NHA SETTING UP EMERGENCY RESPONSE CENTERS IN BALOCHISTAN
Minister of State for Communications Muhammad Junaid Anwaar Chaudhry presided over a high level meeting at Ministry of Communications last week where in Chairman NHA Mr. Shahid Ashraf Tarar gave a briefing regarding establishment of Emergency Response Centre along national highways in Balochistan. Inspector General National Highway and Motorway Police Dr. Syed Kaleem Imam, senior officers from Ministry of Communications and National Highway Authority were also present.
Giving briefing Chairman NHA said, NHA is setting up 09x Emergency Response Centres along national highways in Balochistan. These centers, he said, are being set up at Dhanasar, Mina Bazar, Kalat, Surab, Wad, Kararo, Nag, Wangu and Hoshab. National Highway Authority is setting up these centers through its own resources. Facilities like doctors, para medical staff, ambulances, accident management staff room, post office & internet will be available to tackle the emergency situations.
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WORLD BANK AND NATIONAL BANK OF PAKISTAN STRATEGIZE TO BOOST HOUSING FINANCE SECTOR
A World Bank delegation called on the President/CEO National Bank of Pakistan, Mr. Saeed Ahmad. The World Bank team was led by Ms. Korotoumou Ouattara (Senior Financial Sector Economist), Mr. Adrey Milyutin (Senior Housing Finance Specialist), Ms. Nouma Dione (Financial Sector Specialist) and Mr. Olivier Hassler (Housing Finance Adviser). The delegation also included representatives of PMRC (Pakistan Mortgage Refinance Company) including Mr. N. Kokularupan, MD & CEO, Dr. Muhammad Saleem, Chief Operating Officer and Syed Ali Adnan, Head of Treasury.
The meeting was to discuss overall growth of the Housing Finance Market in Pakistan, its issues, challenges and possible solutions. The World Bank team apprised that in coordination with key stake holders they were proposing to assist Pakistan for development of this market and were preparing a Housing Finance Project. This Project will provide: (i) support to expand conventional mortgage lending; (ii) support to increase lower-income housing finance; and (iii) capacity building and technical assistance for housing policy. In addition, PRMC was also talking to banks for providing support for on-lending.
Mr. Saeed Ahmad, CEO & President National Bank of Pakistan gave an overview of the challenges that Pakistani Housing Finance Market was facing including Recovery and Foreclosure laws, infrastructure, cost of funding and affordability. He emphasized that, “Affordable housing segment offers an opportunity to financial sector to expand its portfolio on a secured and profitable basis. This will help further improve other industries, generate employment and contribute to growth on an ongoing basis. Together with this, a public/private partnership to tackle housing solution for low income segment of the society will help solve housing problem and eliminate Slums (Kutchi Abadis) which are creating various social problems including un lawful activities. With my association with PMRC as a Chairman in the past, I would suggest PMRC to take a lead to create schemes which could benefit all stakeholders, and provide business opportunities for PMRC”.
He also emphasized on the important role of the World Bank in developing social and affordable housing for low income segments through innovative techniques and mentioned that the Housing Finance study earlier conducted had pointed to a shortage of 7 million housing units in the country a few years back which may now have exceeded 10 million.
Mr. Ahmad, CEO & President NBP also pointed out that specialist housing finance institution does not seem to be playing its due role and should be strengthened with sufficient capital, management and technical resources. He said that this sector required special focus to overcome these challenges where Islamic banks and Islamic financing products could prove to be pivotal in its development.
Ms. Korotoumou Ouattara from World Bank explained the importance of the changes that the Housing Finance project aims at triggering, starting with fixed rate lending and increased lending to households particularly low-income segment. She also stressed on the importance of this sector and its overall contribution towards county’s economic development.
Mr. N. Kokularupan, MD & CEO from PMRC-Pakistan Mortgage Refinance Company Limited, explained to the forum, the role of the company in establishing and promoting fixed rate mortgage market, reducing maturity mismatch risk for banks and in the development of local capital market through regular issuance of conventional and Islamic debt instruments. He explained that their current discussions with banks including NBP included use of these instruments as well as working with Developers to overcome challenges of housing titles/ ownership. He mentioned certain other challenges being faced by PMRC in starting its operations.
The President NBP assured the World Bank team as well as PMRC management of his fullest cooperation in working with them for overcoming the challenges and providing all possible support for development of housing finance in Pakistan.
PMRC along with World Bank is planning to sign a MOU in the near future with National Bank of Pakistan along with other commercial banks to implement the above mentioned strategies in Pakistan’s financial sector. On behalf of National Bank of Pakistan, this meeting was spear headed by Mr. Saeed Ahmad, the President & CEO NBP along with Mr. Mudassir H. Khan, SEVP/Group Chief Payment Services & Digital Banking Group, Ms. Sultana Naheed SEVP/Group Chief Credit Management Group, Mr. Rehmat Ali Hasni, SEVP/Group Chief Investment Banking Group, Mr. Aasim Akhtar, SEVP/Group Head Commercial & Retail Banking Group and other key executives.
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METRO CASH & CARRY PAKISTAN & UNILEVER FOOD SOLUTIONS TO EDUCATE HORECA INDUSTRY
METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan and Unilever Food Solutions have collaborated again to educate professional Chefs from the HoReCa (Hotels, Restaurants & Caterers) industry, as part of their “Food Safety Principles” program at four METRO locations; namely at Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad & Karachi.
The program was inaugurated by Mr. Azfar Ali, & Mr. Giovanni Soranzo, from METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan Management and Mr. Yasir Bashir, Key Account Manager, Unilever Food Solutions. As part of the program road shows were conducted to educate chefs and kitchen staff on the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) regulations, especially on how to make their kitchens compliant to PFA requirements, and on how to avoid food contamination so they can serve their customers with hygienic food.
Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Azfar Ali (Senior Head of Operations) said: “The aim of these road shows is to provide quality products to Business Professionals and set a high quality benchmark in the market. It will also help the chefs and kitchen staff to understand the importance of hygiene and the regulations related to it.”
The road shows also included live demonstration by Chef Hammad (Executive Chef Unilever) while using METRO Own Brands and UFS products to create new and innovative dishes. Altogether about 200 chefs from HoReCa industry participated in the program which will ultimately have a positive impact on the massive customer-base they cater to on a daily basis.
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NBP RECEIVES GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TITLE FOR THE WORLD’S HIGHEST ATM
The National Bank of Pakistan, (NBP) recently set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDSTM by installing the world’s highest ATM (automated teller machine) at the Pak-China border, Khunjerab Pass.
The ATM has been installed at a height of 16,007 feet above sea level, making it world’s highest-altitude ATM anywhere in the world. The award is in recognition with the bank’s efforts in bringing superior technology, products and services to their customers in all areas of Pakistan, including the northern, rural and suburb sectors.
This is the second time NBP has been awarded a position in Guinness World Record, the first time was in July 2009 for planting over 532,887 mangrove saplings in a day at Keti Bander.
Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Saeed Ahmad, President, NBP, said: “We are very proud to have won this well recognised international title for installing the world’s highest altitude ATM. At NBP, we strive to make everyday life easier for our customers by listening to them, keeping their best interests in mind, and making every consumer interaction with businesses an exceptional experience. NBP believes in serving the nation across distances where no other bank can reach. This title reaffirms the strength and uniqueness of the technologies that have made NBP as the undisputed leader in ATMs around the country. With that, I would like to thank my team for their commitment in making our vision a reality and NBP as one of the foremost provider of financial banking services in the country.”
“The Guinness World Records title further reflects National Bank of Pakistan’s commitment to place our customers’ needs at the center of our priorities, we will support our customer at every step of the way and cover vast distances to be there and provide convenience to them. This is a key component of NBP’s service offering, and we are delighted to have been recognized at a global level for our customer-centric approach,” he further added.
The area is developing as a major tourist attraction with millions of visitors from all over the country and increasing numbers from our friendly neighboring country China. The National Bank hopes the ATM will serve the increasing needs of tourists visiting Khunjerab Pass, bordering Pakistan and China and will continue to invest in more ventures like these to cater to the growing financial requirements of people across Pakistan.
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KE ORGANIZES CUSTOMER FACILITATION CAMP IN SHERSHAH
K-Electric, under its flagship community development project Ujala, organized a customer facilitation camp in Jahanabad, Shershah. The camp was organized in recognition of the community’s support for the Aerial Bundled Cable (ABC) conversion drive currently underway in the area.
During the day-long event, a healthcare facility was established in conjunction with Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre (MALC), which served over 450 patients with free checkup and medicines. Whereas, the customer facilitation camp also assisted the power utility to address requests for provision of new connections along with offering bill payment via easy monthly installments and rebates to eligible customers. Various activities for women and children were also organized. The facilitation camp attracted large turnout and was organized in continuation of previous such engagement drives held in Orangi, Lyari, Korangi, Landhi and Malir etc.
According to KE spokesperson, “In addition to the customer facilitation aspect, the camp provided the power utility an opportunity to directly interact with the customers and collect their valuable feedback. We will continue our focus on stronger customer relationships and creating value for both customers and society.”
Representatives of the local community appreciated KE for swiftly upgrading 06 PMTs and 01 sub-station with ABC, which has not only improved the reliability of power supply but has also considerably reduced load-shed hours in the area. They also acknowledged KE’s community development initiatives and appealed to the residents to fully cooperate with the power utility for the successful completion of the ongoing ABC conversion drive. Out of the total 900 low cost meters, around 300 meters have been installed in Jahanabad whereas the installation of remaining meters in currently underway.
KE’s flagship community development project ’Ujala’ is progressing swiftly and aims to empower 1 million lives in 200 communities by the end of 2017. To date, over 600,000 lives in 72 communities have been impacted while over 3,100 PMTs have been converted on ABC through the project. Areas post-ABC conversion have shown tremendous progress and experienced noticeable improvement in provision of power supply. Transformation of Ghazdarabad, a low income community in Karachi, into a power theft free and hence load-shed free community has also received international recognition and quoted as a model community by renowned publication Financial Times.
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JS BANK’S NOMAN AZHAR REPRESENTS PAKISTAN FOR THE PRESTIGIOUS HULT PRIZE AT THE UN HQ
Noman Azhar, Country Head — Branchless Banking JS Bank has joined Hult Prize Pakistan Board as a Mentor and Advisor. He has been selected for this honorary position due to his vast experience and expertise in the field of Digital Financial Services and his efforts towards creation & promotion of a social and financial eco system for the underserved people of Pakistan. He represented Pakistan at the recently held Hult Prize Finals at the United Nations Head Quarters.
Noman is one of the brightest young professionals to have been regularly raising the Pakistani flag at different platforms for his contributions in the Digital Financial Services Sector, both locally and internationally. He has a background of working within the telecom, technology and Banking industry making him an ideal resource for the upcoming challenging era of Digital Financial Services.
He would also be mentoring the winning team of the prestigious Hult Prize, Roshni Rides. Roshni Rides constitutes a team of four Pakistan born US students, who won the 1 Million US dollar prize money for their creative idea. They proposed an idea to establish a transport network for 200 million urbanized refugees in South Asia, who do not have access to resources like markets, schools, hospitals, and places of employment. The concept which made their idea unique is the use of solar powered rickshaws.
Hult Prize is the world’s largest platform for the creation and launch of for-good, for-profit startups emerging from universities. In nearly a decade, the movement has deployed more than $50M of capital into this sector and mobilized more than one million young people to re-think the future of business as it continues to breed disruptive innovation on college and university campuses across 100 plus countries. Hult prize brings together the brightest college and university students from around the globe to focus on one of the World’s key social challenges and awards US$ 1,000,000 in start-up capital to the winner. The Hult prize methodology focuses on launching disruptive social enterprise that are impact centered, profit minded and market driven.
JS Bank is considered amongst the fastest growing banks within Pakistan’s banking landscape with 307 branches in 152 cities and one international branch. JS Bank is part of JS Group, one of Pakistan’s most diversified and progressive financial services groups. For more information, visit http://www.jsbl.com
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JAZZ RISING STARS CRICKET TOURNAMENT KICKS OFF
Jazz Rising Stars (JRS) T20 Cup 2017 officially got underway in Muzaffarabad. The tournament – organized in partnership with Lahore Qalandars – will showcase eight teams, divided in to two pools, in thrilling twenty overs format over a course of 9 days.
The tournament’s eight teams are divided in to Pool A – Muzaffarabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Sargodha – and Pool B – Bahawalpur, Layyah, Faisalabad and Lahore. Matches for Pool A are to take place in Muzaffarabad Sports Stadium, while teams in Pool B will play at Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ibrar Khan, VP Corporate Affairs – Jazz, said, “Pakistan is a cricket-loving country, and possesses rich talent but lacks the infrastructure to scout emerging cricketers coming from smaller cities and towns. Jazz Rising Stars is determined to showcase this raw talent by grooming and training these players on international standards.”
“With the start of our second season, we have found extremely talented cricketers who are all set to entertain crowds through some very exciting matches,” he concluded.
“This year’s trials for Jazz Rising Stars saw a record breaking 160,000 participants from nine cities. The numbers speak of both the interest and talent in our country,” added Shahbaz Maqsood Khan, Director Marketing – Jazz. “The excitement grows every year, not just for the participants, but also for us, as there is always a possibility of unearthing the next international superstar. Last year’s trials saw the rise of Yasir Jan, an ambidextrous fast bowler who is now training in London. While this year we have found Haris Rauf, a wonderful prospect from Gujranwala who can bowl at 92 miles per hour.”
The top team from each group will battle it out in the final. The winning team will receive a trophy and prize money worth PKR 300,000/-, while the runner-up shall walk away with PKR 200,000/-. The best Bowler and the best Batsman of the tournament will receive a cash prize of PKR 30,000/- each & the Man of the Match will receive PKR 20,000/-.
Moreover, top 16 players of the tournament will get professional training and international experience under the Sydney Triangular Series and Dubai Emirates Cup – two major cricketing destinations. The best JRS tournament players will represent Lahore Qalandars in the third edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL).
This year’s trials for the JRS tournament included top talent from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), while for the first time in years, a tournament of this magnitude is being played in Muzaffarabad.
The JRS initiative is in line with Jazz’s commitment to promote sports as an integral part of Pakistan’s culture and lifestyle.
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IBA CELEBRATES ITS ALUMNI REUNION IN ISLAMABAD
The Institute of Business Administration, Karachi held a very prestigious event, the IBA Alumni Reunion in Islamabad on Friday, September 22, 2017 at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, in collaboration with the IBA Alumni Society and the IBA Alumni Chapter of Islamabad, under the Chairmanship of Mr. Raza Chinoy.
With approximately 300 esteemed guests in attendance (a number of guests had flown in from Karachi and Lahore), the event included the Institute’s alumni and eminent personalities contributing extensively to the corporate world. The reunion began with a recitation from the Holy Quran followed by addresses by the Dean & Director IBA, Dr. Farrukh Iqbal, and Alumni Representative on the Board of Governors, Mr. Shahid Shafiq. Honorable Guests who attended the event were the Chief Guest, His Excellency Mr. Mamnoon Hussain, the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and HE Mr. Muhammad Zubair, the Governor of Sindh.
The aim of this event was to strengthen the connection between the IBA, Karachi and its alumni. With the IBA Alumni spread all over the world, it is important to maintain the bond of the alumni with their alma mater.
Welcoming the guests, the Dean & Director IBA, Dr. Farrukh Iqbal said that IBA has diversified and it now offers a myriad of programs including Accounting & Finance and Liberal Arts.
Addressing the audience, Mr. Mamnoon Hussain, the President of Pakistan said, ’Believe in yourself, even if you’re alone. Be humble and give back to your society and ultimately believe in the Almighty, as one can’t achieve anything in life without Allah’s will.’
President Mamnoon Hussain also urged the higher educational institutions to focus on applied research to achieve real prosperity through education.
The President further said that the standard of higher education has improved in Pakistan as previously the country had very few quality institutes like IBA but now they have increased. He added that the potential of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) could be tapped through research.
Expressing his devotion towards his alma mater, HE Mr. Muhammad Zubair, the Governor of Sindh said, ’I feel immense pride in being an IBA alumnus and it is heartening to see so many IBA alumni at top positions around the globe.’
During the speeches, the President of Pakistan and Governor Sindh specifically mentioned and appreciated IBA for its state of the art facilities, excellent faculty members and confident students.
The evening culminated with a dinner hosted by the President. The guests were also given an opportunity to interact with the President on a one-on-one basis. Souvenirs were also presented to the President and Governor Sindh by the Dean & Director IBA, Dr. Farrukh Iqbal.
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FWBL HOLDS A RECEPTION IN HONOUR OF MS. SIMA KAMIL PRESIDENT & CEO UBL
First Women Bank Ltd. held a reception/award ceremony in Karachi in honour of Ms. Sima Kamil the first woman ever to reach to the position of the President/CEO of one of the largest banks of Pakistan.
In her welcome speech, Ms. Tahira Raza, President &CEO FWBL remarked that achieving this position is a huge step forward in a culture where women are invisible as far as opportunities and recognition at higher corporate levels is concerned. It is therefore imperative that various forums should also celebrate and recognize this historical break through to show case what huge feat it is for a woman in Pakistan to reach the level of success that Sima has accomplished.
The talk also recognized that women have never been held back by inadequacy or lack of ability, but rather by the orthodox and patriarchal mind-set of the masses. Ms. Raza predicted that Ms. Kamil’s expertise and knowledge of the banking industry will not only add great value to not only UBL, but also to the banking sector as a whole.
Ms. Sima Kamil President & CEO UBL thanked FWBL for organizing such a wonderful event in her honour. She shared her tremendous journey and described the importance of family support in her success but “above all, hard work always pays off”, she stated. The audience gave her a standing ovation.
Ms. Kamil’s colleagues Ms. Zubaina Sadick and Ms. Roofi Jamil also spoke and said that humanity, honesty, fairness and transparency had been the hallmarks of her personality, which made her an undeniable force to be reckoned with.
Ms. Shazia Shahid Hasan Ali the Chief Guest of the event while congratulating Ms. Kamil said “she has created history.”
She also urged FWBL to showcase women role models in its pursuit to change the general perception of women to inspire and motivate young women of the country.
Ms. Ayesha Aziz CEO Pak Brunei, Ms. Mehnaz Rehman Resident Director Aurat Foundation, Ms. Hina Usmani, Ms. Darakhshan Vohra, Ms. Khursheed Kotwal, Ms. Azra Naila Uzair, Ms. Fauzia Naqvi and FWBL Senior executives also attended the ceremony.
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BlueEX PARTNERS WITH ELAHI GROUP OF COMPANIES TO EXCEL IN THE LOGISTICS MARKET
BlueEX – the pioneer in eCommerce logistics and facilitation in Pakistan, is now gearing up for the boom in online retail. As a fully equipped last-mile delivery provider, blueEX is now partnering with the Elahi Group of Companies (EGC) to increase investments in their infrastructure to make major inroads into the logistics industry.
Mr. Danish Elahi, CEO of Elahi Group of Companies and Mr. Stirling Cox, have decided to invest in blueEX Logistics and bring their long-serving expertise to the organization. With this partnership, blueEX is poised to becoming a formidable force in the logistics industry utilizing Elahi Group’s expertise and specialization in warehousing and Stirling Cox’s knowledge in business strategy, gained from a career in JP Morgan and Bain and Co.
BlueEX introduced E-Commerce logistics and fulfillment to Pakistan when it launched its online parcel booking system ( first of its kind in this country ) in 2011 and within a few years established the most advanced and efficient cash-on-delivery network across the country. blueEX is unique in that it provides a 360 degree solution for eCommerce facilitation in Pakistan including Logistics, Cash on Delivery, Digital Marketing, Call Center and Technology Services.
The Baxamoosabrothers – Imran Baxamoosa, CEO of blueEX and Ali Aamer Baxamoosa, his COO, both feel that this is the right strategic fit for the company to propel it into the next stage of development for blueEX, leveraging Elahi Group of Companies’ state-of-the-art warehousing and open space storage facilities in Pakistan.
The CEO of Elahi Group of Companies – Mr. Danish Elahi stated: “This partnership between Elahi Group and blueEX is a significant step taken towards the growth of both the enterprises. EGC has been operating in Pakistan for over four decades and has a strong track record with suppliers, creditors, and customers. EGC enjoys a relationship of trust and immense respect with all stake holders, and we look forward to the same with blueEX.”
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CRICKET AND JAZZ — A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN
Pakistan, today, is celebrating what can easily be called the revival of the golden days of cricket. With the World XI series being hosted in the country, the embargo on international cricket has been lifted. This almost seems like a dream for Pakistan which has seen its share of discrimination, persecution and systematic dismantlement as a cricketing nation. So crippling was the effect that the country’s cricketing infrastructure was going to ruin and the nation’s confidence hitting an all-time low. The journey to today has been a long and arduous one. In a sea of naysayers labelling Pakistan as unsafe and international cricket teams adamant not to visit, there have been beacons of hope which have consistently been working to push the country out of the abyss.
The first significant international fruition of their efforts came in the shape of the immensely successful Pakistan Super League (PSL) held in 2016 and consecutively in 2017. The nation was glued to their TV screens as Najam Sethi, the proponent behind the event opened the second season’s finale in Lahore.
‘We are united and a nation which can’t be stopped from doing the right.’ – Najam Sethi
The triumph of this endeavour is enough to outshine any other achievements but it is absolutely pertinent to look beyond the dazzle to the entities who have long stood steadfast to the dream of uplifting Pakistani cricket. One such powerhouse has been Jazz, Pakistan’s largest telecom operator boasting a market share of more than 52 Million consumers.
Linked strongly with the vivacious Lahore Qalandars in the PSL and beyond, it might be easy to mistake the telecom’s association with cricket as a more recent one. However, scratching the surface reveals that strategically cricket has been one of its main and consistent platforms for the past two decades.
At a time when the nation needed hope and confidence in their heroes who were playing in foreign stadiums, Jazz carried the torch forward through its extensive sponsorship, marketing and communication plans. It led the way in the glorification of our national assets like Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Misbah Ul Haq and most recently Younis Khan.
On the local front, Jazz took it upon itself to support local cricket in all its forms by hosting cricket matches for students and the physically challenged to name a few and talent hunts such as ’The Hunt for Heroes’ in collaboration with the PCB and 10 cricket stars.
‘Cricket cannot be looked upon as a sport. It is a passion that will never die. They took cricket out of Pakistan but they can never take cricket out of a Pakistani. And we won’t let them.’ – Asif Aziz, Chief Commercial Officer, Jazz.
The consistent efforts by a market leader accumulated to a snowball effect, bringing in investments by other brands and corporations towards cricket. This metamorphosis of local cricket as marketing gold led to more events being hosted nationwide; slowly and gradually pulling Pakistan towards stabilisation coupled with a sense of security and confidence.
Emboldened by this sense of security and confidence, the conception and subsequent execution of the PSL (international and local players forming regional teams) came to be. Jazz was one of the first corporations to sign up with a PSL team, stamping its endorsement and conviction in the endeavour. More brands followed suit, soon after. PSL had been written off by many, before it even began to the point that Najam Sethi’s promise to host the finale in Pakistan was scoffed and laughed at. The success of PSL brought about a seismic shift in the cricketing world toppling misconceptions, prejudices and dirty politics.
PSL is now a non-dismissible event on international cricket schedules and hopes are that future tournaments, in their entirety, will be hosted in Pakistan. This achievement, however was not enough for Jazz. In the summer of 2016, it collaborated with the Lahore Qalandars and launched a massive cricket talent hunt, Jazz Rising Stars (JRS). With the objective to scout and groom grass-root cricket talent and provide international exposure, it immersed into 8 districts of Punjab and grew to be the world’s largest cricket talent hunt with more than 113,000 registered participants. Supervised by cricketing legends Aqib Javed and Mudassar Nazar, the best talent was selected from each district which went on to play against each other in a grand tournament at Qaddafi Stadium attended by dignitaries, journalists, celebrities and the media.
The top 30 were taken in by the National Cricket Academy, the top 16 were taken to Australia to play a tri-series against Sydney Thunder and Sydney Sixers. The top 4 namely Usman Qadir, Saif Badar, Muhammad Irfan Jr and Ghulam Mudassar were selected and recruited in the Lahore Qalandars Squad 2017. Additionally, unique talent such as the magical ambidextrous fast bowler Yasir Jan (formerly a vegetable seller) was discovered who is currently being groomed and trained by Watford Club in the United Kingdom.
A venture of this magnitude and success did not go unnoticed and received international and local acclaim, even awards for being the harbinger for good for Pakistan.
‘Jazz Rising Stars, like all our efforts, is our investment in the country. We want to be the proponents that bring international cricket home, so our people can see their idols and heroes play LIVE in front of them.’ – Shahbaz Maqsood Khan, Director Marketing, Jazz.
The second instalment of Jazz Rising Stars is currently underway and promises to be bigger than its first season. Till date, more than XX participants have given trials in Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Layyah and Bahawalpur. A 22-year-old bowler who can consistently bowl at 142/143kph has been discovered and sent to an academy for further training.
Jazz Rising Stars has set a revolution in motion. Motivated, other PSL teams have announced that they too will be conducting trials for aspiring cricketers. This stands as a true victory for Pakistani cricket. This however will not be the first time that Jazz has strategically used its leadership to woo corporate investment in cricket which has led to the return of the glory days of cricket. Long shall cricket prevail in Pakistan and long shall Jazz’s dedication to its cause prevail.