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Press Releases
Shell Pakistan announces financial results for q3 2022

The Board of Directors of Shell Pakistan Limited (SPL) announced the Company’s 3rd quarter results on October 19th, 2022. The Company posted a loss after tax of PKR 4,644 million for the quarter which translated into the cumulative profit after tax of PKR 2,863 million for the nine months as compared to last year’s profit after tax of PKR 297 million and PKR 2,447 million for the quarter and nine months respectively.

The oil sector felt the impact of macro-economic challenges such as unprecedented devaluation of the Rupee, continued volatility in the international oil prices as well as the impact of devastating floods, which resulted in a reduction in industry volumes. The Company was able to maintain its market share and remained focused on its strategic priorities, operational excellence, and fiscal prudence.

During the period, the Mobility business, with a strong supply and distribution network, delivered product in a safe and compliant manner at a time when most of the supply routes were severely challenged. The Company is also on track with its network expansion.

The Lubricants business was successful in increasing market share in the consumer channel, through consumer and influencer interventions; and the B2B channel has demonstrated agility to win new businesses.

Furthermore, a solar-powered milk refrigeration plant has been built in Basti Katimar, South Punjab, in collaboration with the National Rural Support Program (NRSP), giving 240 dairy farmers access to a milk refrigeration unit. This programme assists dairy farmers in increasing milk shelf life and increasing their own profitability.

Shell Tameer Awards 2022, a nationwide competition was launched to reward and recognize young Pakistani innovators who are working towards fuelling their entrepreneurial passion in the areas of Clean Energy Solutions, Technology Innovations, Empowering Women, Circular Economy, Transportation and Mobility and Bright Ideas. Winning entrepreneurs will get a chance to win seed capital, business mentoring, high value networking and local as well as global recognition through Shell. Campus drives and partner engagements were conducted to create awareness around the program and 253 innovative start-ups and prototype stage ideas were received from across Pakistan.

SPL remains focused and committed in ensuring that its financial position remains robust and a Goal-Zero approach to safety performance is maintained.

SPL is also thankful to the Government for timely settlement of the recent price differential claims and looks forward to a positive settlement of the remaining legacy receivables.

Going forward, SPL will actively work to minimize impact of current challenges and endeavour to capture opportunities to ensure that it plays a key role in developing Pakistan’s energy future.


State Life Insurance Corporation Becomes Platinum Sponsor Of Pinktober Ride For Breast Cancer Awareness

Pakistan’s largest life and health insurer, State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC), partnered with Pink Pakistan Trust as a Platinum Sponsor for this year’s Pinktober Breast Cancer Awareness Ride held on Sunday, 16th October, 2022. The Pink Pakistan Trust is a not-for-profit organization working for the cause of welfare, health and wellbeing of Pakistani women.

Pakistan has the highest breast cancer death rate in the Asian region, which is largely attributed to lack of awareness and the social stigma around the disease. By partnering with this initiative, SLIC aims to enhance the conversation around early detection and life-saving intervention through its Sinf-e-Aahan Cancer Protection (SACP) Plan for women.

Under this plan, women aged between 18 and 64 can benefit from financial protection against the hefty costs associated with cancer treatments. SLIC provides 100% payment of the sum assured upon diagnosis of cancer verified by provision of the histopathological report.

Speaking on the occasion, Shoaib Javed Hussain, Chairman, SLIC said, “SLIC takes immense pride in its partnership with Pink Pakistan Trust for Pinktober Ride, an initiative aimed at spreading awareness against cancer. Awareness, early detection & financial enablement is essential to combat cancer which SLIC aims to achieve through meaningful partnerships and by providing first-of-its-kind solutions to protect and empower women of Pakistan through its Sinf-e-Ahan Women Cancer Protection Plan. This plan protects women against the risk of cancer at unprecedented affordable rates. Such initiatives and innovations are crucial to fighting cancer as a nation”.


ADAB festival 2022 set to highlight climate change issues

Ameena Saiyid, Founder and Director, Adab Festival, Jovan Ilic, Deputy Director, British Council Pakistan and Wasif Rizvi, President, Habib University, announced the fourth Adab Festival to be held on 26 and 27 November 2022 at Frere Hall, Karachi.

Ameena Saiyid thanked Mr. Murtaza Wahab, Mr. Iqbal Memon, Commissioner, Karachi, British Council, Habib University, Lightstone Publishers, BARD Foundation, Institute of Business Management, Bank of Punjab, General Shipping Agencies Ltd, GETZ Pharma, EDLINKS, Pakistan International Container Terminal, Mr. Manzoor of Frere Hall, Mr. Afzal Zaidi, Metropolitan Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, District South, Municipal Commissioner, District South, Additional Inspector General Police, Karachi Range, Ms. Sara Amjad, Assistant Commissioner (Headquarters) Karachi, Mr Junaid Ullah Khan, DG Parks and Sister Liza, Principal, of St Joseph’s Convent School Karachi for their support of the Adab Festival.

Ameena Saiyid said “the theme of the Adab Festival this year is Climate Change. At Adab Festival, we take literature in its widest form of expression in any language or form such as music, dance, acting, art. Literature is undervalued in Pakistan and we tend to think of it as ivory tower stuff for the elite. Through Adab Festival, which is free and open for all, we want everyone in the community to love, experience and enjoy literature. The Adab Festival belongs to Karachi and our community which is why we are having it in an open public space.”

Jovan Ilic, Deputy Director British Council, Pakistan said: “We are so pleased to be supporting Adab Festival and the theme of climate change which has also been a key area of focus for our Pakistan/UK Season New Perspectives programme this year. Festivals have the wonderful ability to create safe ‘exciting’ spaces. It’s not as if all rules are dropped and anything goes, nor is it necessarily a space to overcome differences of opinion as if we are working towards some form of political or civic agreement, rather there’s a complicit agreement almost of spirit. That spirit says, come, enjoy, bring an open mind, and recognise that you receive as well as contribute to this space as an artist and/or as a visitor.

Wasif Rizvi, President, Habib University said “Pakistan will soon be “unlivable for humans”. Extreme weather events – disastrous rains, lethal floods, devastating droughts and heatwaves – have made such unimaginable catastrophe a lived reality for the people of Pakistan.

Change in Pakistan will likely have increasingly terrible impacts on food security and water scarcity. Despite this existential threat, Pakistan has done little to impact the mainstream climate change narrative.”

Habib University, being an intellectually vibrant institution, considers it our responsibility to initiate critical discourse highlighting the severity of such existential threats.

Habib University’s intellectual programme is aimed at making society think beyond existing narratives, and fostering alternative possibilities.

The theme of the 4th Adab Festival – ‘Climate Change’ – is close to Habib University’s mission of working towards protecting our ecosystem, hence we are delighted to play our part by joining hands with Adab Festival.

Zubeida Mustafa said: “Cultural Festivals have educational importance. They have a profound impact on a community. They create harmony, cohesion and, when they are inclusive, a sense of equality and goodwill.”

About 100 speakers and performers will participate at Adab Festival including Zehra Nigah, Sherry Rahman, Tariq Alexander Qaiser, Fauzia Minallah, Aamer Hussein, Iftikhar Arif, Kishwar Naheed, Wusatullah Khan, Fatema Hasan, Afzal Syed, Tanvir Anjum, Bina Shah, Noor ul Huda Shah, Yasser Latif Hamdani, Taimur Rahman of Lal Band, Zambeel Dramatic Readings, Natalia Gul and Mahira Khan. Ground-breaking books will be launched such as 1946, The Last War of Independence, The Royal Indian Navy Mutiny, a collection of short stories and unpublished photographs from the Second World War by M H Askari and more.

There will be a separate strand for children to draw them to reading through storytelling, music, performances and art.

Adab Festival will introduce new, innovative, creative approaches to promoting books, reading, authors, raising awareness of climate change by entertaining and engaging the audience through diaries, presentations, dramatic readings, debate, comedy, music, song, art, and dance.


BOPMadadgar Launched with Construction of Zero-Carbon Shelters for Flood Affectees at Rojhan City, Rajanpur

The recent devastating rains and flash floods have inundated vast areas across Pakistan. The Bank of Punjab (BOP), a market leader in Corporate Social Responsibility, has once again been at the forefront of carrying out flood relief activities as it solemnly believes that it’s mandatory upon each and every citizen of the country to be actively involved in the rebuilding and rehabilitation of our flood affected brothers and sisters. The bank recently launched its employee volunteering program called BOPMadadgar which has been designed to give our employees an opportunity to participate in uplifting society and doing good for the public at large.

BOP, under the flag of BOPMadadgar, is constructing permanent basic shelters using eco-friendly building materials in the flood-affected areas. These shelters are durable and have inherent climate-resilient properties, enabling them to withstand flooding. Additionally, these shelters are extremely low cost, easy to construct, and with virtually zero carbon footprint. The houses have the flexibility of being disassembled and moved for making permanent construction.

BOP raised over Rs. 3 billion in various flood relief funds which is probably the highest amount any bank collected from general public.

On 11th October 2022, Mr. Zafar Masud (President & CEO – BOP) along with senior members of the management visited the camp site of BOPMadadgar’s maiden flood relief activities in the Rojhan city. The President oversaw the construction activities being done for the flood affectees. He met the BOPMadadgar team along with artisans involved in the construction work. He also met the flood-affected families which have shifted to the shelters provided by the bank.

The local administration has identified 25 families who are being provided shelter homes through the BOPMadadgar Program. The staff volunteers, from D.G. Khan and Multan, after being provided with necessary training by artisans from Heritage Foundation are constructing the shelters in Rojhan.

The bank is also supporting the construction of zero-carbon shelters in Pono village of Mirpurkhas, Sindh for which the work was started before the flooding. The houses built with the support of BOP withstood the floods and provided shelters to people who lost their homes. Due to the efforts of the bank, the local villagers now refer to their village as BOP Pono village.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Zafar Masud (President & CEO – BOP) said, “Today, we have come to Rojhan city for the inaugural project of BOPMadadgar. BOP’s branch in the city has also been damaged but the staff is present today to support the flood affectees.”

He further added, “BOP will further expand its rehabilitation activities in other provinces of the country. I’m thankful to artisans of the Heritage Foundation for coming all the way from Karachi to participate and train our staff and local population in the construction work. BOP will further expand the scope of this campsite by providing healthcare facilities, Dastarkhwan project, etc. The members of the 25 families have also participated in the construction of shelters so that they can help others in building similar shelters and earn livelihoods as well. Overall, it has been an emotional, yet rewarding, experience for all of us at BOP.”


State Life Partnered with Dubai Islamic Bank to Offer Innovative Takaful solutions to Customers.

State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC), Pakistan’s largest life and health insurer, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB). This partnership will enable both organizations to offer hassle-free Shariah-compliant financial solutions to DIB customers nationwide.

As per the agreement, SLIC and DIB will jointly work on Life and Health Takaful plans for Roshan Digital Account (RDA) holders and collectively market the product to other areas such as in the GCC market where SLIC has a strong footing.

Moreover, this partnership will lay the foundation for collaboration in other areas such as General Takaful for assets, DIB employee health coverage, treasury bills, and Sukuks etc. for DIB customers as well. The signing ceremony was held at DIB’s Head Office in Karachi, which was attended by senior management from SLIC as well as DIB.

Speaking at the signing ceremony Mr. Shoaib Javed Hussain, Chairman State Life, said at the event, “it is pleasure to announce the partnership between State life and DIB an esteemed name in the Islamic banking industry, The State Life is a leading insurer in the country and is also backed by sovereign guarantee, With This collaboration with DIB, our focus is to reach a larger audience and create awareness about our innovative Takaful solutions, The partnership brings together two leading organizations of Pakistan with shared vision of ensuring inclusion and protection of people of Pakistan across all strata of society with the mutual goal of increasing economic activities in the country. I look forward to expanding this partnership to other products in the future; we see this step as a beginning of a successful partnership between the two corporate entities”.

Also addressing the occasion, Junaid Ahmed, CEO, DIB said, “State Life’s legacy of delivering high returns will now benefit our customers through Shariah compliant offerings. This collaboration will serve as a new beginning for both the organizations whereby multiple avenues of business and employee centric product offerings will be finalized”. 


TPL Insurance limited (WTO) partners with Faysal Bank

As part of their aim to provide innovative products and utilize the digital paradigm to redefine Takaful, TPL Insurance Limited – Window Takaful Operations (WTO) is pleased to announce its collaboration with Faysal Bank. This partnership will enable both companies to offer hassle-free Shariah-compliant financial solutions to customers.

To mark the occasion, an MoU signing ceremony was held at TPL Insurance Office, Karachi. Present at the ceremony from Faysal Bank were Mr. Aneeq Malik – SEVP -Group Head Consumer Finance & Payment Services and Mr. Parvez Noor Sirohi – EVP – Business Head Secured and Mr. Nazeer Ahmed – National Sales Manager. Present from TPL Insurance were, Muhammad Aminuddin – CEO, Syed Ali Hassan Zaidi – COO, Aurangzeb Javed Siddiqui – Head of Financial Institutions Group (FIG), and Mansoor Iqbal – Manager (FIG).

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Muhammad Aminuddin – CEO, TPL Insurance said, “As Pakistan’s leading Insurtech, TPL Insurance Limited takes pride in bringing disruption to the digital space, creating new market and product developments in the industry and new offerings for customers. Our efforts are singularly focused on making Takaful easy and accessible for all. With our collaboration with Faysal Bank, our focus is to reach a larger audience and create awareness about our innovative Takaful solutions. We aim to provide Faysal Bank customers with hassle-free Takaful solutions and claim servicing.’’

Talking about the initiative, Mr. Aneeq Malik – SEVP- Group Head Consumer Finance and Payment Services said, “Creating a strategic partnership like this has paramount importance for both entities. This will allow FBL to promote its Shariah Compliant Consumer Products to a much larger audience and create further awareness about Shariah Compliant financing.”


GSS joins Codebase technologies channel partner network to accelerate digital banking innovation in MENA

Global Software Solutions (GSS) a leading enterprise solution provider in the banking and financial services space has partnered with Codebase Technologies, one of the world’s fastest-growing API banking fintechs. With GSS joining Codebase Technologies’ Channel Partner Network the two organizations will provide the region with a holistic digital banking offering coupled with leading-edge payment capabilities.

Tamer Al Mauge, Codebase Technologies’ Managing Director for MENA, stated “We’re very happy to join hands with GSS to drive innovation in the MENA region by providing financial institutions with access to a full digital banking tech stack. The need of the hour for financial institutions is rapid digitization through a proven technology stack that can serve as a platform for ongoing business optimization, innovation, and the creation of new customer experiences. Digibanc is a powerful platform that delivers all of this and more. This partnership will help us fill a gap in the market that financial institutions have faced as they transform into digital-first players.”

Through the partnership, Codebase Technologies and GSS will offer comprehensive digital banking services to banks, fintech, and other corporates that want to take advantage of Codebase Technologies’ cutting-edge Digibanc platform to meet the growing needs of the market and customers. The offering will encompass a comprehensive technology stack for NeoBanks, Challenger Banks, Islamic Banks, and Conventional Banks including Next Generation Omnichannel Solutions, Core Banking, Open Banking, Instant Lending, BNLP, P2P Payments, Super Apps, and more.

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Mahmoud Abuebeid, CEO & Board Member, GSS said “We share Codebase Technologies’ vision for the future of digital financial services and wanted to partner with the team so that we can support FIs with cutting-edge digital banking and payments stack that gives them the tools they need to disrupt effectively. This partnership will help drive increased adoption of innovative digital technologies and have a significant impact on financial institutions’ abilities to realize their digital-first agendas.”

Nehul Goradia, Director of Channels & Alliances, Codebase Technologies, added “Collaboration and a network of strategic partners is key to success in the market. We’re excited to expand our ecosystem with the addition of a strong partner like GSS, which will grow our network and reach, ultimately increasing financial institutions’ capabilities and benefitting customers with new experiences and offerings.”


MMBL CFDO highlights the power of fintech at the GITEX GLOBAL 2022

Pakistan’s largest digital bank, Mobilink Microfinance Bank Limited (MMBL)’s Chief Finance and Digital Officer (CFDO), Sardar Mohammad Abubakr shared his expertise on Fintech Surge: ESG & Fintech – Society, Inclusion & the Environment at the GITEX GLOBAL 2022, held in the 2nd week of October at Dubai World Trade Centre. GITEX GLOBAL, the world’s largest tech show, unifies the world’s most influential ecosystems advancing business, economy, society, and culture through the sheer power of innovation.

MMBL is part of the VEON group, a global digital operator that provides converged connectivity and online services across seven countries. As part of its digital operator strategy, VEON is transforming people’s lives, creating opportunities for greater digital inclusion, and driving economic growth across countries that are home to more than 8% of the world’s population.

During his address, Sardar Abubakr stressed the need to recognize the huge strides Pakistan has made in digitalization. Dedicated to harnessing the power of technology, MMBL is at the forefront of digital innovation, making digital and financial solutions more inclusive, efficient, and affordable for everyone, especially women and Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs)- two highly influential segments for increased economic development. The Bank’s ever-growing partnerships portfolio is a testament to the expansion we are doing for maximizing the outreach of our financial services.

This year, Gitex Global is hosting more than 4,500 companies, thousands of exhibitions, and 100,000+ attendees from 170 countries, in addition to over 1000 industry leaders and subject experts from diverse fields as speakers. Building a bridge between technology and finance, Fintech Surge featured 100+ globally leading financial industry experts, entrepreneurs, innovators, investors, and regulators.

With over 40 million registered users, including 15+ million monthly active mobile wallets, MMBL remains committed to expanding access to financial services and bridging the financial gaps that persist in Pakistan. Abubakr underlined that the non-financial factors including environment, social, and governance are crucial to the sustainability of the fintech industry, therefore, these should be considered to initiate long-term growth with reduced risks. He also emphasized the need for businesses to ensure compliance with social and environmental requirements to anchor themselves well in the societies they function in.

Quoting the example of his organization, Sardar Abubakr shared: “MMBL commits all efforts with sustainability and customer-centricity at the forefront. The Bank strives to catalyze positive social change through the financial inclusion of marginalized segments, especially women and the rural populations, not only through microcredit but also through specialized training and provision of access to customized digital and financial product offerings. We are deploying the power of digital — a great enabler & equalizer, to empower the masses holistically.”

He further remarked that the world is undergoing significant changes pertaining to climate change and sustainability challenges, which is why businesses need to be more responsible and empathetic to create shared value for themselves as well as the communities they serve.

As an industry leader, MMBL strives to empower the unbanked and underbanked segments to participate in the financial ecosystem by providing them opportunities to support their families, start businesses, invest in education, and build a financially stable future. With more than 70% of the Pakistani population still unbanked, the door is wide open for digital innovation to step in and influence positive social change.


Qistbazaar.pk and Pak-Qatar Family Takaful to provide free accidental life Takaful coverage to Qist Bazaar customers

As part of providing tailored solutions and unique value-added features for our customers, QistBazaar.pk a fintech start-up which has recently developed an e-commerce marketplace for electronics that customers can avail on installments, has signed an MoU with Pak-Qatar Family Takaful Limited (PQFTL). With this initiative, the company aims to provide additional benefits to its new customers that would impact their life along with the lifecycle. Hence, when a customer buys any product from QistBazaar.pk, they will get FREE 1-year Accidental Life Takaful Coverage of Rs.200,000 through Pak-Qatar Family Takaful along with unlimited FREE Doctor consultations for their family through Sehat Kahani app and Sehat Kahani tele-health helpline.

To mark the occasion, a ceremony was held at Qist Bazaar head office, Karachi, where the MoU was signed by Mr. Nasir Sheikh (Head of Marketing, QistBazaar.pk) and Mr. Zeeshan Haider (Head of Bancatakaful and Alternate Distribution, Pak-Qatar Family Takaful).

Mr. Arif Lakhani – Co-founder – Qist Bazaar said, “Qist Bazaar was founded on the principle of democratizing access to finance and the partnership with Pak-Qatar Family Takaful will further help the common Pakistani who in the past has shied away from Takaful and other financial products.”

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Zeeshan Haider – Head of Bancatakaful and Alternate Distribution, Pak-Qatar Family Takaful said, “Through our collaboration with QistBazaar.pk, our focus is to instil a sense of security whenever someone buys anything from QistBazaar.pk by not only covering them with accidental life Takaful but also with tele-medicine.”

Talking about the initiative, Mr. Nasir Sheikh – Head of Marketing at QistBazaar.pk said, “We are excited to start this new journey with Pak-Qatar Family Takaful by adding an accidental life Takaful policy to protect our customers’ interests and by providing tele-medicine services for their families absolutely FREE of cost which would otherwise cost them a lot. QistBazaar.pk is committed to strengthening the services it offers and truly making a difference in the lives of its customers.”

Furthermore, Mr. Azeem Iqbal Pirani – CEO, Pak-Qatar Family Takaful said, “We are glad to partner with Qist Bazaar as we believe in offering convenience to customers and these kinds of digital platforms and partnerships will not only create awareness but will also be very helpful in utilizing the technology at its best.”

The MoU looks to enhance consumer confidence with online marketplaces that is still in its development phase. Adding a feature such as this coverage policy builds the right direction for the Qist Bazaar’s promise to add value for its customers and benefits which other platforms are yet to introduce.


Edhi Foundation in partnership with Jazz provides flood assistance to flood affected families

Edhi Foundation in partnership with Jazz provided assistance to thousands of families, distributing food and medical supplies, and hygiene and disaster relief kits in flood affected areas. This collaboration is a part of Jazz’s PKR 1 billion flood relief pledge.

The areas covered under this initiative include 23 districts of Sindh including Nawabshah, Dadu, Sukkur, Jamshoro, and Larkana as well as 10 districts of Balochistan including Quetta, Lasbela, and Nasirabad. Flood-struck parts of South Punjab including Taunsa, Jampur, and DG Khan were also covered. Jazz also mobilized its volunteers to assist Edhi’s on-ground teams in distributing relief items.

“We have witnessed the unfolding of an unprecedented calamity. To mitigate the effects of this climate-induced catastrophe, I implore all private companies to come forward. Jazz has historically always risen to the occasion when the country and its people needed it the most. The nationwide flood relief initiative is another example of this and we greatly value their decision to collaborate with us,” said Faisal Edhi, Director – Edhi Foundation.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the all the families affected by floods. We are working with key partners in distributing relief supplies so it reaches the affectees in time. We stand by our fellow citizens during these tough times,” said Syed Fakhar Ahmed, Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer – Jazz.


Standard Chartered join hands with IGI Life and EFU Life for Bancassurance

Standard Chartered Bank (SCBPL) signed a memorandum of understanding with EFU Life Assurance Limited and IGI Life Insurance Limited whereby these partner companies will deploy dedicated sales staff at Standard Chartered branches for cross selling of insurance solutions to the Bank’s client base. This alliance is a response to the ever-evolving needs of the clients and is expected help support the Bank’s goal towards providing a full suite of wealth management services.

The signing ceremony was attended by Standard Chartered Pakistan’s CEO – Rehan Shaikh, Head CPBB – Saadya Riaz, and Head Wealth Management – Kailash Kumar, along with Taher Sachak, CEO EFU Life Assurance Limited, Mohammed Ali Ahmed, Deputy Managing Director EFU Life, and Ali Nadim Deputy CEO IGI Life Insurance Limited with their respective teams.

Rehan M. Shaikh, CEO Standard Chartered Pakistan commented, “Through the deepening of this relationship between the Bank and insurance providers, we aim to improve product awareness, especially among the financially marginalised segments of society. We believe in creating value and convenience for our clients and continue to provide cutting-edge financial solutions. We at the Bank expect synergistic enhancements to result from this deepened partnership and are optimistic that it will help drive the Bank’s insurance business into a new era.”

The CEOs of both insurance companies also emphasised the benefits of this partnership with Standard Chartered, and the potential opportunity available to all three organisations with the launch of this new sales model, and the learnings that have been possible for them through Standard Chartered’s global network.

Mr. Taher G. Sachak, CEO EFU Life Assurance Limited said, “Standard Chartered Bank was our first Bancassurance partner and we are delighted to have the Standard Chartered partnership take a new direction. EFU Life and SCBPL share the same vision of creating value and convenience for the Bank’s affluent customer base through customised offerings, targeted to the need of this segment. We admire the success of our existing Bancassurance relationship, and I am confident that this new initiative will further enhance the association and position Standard Chartered as a key player in Bancassurance”.

Ali Nadim, Deputy CEO IGI Life Insurance added, “We are gratified with our partnership with SCBPL in our mission to offer tailor made savings and protection solutions to our customers, and encourage a healthier lifestyle through our Vitality benefits. Vitality is a personalised program that helps our clients achieve their wellness goals by rewarding them for making better choices with a premium range of health, lifestyle and leisure benefits. With our new partnership with SCBPL, we look forward to enhancing the suite of wealth management opportunities available for our customers.”


Jazz partners with OPAY to become the first mobile operator to launch e-pins on POS machines

Jazz, Pakistan’s largest digital operator and the largest internet and broadband service provider, has partnered with OPay, a fast growing mobile payment Fintech company, to offer e-pin facility on point-of-sale (POS) machines through e-pins. Jazz is the first local digital operator to provide an e-pin service, in addition to scratch cards, offering customers a contemporary approach to top-up their mobile credit.

Deploying Jazz e-pins on OPay’s current active footprint of 10,000 POSM enables consumers with a secure and user-friendly method to process top-up payments at frequently visited outlets such as petrol stations, pharmacies, and shopping stores. E-pins can be purchased from OPay’s POS-merchants and will be printed on the bill invoice to verify transaction. The goal of this strategic partnership is to increase e-pins to digitize channels across Pakistan, enhancing the customers experience. OPay has plans to widely expand its POS network and that would help a long way for the partnership to grow.

“This partnership further augments accessibility and convenience for our customers to purchase Jazz services through OPay’s secure and reliable platform. We will continue to forge partnerships to maintain optimum customer experience,” said Asif Aziz, Chief Commercial Officer, Jazz.

“After remarkable success in Africa, OPay, in conjunction with Jazz, is eager to make an impact in Pakistan by bringing a superior and innovative digital experience to accelerate the financial well-being of all Pakistani customers. Through this collaboration, Jazz will enable merchants to increase customer engagement and attract incremental customer traffic and revenue for their businesses”, said Zeb Khan, OPay Pakistan’s Vice President.


Ordercall signs MoU with ICMAP to optimize talent acquisition

One of Pakistan’s fastest-growing B2B marketplaces, Ordercall, has signed an MoU with ICMAP, the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Pakistan. The agreement was signed by Mr. Amir Aijaz Khan, Executive Director, ICMAP and Farhan Hidayat, Head of People and Culture, Ordercall.

The partnership will strengthen Ordercall’s talent acquisition and management capabilities, create strategic networking opportunities and facilitate employee engagement through ICMA’s extensive experience in the field of management accountancy. The companies will work closely to empower Pakistan’s 2 million+ retailers and digitize B2B conventional retail trade.

Commenting on the alliance, Farhan Hidayat said, “Ordercall’s people lie at the heart of its business. We are pleased to partner with one of Pakistan’s most prestigious institutions to fuel our mission with the right talent and create a long-term positive impact.”

Mr. Amir Aijaz Khan said, “ICMAP’s vision is to be the preference in value optimization for business. We look forward to strengthening Ordercall’s competencies and creating leaders for B2B e-commerce industry.”


Syngenta Pakistan joins hands with Sehat Kahani to provide digital healthcare services to farmers

Syngenta Pakistan, a leading agriculture innovation and technology company providing crop protection, biologicals, seeds and crop-enhancement products, has signed an MoU with Sehat Kahani, Pakistan’s leading digital healthcare platform, to provide digital healthcare services to the farmers in the most severely flood-hit areas of the country.

The recent super floods in Pakistan have severely damaged the infrastructure in various regions thus making it extremely difficult for rural communities and farmers to access quality healthcare services. In this time of need, Syngenta Pakistan stands with its farmers and has stepped forward by partnering with Sehat Kahani to establish a medical consultation helpline which will provide round the clock healthcare access to the most vulnerable growers and their families.

The General Manager of Syngenta Pakistan – Zeeshan Haseeb Baig addressed the signing ceremony and stated that: “Our growers are at the center of everything we do. Syngenta has a long history of being innovative when it comes to serving our growers’ needs. Through this unique collaboration with Sehat Kahani, our growers and their families will be able to have immediate access to healthcare experts. Our partnership comes at a time when many communities in flood-impacted areas are fighting water-borne diseases. We believe that this initiative will contribute to the wellbeing of our growers.”

The Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sehat Kahani – Dr. Sara Saeed said that: “I am thrilled to announce the signing of this resourceful partnership with Syngenta. This strategic partnership will enable the farmer-families across remote areas, to call our healthcare professionals and get online consultations, instantly. This initiative promises great benefits to rural communities, especially during the current flood crisis that has impacted millions of farmers and their families.


Bank of the future forum 2022 brings together Pakistan’s banking sector thought leaders

NdcTech, a leading IT & consulting firm providing transformational services for the banking sector globally, and Temenos, the world’s leading banking software company co-hosted the 11th edition of Bank of The Future Forum, one of the largest financial conferences in the world. This event brought together more than 25 Global Speakers and over 500 attendees from the banking sector, influencers, decision-makers, regulators, Fintechs, analysts and media.

The event discussed key topics in the banking industry including composable banking, mobile banking, digital banking, cloud banking etc. Exciting demos were also presented on trending topics such as buy now pay later, payments, core banking upgrades, etc. Various fintech companies such as HID Global, Huawei, Validata, Abris Consulting, & ACI Worldwide showcased their innovative products and offerings and networked with industry experts from banking and IT sector

In her welcome address, Ammara Masood-CEO, NdcTech, talked about the key milestones achieved by NdcTech over the years and how their 22 years of partnership with Temenos has strengthened by leaps and bounds. She also spoke about the way forward for NdcTech after its acquisition by Systems Limited and the company’s vision of developing scale, building offshore competencies, and transforming banks in newer markets.

Asif Peer, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Systems Limited shed light on the upcoming trends and opportunities in the global banking sector and how to leverage them. He also talked about how Systems Limited, now with NdcTech is on course to become the largest Temenos partner in the region, as the two companies will work aggressively in expanding their combined footprint to newer territories across the globe.

John Schlesinger, Chief Enterprise Architect, Temenos, explained that Composable banking requires moving away from monolithic banking and engaging in value chain banking. He shared his insights that for banking to be composable, the technology that supports you must decompose itself and once broken down into modules and services, it needs to be recomposed. Finally, the element of connecting to outside world is what makes banking composable, and which eventually enables banks to innovate in hours and deliver value in days.

Lee Allcorn, Director, Temenos MEA, talked about the significance of the MEA region to Temenos and what the future roadmap of Temenos for this region looks like. He also shared insights on how this region has a huge demand for Islamic Banking as few of the largest Islamic Banks in this region are running on Temenos software.

A panel discussion was conducted on pivotal trends in the digital banking industry where though leaders from the Pakistani banking sector, such as Shahzad Ishaq, Chief Digital officer, MCB, Iqbal Fazal Ali Khan, Group Head Digital banking, Meezan Bank, Muhammad Hamayun Sajjad, Chief Digital Officer, NBP shared their thoughts on why banks need to be contextual, relevant, and provide seamless customer experience through simple and easy to use interfaces.

“The banking industry has been disrupted in a positive way as digitalization stands at the forefront while we navigate through challenges and opportunities,” stated Asif Akram, Chief Operating Officer, Systems Limited while moderating this panel discussion.

With that one of the largest banking technology conferences came to a fruitful end while creating plethora of shared knowledge for the attendees.


A new paradigm for sustainable and climate-adaptive city planning: IBA Karachi and UNDP Pakistan reimagine resilience through an international urban conference

The Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi in collaboration with UNDP Pakistan and the Government of Sindh hosted an International Urban Resilience Conference entitled, “Reimagining Resilience: The Transition to Sustainable Cities” at the IBA City Campus. The conference facilitated expert discussion and policy recommendations for Pakistan to effectively respond to urban resilience and development challenges. It focused on ‘reimagining resilience’ to create a new paradigm for city governance – by stepping out of traditional governance and economic development approaches and create spaces for engagement with citizens and experts alike to create inclusive and climate-adaptive cities.

Pakistan currently has 82 million people living in urban areas, 30 million of whom are living in informal settlements. Karachi is no different; approximately half of its population lives in informal settlements. Hence, urban population growth in Pakistan needs to be matched with effective urban planning and development initiatives. This has become even more important in the wake of Pakistan’s devastating floods, which have caused additional migration from rural areas to already migrant-stressed cities like Karachi.

In this context, the conference brought together senior government representatives, national and international urban resilience advocates, subject matter experts, and representatives of Pakistan’s private sector and UN agencies.

Dr. S Akbar Zaidi, Executive Director, IBA Karachi and Principal Investigator for the UNDP-IBA Karachi Urban Resilience Project, welcomed the audience and mentioned that “Even though cities are considered hubs of economic activity, poor urban planning has left many in want of basic services such as water, electricity, energy, health, and education. Unregulated expansion of these communities has resulted in overburdened transport networks which exacerbate the issue of low employment opportunities for such people.”

UNDP Pakistan Resident Representative, Mr. Knut Ostby said of Pakistan’s urban challenges, “While Pakistan’s current urban context presents a crisis for cities and its governments, it also presents an opportunity for resilience building. This is key to achieving sustainable development and ensuring that urban areas continue to serve as inclusive spaces for human development and economic growth.”

The keynote address was delivered by Mr. Muhammad Ismail Rahoo, Minister, Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development, Government of Sindh. He stated that despite contributing less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan is among the most vulnerable countries. He highlighted Government of Sindh’s various sustainable development initiatives for Karachi through public-private partnerships programs.

Mr. Muhammad Iqbal Memon, Commissioner Karachi Division, in his address focused on the challenges faced by policymakers due to lack of data and capacity building in public sector organizations.

The introductory session of the conference concluded with Dr. Zaidi and Mr. Ostby presenting the UNDP-IBA report on ‘Migration, Livelihoods & Resilience in Karachi: A Study on Social Cohesion and Informal Urban Settlements’ to Mr. Rahoo. The report is a culmination of a six-month research led by UNDP Pakistan and IBA Karachi into two informal settlements of Karachi, Azam Basti and Rehri Goth.

The conference included fruitful discussions on three themes relating to the need for knowledge-sharing on urban resilience across Asia, avenues for sustainable urban planning, and solutions for creating climate-resilient cities.

Other senior participants at the conference included Session Chairs Dr. Gul Mohammad Laghari, Member (Energy and Infrastructure), Planning and Development Department, Sindh; Mr. Najam Ahmed Shah, Secretary, Local Government & HTP Department, Government of Sindh; Mr. Agha Wasif Abbas, Secretary, Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development Department, Sindh; representatives from the governments of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the Rawalpindi Development Authority; representatives from UNDP Philippines and UN Habitat; a mission from the UNDP Regional Bureau of Asia-Pacific that included Mr. Francisco Santos-Jara Padron, Regional Advisor Livelihoods, Economic Recovery & Displacement, and Mr. Sebastian Boll, Migration and Displacement Specialist; UNDP Pakistan was represented by Ms. Ammara Durrani, Assistant Resident Representative and Chief, Development Policy Unit; and private sector participants including Pakistan Cables.

It is hoped that the knowledge-sharing and solutions exchange on proposals, methodologies, and policy recommendations gleaned from the conference can help Pakistan address resilience challenges, build sustainable cities, and cushion the impact of future disasters in its largest cities.

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