UBERAUTO NOW AVAILABLE IN FAISALABAD
Uber Pakistan has announced the commencement of its UberAUTO operations across Faisalabad. uberAUTO is Uber’s affordable and reliable rickshaw service, which is already operational in Karachi and Lahore.
At the tap of a button, Uber will connect riders with the closest available uberAUTO rickshaw driver, who shall pick the rider up at the earliest. Riders will be able to see a photo of the driver, the license plate, and will be able follow them on the app as they make their way to the requested destination.
UberAUTO also allows the ’Share Status’ feature, where riders can share their current location with family and friends so they are aware of the route and expected arrival time at the destination.
The base fare for hailing an uberAUTO is set at PKR 45, while riders will be charged PKR 5 per km for the trip and PKR 1.15 per minute as waiting charges.
Speaking about the launch, Safee Shah, GM – Uber Pakistan, said, “Rickshaws are a convenient mode of transport when it comes to traveling short distances during peak traffic hours. For countries like Pakistan, Uber recognizes the value rickshaws bring to the transportation landscape, which is the reason why we are using our technology to offer more choices to our riders and economically empowering the rickshaw driver community.”
UberAUTO has been launched for the convenience of riders who prefer affordable and safe alternatives to their daily commute. uberAUTO also allows for easy navigation during peak traffic hours in metros across Pakistan.
In order to use uberAUTO, riders will need to download the Uber App from any App store and request a ride within the app.
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PC-1 FOR CONSTRUCTION OF DERA GHAZI KHAN NORTHERN BYPASS
The Executive Board of the National Highway Authority has approved PC-1 for the construction of 18 km long 4-lane bypass for Dera Ghazi Khan City at a cost of Rs. 4.24 billion. The decision was taken during the meeting at NHA head office with Chairman Shahid Ashraf Tarar in the chair.
The meeting was informed that construction of bypass was imperative keeping in view the ever increasing traffic flow coming from Karachi Port on Indus Highway (N-55) and passing through D.G.Khan city. The city, situated at the junction of Indus Highway and national highway (N-70), is the central point of four provinces with traffic coming from all sides. Similarly, stone crushing plants built along the national highway and the D.G.Khan cement factory generate big flow of heavy traffic for the supply of crushed stone, sand and cement to the Southern Punjab and other parts of the country. This is resulting frequent blockage of heavy traffic on N-75 that passes through the heart of the city, much to the inconvenience of both the commuters and the city residents.
The proposed bypass will solve the traffic congestion and ensure uninterrupted traffic movement besides reducing the travel time and accidents. The provision of better road facility for the inhabitants of the area will surely lead to more employment opportunities and better living standards.
The meeting was informed that 60 m wide right of way (ROW) will be acquired for the construction of the bypass. Four major bridges at Vador Nullah, Katchi Canal, D.G.Khan Canal and Manka Canal, as well as a flyover at D.G.Khan-Kashmore railway crossing are also part of the project with a completion time frame of 18 months.
CAPTION: Chairman national Highway Authority Mr. Shahid Ashraf Tarar presiding over the NHA’s Executive Board meeting.
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NBP ISSUES PENSION PAYMENT
NBP, being the largest commercial bank of banking industry, imbued with its traditions of Corporate Social Responsibility is going to set another milestone in service industry by releasing the pension payments to its pensioners on November 29, 2017.
This shall be a great sigh of relief for all of NBP pensioners on the eve of Eid Milad un Nabi which is coming on 12th Rabi ul Awwal i.e Friday December 01, 2017. The pensioners would be able to withdraw the pension on 30th November 2017 and onwards. Simultaneously NBP management has also issued strict instructions to all of its domestic branches to extend full assistance and service to its customers/pensioners in the process of pension disbursement. Similarly, all ATMs across the country shall also be fully functional for cash payments.
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MCB BANK ORGANIZES SEMINAR ON ‘EXTERNAL SECTOR OF PAKISTAN: THE ROAD AHEAD’
MCB Bank, one of the largest and most innovative banks in Pakistan, held a seminar titled “External Sector of Pakistan: The Road Ahead” for its select clients and key industry stakeholders.
The seminar was organized by MCB Bank to inform its customers of the dynamics of the external sector of Pakistan and its present status. The event also covered measures for suitable course of action to reduce risk exposure through the use of various product offerings from MCB Bank. The seminar was largely attended by the senior management personnel of large and medium Pakistani corporates and businesses.
Mr. Salman Zaidi, Group Head Treasury and FX Group MCB, welcomed guests and briefly explained the initiatives taken by MCB Bank Treasury and FX Group to engage with their clients. Mr. Amer Nazir Khan, Head of Treasury Sales then briefly introduced the topic and initiated discussion at the seminar. Mr. Nausherwan Saleem, Senior Dealer FX Market, went on to explain the various components of Pakistan’s external sector such as trade balance, remittances, foreign direct investment, foreign portfolio investment and external debt and how each part contributes to the country’s balance of payments position. He also briefly discussed the road ahead for the external sector.
Also speaking at the seminar, Mr. Muhammad Aadil Ismail Derivatives Dealer at MCB Treasury, CFA informed customers about the various product offerings at MCB which could be used to hedge against risks and also take advantage of economic opportunities. The seminar concluded after a detailed Q&A session in which guests actively participated to discuss the external sector of Pakistan as well as the use of financial derivatives.
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MCB BANK OFFERS DIGITAL FINANCIAL SERVICES WITH DAWOOD SUPER MARKET
MCB Bank has signed a MoU with leading supermarket chain Dawood Super Market for the provision of financial services through its digital products, including the placement of ATM and POS machines inside the Super Market’s premises.
Dawood Super Market is a considered a premium destination for quality conscious consumers and is located in the heart of AutoBhan Road in Hyderabad, a major thoroughfare lined with the outlets of high-class brands.
At the ceremony, Mr. Faisal Ejaz Khan, Chief Information Officer MCB Bank and Mr. Muhammad Azfar Alam Nomani, Head RBG South jointly launched the ATM Machine and POS Machines through inaugural transactions.
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JS BANK SPONSORED THE WWF-PAKISTAN’S GREEN OFFICE NETWORK MEETING
JS Bank sponsored WWF-Pakistan’s Green Office Network Meeting 2017 at a local hotel in Lahore. The purpose of the network meeting was to urgently translate sustainability strategies and best practices for reducing plastic debris, in Pakistan, into actionable development plans. The theme of the event was “to turn the tide” and solve the excessive plastic waste problems that each one of us creates on a daily basis.
The one-day conference was attended by the corporate and public sector leaders, academics and industry practitioners from all across Pakistan. It included keynote speeches from respected environmental lawyer, Mr. Rafay Alam who discussed the prevailing laws regarding plastic consumption and its alternatives in Pakistan. Mr. Hassaan Sipra, Scientific Officer, Centre for Climate Research and Development, COMSATS also shared a deep dived synthesis of his research on the informal waste sector of Lahore and the international labour organizations for plastics waste management in Pakistan.
The event was followed by an award ceremony for Green Offices with best performances in reduction of their carbon footprint. In this regard, JS Bank received the Best Green Office coordinator award.
Speaking on the occasion, Yawar Herekar, Head of Economics & Sustainability, JS Bank said “We have always strived to benefit the country and citizens through various green initiatives leading to an environmentally sustainable planet. In the past also, we met all the requirements set by WWF and became the first commercial bank in Pakistan to be certified by WWF-Pakistan as Green Office.”
Hammad Naqi khan, Director General/ CEO, WWF-Pakistan, “Using an absurd amount of single-use plastics day after day is devastating our oceans. It is important to start focusing on phasing out singleuse plastics instead of only thinking of end-of-pipe solutions such as recycling or waste disposal. Both governments and companies have to work together to minimize plastic waste.”
Nazifa Butt, Manager Environmental Assessment/Green Office Initiative, WWF-Pakistan said, “Our dependency on plastics has increased over the past decade, it’s time that civil society realizes the importance of not using plastics and chooses alternatives. WWF-Pakistan, through the Green Office Initiative, is also educating the corporate sector about plastic waste and encourages plastic recycling initiatives.”
A series of specialist speakers from Engro Fertilizers, JS Bank, and Unilever Pakistan provided insight into their respective plastic recycling initiatives, highlighting how their organization’s work is contributing to the underlying principles of environmental sustainability in Pakistan.
The event was concluded by the guest of honor, Begum Zakia Shah Nawaz Khan, Minister Environment Protection, Punjab. “Efforts of the Government alone cannot have a significant outcome unless the public shows interest and gets involved in reducing plastic consumption. People should shift from disposable plastics to reusable material. If we do not take up this issue now, it can be devastating for all living beings.’
JS Bank is one of the fastest growing banks in Pakistan, with 323 branches in 161 cities including one international branch, and is a leading player in the digital banking space. JS Bank is also a recipient of the prestigious award for Best Environmental and Social Governance Bank at the Pakistan Banking Awards 2017. The Bank is part of JS Group, one of the Pakistan’s most diversified and progressive financial services group. For more information, please visit http://www.jsbl.com.
CAPTION: Yawar Herekar, Head of Economics & Sustainability JS Bank receiving the Best Green Office Coordinators award at the WWF Green Office Network Meeting, held in Lahore. JS Bank was recognized by WWF for its various green initiatives.
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GOOGLE LAUNCHES DATALLY, AN APP THAT SAVES YOU DATA
Today Google announced Datally, a smart and simple Android app that helps smartphone users understand, control, and save mobile data. Datally works on all smartphones running Android 5.0 (Lollipop) and higher, and is available today on the Google Play Store globally.
Datally helps solve one of the biggest pain points for smartphone users around the world – worries about data usage. Google found during extensive user research around the world that many smartphone users worry about running out of data. This is an especially acute problem for the newest generation to come online, known as the “Next Billion Users.” Not only are these smartphone users constantly thinking about data balances, but they do not understand where their data is going, nor do they feel in control over allocating data to the apps they really care about.
Datally empowers users to solve these problems with four key features:
Data Saver. Apps frequently use data in the background for updating content and information. Datally’s Data Saverfeature lets users control data on an app-by-app basis, so that data only goes to apps they care about. People testing the app saved up to 30% of mobile data, depending on the way they used Datally.
Data Saver bubble. Once Data Saver is turned on, Datally’s Data Saver bubble will appear when a user goes into an app that is allowed to use data. Whenever that app uses data, the Data Saver bubble will show the current rate of data usage, and users can easily choose to block that app’s data use if things start to get out of control. The Data Saver bubble is like a speedometer for mobile data.
Personalized alerts. Datally alerts users when apps start consuming a lot of data, and it allows them to see how much data they’ve used on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
Wi-Fi finder. There are also times when users want to use more data than they have on their mobile plans, such as when they want to watch HD videos. Public Wi-Fi is an important access point for high-bandwidth connectivity, so Datally’s Find Wi-Fi feature reveals the networks nearby, rated by the Datally community. Once connected, users can rate the Wi-Fi networks themselves based on their own experience.
For more information visit the Datally website: datally.google.com.
CAPTION: Google launches a data saving app “Datally” in Pakistan along with other countries across the globe. In Picture (From L-R) Raza Matin, Marketing Consultant – Pakistan, Google, Tania Airdrus, Chief of Staff, Next Billion Users Google and Khurram Jamali, Industry Head APAC, Google, pose for a group photo at the launch ceremony.
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FWBL INTRODUCES PAYPAK DEBIT CARD
First Women Bank Ltd. on its 28th Anniversary launches its first debit card “FWBL PayPak Debit Card”. The key features of this card are Direct payment with Higher Purchase limits leveraging customers to Shop & Pay at their favorite retail outlets nationwide to enjoy the cashless experience, along with the acceptance at all nationwide ATMs to withdraw cash.
On this occasion Ms. Tahira Raza President & CEO said we are proud to launch a new debit card, opening the doors to a world of payment options. We pride ourselves on being the home of economic empowerment for millions of women and their families. She appreciated the hard work of entire project team and reiterate that FWBL will continue to strengthen its position by introducing new innovative products and fulfilling customer’s needs by providing the right solutions.
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DEWAN MOTORS INTRODUCED THE ALL-NEW BMW 5 SERIES AT THE GERMAN CONSULATE GENERAL
German Consul General, Rainer Schmiedchen together with Dewan Motors hosted the all-new BMW 5 Series dinner at the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Karachi inviting the diplomats, artists, businessmen and other notables.
Dewan Motors had recently launched the new generation of BMW 5 Series with Plug-in Hybrid Electric technology in Lahore.
The BMW 5 Series is the embodiment of a modern business saloon. It does not only push dynamic handling and on-road driving pleasure to new heights, it also complements one’s personal drive towards success.
Addressing the guests at the occasion, Mr. Rainer Schmiedchen, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany said “I am really happy that this year again a renowned German company is presenting German high technology as a part of the German Weeks 2017î.
“Germany’s achievements in technology have been very significant and we feel a great pride to display it here today” added Mr. Schmiedchen.
Dewan Motors are the pioneers in installing the first ever public charging station in Pakistan, providing free of cost charging facilities through seven charging stations in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.
“At Dewan, we are honored to have taken the lead in electro mobility in Pakistan by introducing hybrid vehicles; followed by Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles commonly known as PHEVs. In the near future we shall also introduce all electric vehicles.” said Mr. Dewan Mohammad Yousuf Farooqui, Group Chairman, Yousuf Dewan Companies.
Dewan Motors has witnessed a tremendous growth in sales during the year owning to the overwhelming response the BMW X1 received nationwide. And the all-new BMW 5 Series will further enhance the numbers.
“We are confident that the launch of the stylish yet sporty new BMW 5 series is sure to be well received by our existing and future BMW enthusiasts” said Mr. Farooqui.