving the pain points of traditional monitoring methods. HUAWEI Band 6 features the newly upgraded HUAWEI TruSeen™ 4.0 heart rate monitoring technology, which can continuously, quickly, and accurately provide users heart rate monitoring, helping them to take care of their heart health in real time.

In the modern society, sleep disorder affects people of different occupations and different ages. The HUAWEI Band 6, features HUAWEI TruSleep™ 2.0 to scientifically monitor sleep quality conveniently, helping users to further understand their sleep quality, locate problems, and seek help from professional medical institutions promptly.

The HUAWEI Band 6 provides 96 workout modes. Rope skipping mode is one of the newest of 96 workout modes available on the HUAWEI Band 6. Not only does it accurately monitor the reps of skipping ropes, but it also provides workout data such as the number of consecutive reps, allowing users to stay focus in controlling the rhythm and breathes to achieve better results. Together with Huawei's proprietary HUAWEI TruSport^TM professional workout algorithm, incentive system and workout features, the HUAWEI Band 6 can achieve diversified scientific workout records to offer an unrestricted fitness experience, turning anywhere to your personal gym.

Huawei has always been actively developing and researching health technologies, taking user health as the core of the development of product features, and continuously and innovatively announcing multiple generations of smart bands with scientific health features. The design of HUAWEI Band 6 incorporates elements of fashion, comfortable wearing, health management and scientific workout-tracking, offering a new form of smart bands to users. It monitors user’s daily activities and physiological conditions, improves user’s perception and control in health data, and plays a huge role in health management in restricted social and personal conditions anywhere.

 

Meta Description: Keep an eye on everyday health with the HUAWEI Band 6

In a bid to promote e-commerce exports Alibaba.com Host First Faisalabad Seller summit at FCCI

          

Alibaba.com a global platform for B2B e-commerce organized 1^st Faisalabad seller summit in collaboration with Faisalabad chamber of Commerce and Industries (FCCI). The event focused on huge potential of Faisalabad exporters to tap into the digital B2B buyer base. With over 600+ registrations of the event more than 200 attendees visited FCCI to witness the session and 200+ people joined online.

Faisalabad seller summit event themed “Go Export with Alibaba.com” was attended by Mr. Atif Munir Sheikh- Honourable President, Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industries as guest speaker. Whereas other speakers included Mr. Song Song- Business Head, Alibaba.com Pakistan, Mr. Syed M. Safwan- Owner, Syed & Sons (10+ years Alibaba member) , Mr. M. Haider Zaidi- Export Law Specialist, AUC| Law, Mr. Tariq Mehmood Mian- VP, & Board Raaziq International Logistics.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Atif Munir Sheikh President, FCCI, said “On behalf of Faisalabad business community we are thankful to Alibaba.com for unlocking e-commerce export opportunities for local SMEs. There is a lot of untapped potential for the growth of e-commerce in Pakistan therefore we urge Alibaba.com to help unlock it for Pakistan’s sustainable economic growth.”

While addressing the session Head of Alibaba.com Pakistan Mr. Song Song, said “Faisalabad has traditionally been the manufacturing city of Pakistan with a lot of traditional manufacturers in textile and other industries with superior product. Faisalabad in particular, contributed US$3.2 billion in export volume or 12% of the country’s total export volume in fiscal year 2021-22. However, participation of Faisalabad exporters in Alibaba.com is just 1.2%. We are promising to invest as much resources as we can to create and enable the eco system to make Faisalabad the next digital trade hub in the world.’’

Pakistan is one of Alibaba.com’s most important supplier markets given its geographical advantage, skilled labour force and budding entrepreneurial SMEs looking to export. Since fiscal year 2019-20, after establishment of a Alibaba.com team dedicated to the local market, company has been enhancing support for Pakistani suppliers by forming collaborations with local channel partners, making Pakistan-specific platform enhancements and creating curated training modules for sellers here. As a result, Alibaba.com is glad to see a notable growth in Pakistani supplier base over the past few years, and Pakistan has now become No.1 overseas supplier market in terms of number of paying suppliers.

realme Will Create 15 "1 Million Shipment" Markets Within the Next Three Years While Entering the Second Stage of Entrepreneurship

          

Sky Li, realme’s Global CEO and Founder detailed realme’s future plans in an open letter released ahead of the 828 realme Fan Fest

 

realme is fast approaching the four year anniversary of its debut as an independent brand in the smartphone market. The upcoming occasion of the realme 828 Fan Fest provides a wonderful opportunity to appreciate the long, arduous path the tech democratizer has taken to reach this stage and look forward towards what realme has in the pipeline. realme started off with the mission to empower the next generation of youth by providing them with access to leap-forward technology and trendy design concepts. Over 140 million loyal fans around the globe have been satisfied with the innovation, accessibility, and community that realme brings to the table. The task that realme had entering the market was an intimidating climb, with a highly saturated mobile phone market awaiting them and long-established players occupying the majority of the market.

 

Possessed by the “Dare to Leap” spirit, realme persevered in their quest to fulfill their mission, never faltering along the way. The desire to serve the youth with the innovative tech and design they need helped fuel the rising smartphone brand to keep going despite any challenges. As of now, realme still remains the only smartphone brand that is fully focused on the youth and empowering them to get ahead. With the complex and ever-changing market landscape that realme has found itself in, it is pertinent to ask whether the global smartphone brand can maintain its pace of growth, continue to surprise its user base, and mold itself according to changing times and economic conditions. After analyzing its global strategy, Sky Li is confident that they will be able to rise to the challenge.

 

Over time realme has gained confidence as a brand with its fan base sprawling across the globe. At present time realme has a firm foothold in the global smartphone industry and data shows that their comprehensive market rollout has been remarkable effective. While it is fun to recall the glory days of past, realme never dwells on them for too long as it has a forward-thinking focus. According to Sky Li, “realme is now entering its second stage of growth as a startup, and in this next phase of our journey we will further refine our focus on targeted, long-term growth. This means an added focus on product quality and market focus”. In order to better understand this new strategy, we have to delve a little further into what strategic changes realme is going to make going forward.

 

On the product side, realme is going to adopt the “Simply Better” strategy which will place a premium on product by increasing investment in R&D by 58% year-over-year in order to further advance its abilities of making essential tech innovations more accessible. With this strategy, realme is placing a greater emphasis on its number series of phones, which have famously been realme’s vehicle for tech-democratization in the past and are realme’s most essential product line. Number series phones pack high-tech features into a visually attractive design with an affordable price tag. In addition to an increased focus on improving product quality, realme will also be streamlining their operations by pooling their resources into global unified development to be more in line with the “Simply Better” strategy. Product improvement is seen as the cornerstone of realme’s growth moving forward.

 

The market side will be seeing positive changes as well. Now that its core markets have been defined, realme will place a new emphasis on stability over expansion. This new market focus goes by the name of “Market Cultivation” strategy, which will place particular focus on its two 10-million shipment markets while working towards building a core of fifteen 1-million shipment markets. Currently, realme has seven markets with annual shipments exceeding 1 million units with a spot in the Top 5 in certain markets. realme isn’t afraid of dreaming big and stands strong in its belief that it can climb even further to the very top.

 

The broad market uncertainty that the industry is currently facing does not phase realme. The smartphone brand is confident in their place in the industry and believes that difficult moments do not last forever so it is important to keep persevering even through stormy weather. In today’s age, smartphones have made us more capable than ever with AIOT expanding these capabilities even further. The future realme is working to build is one where technology brings youth around the world closer and inspires them to do great things in their lives. realme will remain to see this dream into fruition, no matter how many years it may take.

Power Cement joins ACCA’s strong global community of Approved Employers

              

Power Cement Limited is pleased to announce inclusion in ACCA’s 7,800 plus global Approved Employer Network under the Trainee Development – Gold Category. The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is one of the world's leading professional accountancy body, and Power Cement’s approved employer accreditation reflects its commitment to uphold the highest level of support on technical, professional, and ethical skills to the students, affiliates, and members of ACCA. The ACCA Approved Employer Program recognizes and rewards employers’ quality staff training & development and ensures the highest professional standards for both the employers and the students/employees.

                  

Power Cement hosted a ceremony at its Head Office in Karachi to commemorate the milestone, which was attended by the leadership of Power Cement and ACCA. Speaking at the occasion, Nasim Beg, Chairman – Power Cement Limited, said, “Power Cement emphasizes on nurturing its employees by providing them with the right opportunities to excel in their careers and to add value to its business. We look forward to creating a positive impact through this partnership with ACCA”

Muhammad Kashif Habib, CEO – Power Cement, said “We are excited about this partnership with ACCA as the Approved Employer accreditation will surely lead to hiring and retaining of top finance talent at Power Cement.”

Assad Hameed Khan, Head of ACCA Pakistan, shared his thoughts, “It is heartening to see Power Cement investing in talent and developing them into future business leaders. I am particularly impressed by how Power Cement is working on promoting the use of sustainable energy in Pakistan and contributing towards a cleaner and greener Pakistan”.

Power Cement joins ACCA’s strong global community of Approved Employers

             

Power Cement Limited is pleased to announce inclusion in ACCA’s 7,800 plus global Approved Employer Network under the Trainee Development – Gold Category. The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is one of the world's leading professional accountancy body, and Power Cement’s approved employer accreditation reflects its commitment to uphold the highest level of support on technical, professional, and ethical skills to the students, affiliates, and members of ACCA. The ACCA Approved Employer Program recognizes and rewards employers’ quality staff training & development and ensures the highest professional standards for both the employers and the students/employees.

                  

Power Cement hosted a ceremony at its Head Office in Karachi to commemorate the milestone, which was attended by the leadership of Power Cement and ACCA. Speaking at the occasion, Nasim Beg, Chairman – Power Cement Limited, said, “Power Cement emphasizes on nurturing its employees by providing them with the right opportunities to excel in their careers and to add value to its business. We look forward to creating a positive impact through this partnership with ACCA”

Muhammad Kashif Habib, CEO – Power Cement, said “We are excited about this partnership with ACCA as the Approved Employer accreditation will surely lead to hiring and retaining of top finance talent at Power Cement.”

Assad Hameed Khan, Head of ACCA Pakistan, shared his thoughts, “It is heartening to see Power Cement investing in talent and developing them into future business leaders. I am particularly impressed by how Power Cement is working on promoting the use of sustainable energy in Pakistan and contributing towards a cleaner and greener Pakistan”.

Mian Aslam Iqbal Assured Full Support For CBD Punjab and RUDA

            

Chief Executive Officer of Lahore Central Business District Development Authority (LCBDDA) & Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) Mr. Imran Amin had a meeting with the newly appointed Provincial Minister for Housing and Industries Punjab, Mian Aslam Iqbal to discuss the progress of Pakistan’s first business district known as Central Business District Punjab (CBD Punjab) and Ravi Riverfront project.

Secretary Housing Punjab Mr. Shakeel Ahmed, COO of LCBDDA & RUDA Brigadier (R) Mansoor Janjua, Executive Director Commercial of LCBDDA Mr. Mohammad Omer Executive Director Commercial of RUDA Mr. Kashif Qureshi were also present during the meeting.

CEO of LCBDDA and RUDA gave an overview of ongoing and previous activities which have done wonders in terms of wealth generation for the development of Punjab. The housing minister was also briefed about the upcoming future projects of both authorities which will turn out to be a great contribution to the development of the province.

The Provincial Minister lauded the pace of development work and ensured the full support of the Punjab government for the completion of the projects. He further added that we are well aware of the significance of CBD Punjab and RUDA in the development of the province. Uplift and betterment of the public sector is our utmost priority

The Punjab government has instructed all the concerned departments to ensure public relief. The monitoring mechanism of the ongoing projects in Punjab is blatant proof that the provincial government is committed to providing maximum relief to the public.

Real Fans Put the Pedal to the Metal for realme's Mega Azadi Ride with Critical Mass Lahore

          

Lahore’s streets came alive on Sunday morning for realme Fan Fest’s mega cycling ride as part of the Independence Day festivities 

The residents of Lahore came alive with the rising sun on the morning of Sunday, August 14, 2022. Decked out in their finest cycling gear or patriotic garb, they took to the streets to partake in the realme x CML Mega Azadi Ride. The ambitious cycling tour of Lahore had a fixed route starting at the famous Liberty Chowk, making its way to the historic Jinnah Library, only to close the loop back at the starting point. The starting time of 6 AM presented a real challenge for realme’s daredevil fans as the sweltering heat and humidity presented obstacles to conquer on their journey which they took on enthusiastically.

                            

 

The spirit of adventure and daring attitude of the realme community is what inspired realme to be the main sponsor of the Mega Azadi Ride. realme was not the only sponsor of this magnificent event. Also lending a hand were MilKar, Life in Lahore, Gatorade, BlocBelt, Commissioner Lahore Division, and Shahid Cycle Hub. With over 300 people in attendance across bicycles and double-decker buses, the early morning Independence Day spectacle had an amazing turnout.

   

Cyclists started to gather at dawn around Liberty Chowk in anticipation of the start of the ride. Some cyclists brought their own cycles to ride while those who had registered beforehand were able to collect a cycle at the venue to borrow. Double-decker buses were also stationed at the venue to accommodate for those that wanted to partake in the festivities but could not or did not want to cycle. These buses along with trucks followed the procession of cyclists and also provided the opportunity for tired cyclists to turn in their cycles and get a ride from one checkpoint to the other. The total distance traveled by the cyclists was an impressive 20KM, divided into two 10KM bouts.

Once the group made their way to the midway point at Jinnah Library, they were able to replenish their energy with a short rest and refreshments. At the historic landmark, Syed Mashood Hassan, the Country Director of realme Pakistan, and Captain (R) Muhammad Usman Younis, the Commissioner of Lahore, delivered inspiring speeches to rile up the public. A bouquet was then presented to the Commissioner Lahore by team realme as a token of appreciation followed by a spirited sing-along of Pakistan’s national anthem. Cyclists were then given the clear to resume their journey back while pedestrians were loaded back into the buses to be taken to the starting point.

The realme X CML Mega Azadi Ride presented a unique Independence Day celebration for people of all ages. The air was heavy with the spirit of camaraderie as cyclists stopped along the way to help each other make it through the physically grueling course. realme wanted to celebrate unity within the country as a reflection of its tight-knit fan community. Events like these are imperative in creating a shift in how Pakistan’s population spends its leisure time. A push from realme in the right direction can inspire people to adopt a more active, risk-taking lifestyle. realme’s hope is to deliver many such unique events for its fans in the future.

ACCA welcomes ISSB standards but warns greater guidance and consistency required

         

ACCA says that the draft standards from the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) are urgently needed to provide a consistent global base line for companies reporting on sustainability-related financial information.

While welcoming the two exposure drafts (EDs) ACCA notes that it is imperative that reporting drives the necessary systematic change in sustainability reporting and that operational changes take place in companies and that investors use the information provided to allocate capital more efficiently and responsibly.

Commenting on the ISSB’s exposure draft (ED) IFRS S1, General Requirements for Disclosure of Sustainability-related Financial Information ACCA is calling for a clear definition of the meaning of sustainability-related financial information. The global accountancy body is also calling for standard setters to give greater guidance on how entities will determine materiality when reporting on sustainability issues.

While agreeing with the requirements, ACCA also warns that proposed disclosures about risks and opportunities emerging from companies’ supply chains, including Scope 3 emissions, will present new disclosure challenges for many companies as will working out how to provide forward looking information.

 Sharon Machado, head of Sustainable Business, ACCA says: ‘The ED does not define what is ‘sustainability-related’. As a result, the breadth and scope of the risks and opportunities that need to be considered and disclosed is left to the judgement of the preparing companies, to the detriment of consistent application, comparability, as well as cost and effort in reporting.

 ‘We would urge the ISSB to provide a clearer indication, both in the standard and through illustrative examples, as to what sustainability might cover. ACCA suggests the ISSB could look to the six integrated reporting capitals to serve as useful framing for a broad and holistic understanding of ‘sustainability.’’

ACCA is also calling on the ISSB to resist making disclosure requirement too voluminous. For reporting to serve the needs of users and bring about more effective and sustainable allocation of capital, it is imperative that information is presented in a clear and concise way. Disclosure overload will make it more difficult for investors and other stakeholders to find the information that they need.

Commenting on IFRS S2 Climate-related Disclosures, ACCA questions whether the SASB-derived industry-specific disclosure requirements fully reflect relevant disclosure topics and metrics in an emerging economy context. ACCA argues that until field-testing is done to more fully assess the international applicability of the industry-specific requirements, they should not form a mandatory part of the standard, but rather take the place of application guidance.

ACCA also highlighted a global skills shortage with the demand for sustainability reporting talent far exceeding supply. This lack of human resource could further increase compliance costs. ACCA calls for the ISSB to work with regulators, professional bodies, IFAC and the World Bank to upskill existing talent and build capacity in the reporting professions worldwide.

ACCA’s response drew on the assistance of ACCA’s Global Forum for Corporate Reporting and Global Forum for Sustainability. It has also been informed by global member outreach events and roundtables held in the ASEAN region between May and July 2022. As part of its work to directly inform the ISSB’s standard-setting efforts, ACCA is undertaking a joint research project with the University of Glasgow on climate-related disclosures in the chemicals and constructions materials industries. Preliminary findings have been presented to ISSB staff, and the final report will be published in September.

Commenting on the implementation of the standards, ACCA is urging the ISSB to develop an implementation road map in conjunction with its jurisdictional working group to guide national regulators and ensure consistent implementation across the globe.

Sharon Machado concluded: ‘A phased approach to implementation that reflects the size of entities and the resources required to dedicate to implementation may be appropriate. Smaller non-listed entities will require the longest lead time before the requirements become mandatory for them.

‘We would expect that companies would want to have a dry run before being required to fully comply with the standards. The implementation roadmap should reflect this, with period of voluntary adoption before the standards are adopted on a mandatory basis.’