Day: June 13, 2022

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H.E Al-Shaikh Al-Syed Hashimuddin Al-Gillani from Baghdad visits TUF 

Faisalabad, June 13, 2022 (PPI-OT):His Excellency Al Shaikh Al Syed Hashimuddin Al-Gillani from Baghdad (Iraq) visited The University of Faisalabad. After recitation of Holy Quran and Naat Rasool Maqbool (SAW), Durood-o-Salam and Manaqib of Hazrat Ghaos-e-Azam (RA) were offered by Ms Ayesha Batool, renowned Naat Khawan. Mr Muhammad Haider Amin, Chairman Board of Governors TUF, Ms Zahida Maqbool, Additional Registrar, other faculty members and large number of students were present on the occasion.

In his address to faculty members and students, H.E Al-Shaikh Al-Syed Hashimuddin Al-Gillani shared his words of wisdom. He said, Islam encourages both men and women to learn and seek knowledge. He urged the students to devote themselves to their studies and serve the nation. He said that teachings of Hazrat Ghaos-e-Azam (RA) are beacon of guidance for the Muslim Ummah. Mian Muhammad Zubair Qadri presented University memento to H.E Al-Shaikh Al-Syed Hashimuddin Al-Gillani. In concluding session, prayer was offered for the peace and unity of Muslim Ummah.

For more information, contact:
The University of Faisalabad
Health Sciences Campus (For Female)
Sargodha Road University Town, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92-41-8868326-30
Fax: +92-41-8868220
Email: admission@tuf.edu.pk
Website: www.tuf.edu.pk

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MoU signed between IU and PAEAIC for job opportunities to engineering and IT students of the IUB 

Bahawalpur, June 13, 2022 (PPI-OT):The Pakistan Academy of Engineering Artificial Intelligence Consortium will provide job opportunities to engineering and IT students of the Islamia University of Bahawalpur in the global job market. In this regard, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the two institutions. Engr. Prof. Dr. Athar Mahboob, Vice Chancellor, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur and Engr. Brig. Naseem Akhtar Khan Executive Secretary signed the agreement in an online meeting on behalf of their respective institutions.

In his message on the occasion, Musharraf Z Khan FCA said that Pakistan Academy of the collaboration of Engineering Artificial Intelligence Consortium with the Islamia University of Bahawalpur for manpower development will provide immense opportunities in the global market for these students in the field of Information Technology especially Artificial Intelligence. Pakistan Academy of Engineering Artificial Intelligence Vision 2025, Made in Pakistan, a symbol of quality and dignity, aims to turn Pakistani students into the world’s best artificial intelligence experts.

The agreement with the Islamia University of Bahawalpur will be a milestone in the progress of this vision and a game changer for Pakistani youth. Prof. Dr. Athar Mahboob, Vice Chancellor, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur, said that the agreement is a testament to the extraordinary development and guarantee of high-quality education of the Islamia University of Bahawalpur and a testament to the qualifications and capabilities of our graduates. This platform will give our graduates access to the world’s IT and engineering industry and will help Pakistan to better position itself in the global competitive race.

The Pakistan Academy of Engineering Artificial Intelligence Consortium will also provide job internships and training to the students of the Islamia University of Bahawalpur so that our graduates can see the best performance in the global market. In this regard, the Islamia University of Bahawalpur’s Directorate of International Links, Directorate of Career Counselling and Directorate of IT will play its role in providing, selecting and training graduates. Dr. Masood from Australia, Dr. Zubairy from USA, and Brig. Dr. Naseem Akhtar A Khan from Karachi participated in this event through online sources.

For more information, contact:
The Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB)
University Chowk, Gulshan Colony, Bahawalpur,
Punjab – 63100, Pakistan
Tel: +92-62-9250235
Fax: +92-62-9250335
E-mail: info@iub.edu.pk
Website: https://www.iub.edu.pk/

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Poverty, corruption can be reduced through digitization: Former Estonian President

Karachi, June 13, 2022 (PPI-OT):If the willingness is there, states can transform themselves through the use of digital technology, significantly reducing levels of poverty and corruption and simplifying government services that are otherwise bureaucratic and time consuming.

This was the core message delivered in a special lecture by Toomas Hendrik Ilves, former president of Estonia (2006-2016). Mr Ilves is recognised for implementing bold and innovative policies that led the Baltic state to becoming a global leader in digital governance, especially in the areas of voting, banking, healthcare, transportation and education.

The event was hosted by AKU’s Information and Communications Technology division led by Chief Information Officer Shaukat Ali Khan and attended by prominent CIOs from other leading institutions in Pakistan at the Aga Khan University as special guests.

Following his presidency, Mr Ilves has actively worked to advance understanding of how technology can be used to improve lives and create a safer world. He co-chairs the Global Future Council on Blockchain Technology, which examines how blockchain technology can be used to enhance cybersecurity, and recently advised the World Health Organization on technological solutions to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Ilves, who was speaking remotely, shared his experiences spearheading Estonia’s digital transformation. He built on his familiarity with coding to explore innovative solutions to overcome a highly inefficient bureaucracy. Using the example of registering a birth in Estonia, he described a colleague’s frustration at having to manually apply to numerous individual departments to register the birth of a child, a process that took weeks and involved significant frustration.

Digitization meant that as soon as a child was born, the hospital would enter it into the system, after which it would instantaneously be shared with every other relevant department so records would automatically be updated, expediting the entire process with no involvement from the parent.

This ethos to simplify the citizen experience has continued, to the point that even to file taxes, citizens usually just verify forms readily filled by the government. Though this process can be quite cumbersome in most countries, it takes mere minutes today for most Estonians.

Moreover, the former Estonian president emphasized the IT talent existing in Pakistan, highlighting that there were many brilliant Pakistanis working in Estonia’s IT sector. He also suggested building proprietary government systems, and shared that many of Estonia’s systems are open source and can be freely shared for the benefit of other nations.

Answering questions from the audience as to how a nation with low GDP per capita and limited exposure to computers managed to digitize, Mr Ilves shared Estonia’s solution of creating computer centres for the public to come and utilize the machines with assistance, so they could engage with the new digital governance systems. He also indicated that the focus of digitization must be on the citizens, and what makes their lives easier, despite how tempting it is to initially pursue projects that make things easier for the government. As people notice and feel the benefits of digitization, there is a ‘halo effect’ which leads to greater adoption of other related digital services.

Extolling the virtues and necessity of digitization, Mr Ilves highlighted that Estonia only 30 years ago was a newly independent country with high levels of poverty and corruption. Today, it has a reputation as a digital leader with the most unicorns (companies valued above US$1 billion) per capita in Europe and the sixth lowest corruption levels in the world, a startling achievement. It is a transformation journey upon which any country can embark if the willingness exists.

AKU is engaged in its own transformation journey, as it implements a globally leading Electronic Health Records (EHR) system across its hospitals to enhance patient experience, care quality, and research capability. Shaukat Ali Khan thanked Mr Ilves for sharing his wisdom and experience with the audience, and expressed his gratitude to all the participants, as well as the University of Central Asia (UCA) and the CxO Global Forum, for helping make the event possible.

For more information, contact:
Media Executive
Department of Public Affairs
Aga Khan University (AKU)
Stadium Road, Karachi
Tel: +92-21-34930051
Fax: +92-21-34934294, +92-21-34932095
Cell: +92-301-8258028
Email: rasool.sarang@aku.edu, public.affairs@aku.edu​
Website: www.aku.edu

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Angelo Mathews and Tuba Hassan crowned ICC Players of the Month for May

Dubai, June 13, 2022 (PPI-OT):The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced that Sri Lanka’s batting star Angelo Mathews and Pakistan’s debutante spin sensation Tuba Hassan have been voted the ICC Men’s and Women’s Players of the Month for May 2022.

Mathews was voted the recipient of the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for May after piling on the runs over the course of his side’s impressive ICC World Test Championship series victory against Bangladesh. Amassing 344 runs at an average of 172 over the course of the two Tests, Mathews registered a huge score of 199 in the draw at Chattogram, and a supreme 145 not out in Mirpur. His epic innings in the second Test enabled his side to post an imposing total of 506 and complete a 10-wicket victory, gaining valuable points in the ICC WTC standings powered by MRF Tyres.

Mathews becomes the first Sri Lanka player to be named the ICC Player of the Month since its inception in January 2021, scooping the award ahead of fellow nominees Asitha Fernando (Sri Lanka), and Mushfiqur Rahim (Bangladesh).

On being named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month, Mathews acknowledged: “I am absolutely honoured and delighted to be the ICC Men’s Player of the Month. I would like to congratulate Asitha Fernando and Mushfiqur Rahim who were front runners for this award, on their spectacular performances.

“I am grateful for the opportunity and I wish to thank the almighty, my teammates, support staff, and fans for believing in me and supporting me as always. I would like to dedicate this to the people of Sri Lanka. Let’s never stop believing.”

JP Duminy, the former South Africa international and ICC Player of the Month voting panel member remarked, “The great grit and determination that characterized Angelo’s performances during the month has shown that he still has the hunger and desire to make the difference at the elite level.”

Pakistan’s Tuba Hassan was named the ICC Women’s Player of the Month after enjoying significant success with the ball during her debut international series. The 21-year-old leg spinner was instrumental in restricting scores set by opponents Sri Lanka in the three-game T20I series in Pakistan, where she captured the Player of the Series award, taking five wickets at an average of 8.8 and an economy rate of 3.66. The highlight was during her debut international fixture in Karachi, in which she grabbed three for eight to limit the tourists to 106, setting the platform for a six-wicket win.

On what was an excellent month for Tuba, former Pakistan international and member of the voting panel Sana Mir commented: “Tuba has shown a lot of confidence and skill to make an impact for Pakistan in her debut series. She has been working hard for some time and it is really heart-warming to see her celebrating success in her first series for Pakistan.”

In securing this month’s award, Hassan overcomes fellow nominees in compatriot Bismah Maroof, and Jersey’s Trinity Smith. Tuba is the first female player from Pakistan to win in the ICC Player of the Month awards.

Fans can continue to vote every month for their favourite male and female cricketers across all formats of international cricket as part of the ICC Player of the Month initiative by registering at www.icc-cricket.com/awards.

For more information, contact:
Headquarters,
International Cricket Council (ICC)
Street 69, Dubai Sports City,
Sh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai, UAE
Phone: +97-143828800
Fax: +97-143828600
E-mail: enquiry@icc-cricket.com
Website: www.icc-cricket.com

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Citi Foundation and PPAF Honour 37 Entrepreneurial Champions from Across Pakistan 

Islamabad, June 13, 2022 (PPI-OT):37 entrepreneurial champions from the rural areas of Pakistan have been honoured at the 14th Citi Microentrepreneurship Award (CMA) ceremony, jointly hosted by the Citi Foundation and Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF).

The recipients of the Awards from all geographical localities of Pakistan have shown remarkable entrepreneurial skills by availing the microfinance facility through various financial institutions (FIs). They have not only secured a prosperous life for their families but also emerged as role models in their respective communities.

Thardeep Microfinance Institution won the award for the most innovative Microfinance Institution (MFI), while Telenor Microfinance Bank and the Kashf Foundation were the runner-ups in this category. The winner of the national microfinance (female) category is Ms. Sumera Arzoo who was a borrower from the CSC Empowerment and Inclusion Programme, while Mr. Abdul Ghaffar bagged the award for national microfinance (male) category who availed financing from Khushhali Microfinance Bank Ltd.

Ms. Sima Kamil, Deputy Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) commended all the community members who have established small businesses with the help of micro loans. In her message, she exclaimed that she was immensely happy to note that almost 60% of award winners are women.

“The State Bank of Pakistan recognizes microfinance as an effective tool for an inclusive financial system as it gives access to those socio-economic segments, especially enterprises, who are otherwise neglected. The SBP has enhanced the limit for micro-enterprises and micro-housing from 1 million to 3 million to support the financing needs of the low-income segments,” Ms. Kamil added.

The Deputy Governor SBP further added that the share of women borrowers currently is just 20% and urged the MFIs to be gender-inclusive policies. She especially commended the efforts of the Citi Foundation and PPAF for strengthening the microfinance sector in Pakistan through these years.

Mr. Ahmed Bozai, Citi Country Officer and Managing Director, Pakistan while addressing the ceremony said, “These aspiring individuals are a living testament of how hard work, perseverance, and determination can spell success, despite very little capital and resources. Citi and the Citi Foundation are committed to supporting the budding entrepreneurs of the country and are proud to be associated with them”.

He congratulated PPAF for successfully implementing the CMA program in Pakistan for the last 14 years. He said, “This collaboration has laid the foundation of a flourishing microfinance industry where new microfinance networks have been created and more people are now accessing micro-loans for generating income and achieving self-sufficiency”.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Nadir Gul, Chief Operating Officer (COO), PPAF said, “It is an excellent program, and we laud the Citi Foundation’s commitment to organizing these awards year after year. This program honours extraordinary micro-entrepreneurs across Pakistan who, with their small enterprises, have transformed microcredit loans into life-changing opportunities for their families and communities”.

PPAF and its partners have provided 8.4 million microcredit loans over the years to support the economic empowerment of underserved rural communities. Since its inception, the Citi Micro-entrepreneurship Award (CMA) has recognized over 500 outstanding micro-entrepreneurs in Pakistan. The objective of the program is to highlight extraordinary micro-entrepreneurs who have taken small loans and built businesses that sustain them economically and allow them to contribute to their communities by providing employment.

The Citi Micro-entrepreneurship Awards program serves as an important milestone in showcasing Pakistan’s real success stories to a global audience as well as helps bolster Pakistan’s image internationally.

For the 14th CMA, a total of 216 nominations were received from various MFIs operating across Pakistan, out of which micro-entrepreneurs satisfied the criteria of 100% repayment rate, measurable results in terms of employment generation, sales turnover, growth in enterprise profits, and rate of reinvestment of enterprise profits were shortlisted by a third party.

This shortlist was then submitted to an independent jury consisting of prominent individuals from the academia, the private sector, and from international development community who met with all the candidates to select the winners and the runners-up. The award winners also benefitted from a short training on marketing and financial management to help them enhance their enterprises.

The CMA program, launched in 2005, is a global initiative that showcases microfinance as a potent tool for poverty alleviation, and micro-entrepreneurs as responsible, accountable, and credit-worthy bank clients. The ceremony held in Islamabad was a successful culmination of more than a decade-long partnership between the Citi Foundation and PPAF, with an aim to inspire similar initiatives to come forward and support the aspiring micro-entrepreneurs and further strengthen the microfinance industry of Pakistan.

For more information, contact:
Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF)
Plot 14, Street 12, Mauve Area, G – 8 / 1,
Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-8439450-79, +92-51-2282264
UAN: +92-51-111-000-102
Fax: +92-51-2234343-79
Email: info@ppaf.org.pk
Website: http://www.ppaf.org.pk

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UVAS ‘Dairy Forum’ to be held on 15th June 

Lahore, June 13, 2022 (PPI-OT):The Department of Dairy Technology of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore in collaboration with Livestock and Dairy Development Department Punjab (L and DD) under the project of ‘Capacity Building of Dairy Farmers and Industry Stakeholders on Milk Value Chain’ is arranging ‘Dairy Forum’ with the theme of “Sustainability, Socio Economic Impact and Modern Trends to Uplift the Dairy Sector” on 15th June, 2022 at Faletti’s Hotel Lahore.

Secretary Livestock and Dairy Development Department Punjab Cap (R) Asadullah Khan will preside over the dairy forum while a large number of stakeholders, researcher, academicians, students, livestock farmers, dairy professionals/representatives from public and private sector dairy industries and Dairy Cattle Farmers Association will attend the dairy forum.

Various aspects will be discussed in the dairy forum related to brief achievements of capacity building project during 2021-22, importance of milk value addition, importance of milk value chain for strengthening the Dairy Sector, measures to control the cost of milk production, success story in cheese making and in small scale milk value addition, Akhuwat micro-financing for farmers and commercial farmers experience. It will also highlight the role of UVAS Department of Dairy Technology in the development of dairy sector in Pakistan.

For more information, contact:
Public Relations Officer
University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS)
Syed Abdul Qadir Jillani (Out Fall) Road,
Lahore – Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-99211374, +92-42-99211449
Email: webmaster@uvas.edu.pk
Website: www.uvas.edu.pk