IBA Karachi hosts 16th HEC all Pakistan intervarsity women’s cricket championship
The department of Sports and Community Engagement at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi commenced the 16th HEC All Pakistan Intervarsity Women’s Cricket Championship 2023-24 with great enthusiasm and fanfare at the Main Campus.
The event hosted by IBA Karachi, attracted 13 teams from different universities across Pakistan including, University of Punjab; Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan; Jinnah Women University, Karachi; Kinnaird College, Lahore; Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro; University of Management and Technology, Lahore; University of Karachi; Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi; Lahore College for Women University, Lahore; Deewan University, Karachi; Hamdard University, Karachi; Islamia University, Bahawalpur, and IBA, Karachi.
The ceremony started with a march past involving all the participating universities. Javed Ali Memon, Director/Incharge Sports, Higher Education Commission (HEC), Karachi graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, while Moeid Sultan, Director Finance, IBA, was the Guest of Honor. The ceremony was also attended by esteemed guests including Senior Sports Journalist, Syed Yahya Hussaini and International Women Cricket players, Ramim Shamim and Javeria Khan.
During his address, Javed Ali Memon expressed his appreciation for the excellent facilities provided by the IBA Karachi for this event. He also highlighted the importance of women’s participation in such sports events and the role they play in women empowerment. The other guests also commended HEC and the universities for their efforts in promoting women’s sports.
The All Pakistan Intervarsity Women’s Cricket Championship will span over four days, with the final match scheduled to take place on March 8, 2024.
Current tenure of PM Shehbaz Sharif will be best outcome: Mian Zahid
Chairman of National Business Group Pakistan, President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum, and All Karachi Industrial Alliance, and former provincial minister Mian Zahid Hussain said on March 6 that the current tenure of Mian Shehbaz Sharif as Prime Minister would be better than the previous term.
He said during his first term as Prime Minister, he made a deal with the IMF and made tough decisions, laying the foundations for economic reforms that saved the country from bankruptcy.
Mian Zahid Hussain said that PM Sharif’s efforts saved the country from bankruptcy but caused political damage to his party.
Talking to the business community, the veteran business leader said that the PM would try hard to improve the country’s economy. The business community is sure he will save the country by sacrificing his reputation for economic stability.
The business leader said the Prime Minister wants to take everyone along to ensure the country’s development. His determination in this regard is commendable. In these circumstances, all political parties must cooperate with him in the country’s interest.
However, he said, some parties are not concerned about the economy or the plight of the public, and they would continue to push personal interests.
Mian Zahid Hussain said that the PM should initiate efforts for the Charter of the Economy and the Charter of Reconciliation so that he can focus on national development.
He said the country is going through a critical period, so the Prime Minister should ensure merit and appoint qualified people to important positions so that the government can develop and the people can get some relief.
Suppose the important posts need to be filled on merit. In that case, it will not only affect the reputation of the Prime Minister. Still, it will cause more crises, damaging his popularity and economy, so he should refrain from taking any pressure.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif does not believe in revenge politics and has expressed this many times. He will have to make tough decisions, privatise failed government institutions, end electricity and gas sector losses, reduce energy prices, and increase the tax base so the economy can be pulled out of the dilemma.
Strong and bold steps are also needed on the political front to reduce the political tension that has caused irreparable damage to the country’s economy. Reducing political tension will increase the confidence of the public and the business community, which is essential for implementing his agenda.
Mian Zahid Hussain said that even in these critical situations, some political parties are already reacting negatively to the Prime Minister’s efforts, which is condemnable because it will harm the country, so the people should reject them so the government can be bailed out.
DIB and DHA city Karachi collaborate to facilitate Overseas Pakistanis at property show
Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) Pakistan and DHA City signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to become the Banking Partner for property purchases through Remittance and Opening of Roshan Digital Accounts at the upcoming International Property Show (IPS), to be held from February 27 to 29, 2024, at the Dubai World Trade Centre in Dubai. The MOU was signed by Junaid Ahmed, CEO of DIB (Left), and Brig. (Retd.) Mehmood Ali Babri, Secretary of DHA City, Karachi (Right).
Present on the occasion from Dubai Islamic Bank’s team were Naveed Malik (Head of Consumer Banking), Zeeshan Memon (Head of Remittances and RDA), and Adil Naseem (Head of Booth Banking), Rehan Reaz (RDH), Marium Ejaz (Unit Head, Digital). Representing DHA City Karachi were Brig. Sohail Imtiaz (Administrator), Brig. Imran Naqvi (Executive Director — Special Projects), Haseeb Hafeez Uddin (CFO), Lt. Col. Javed Iqbal (Additional Director — Town Planning & Building Control), and Lt. Col. Nadeem Raza (Director — Transfer & Records).
Karandaaz receives global recognition for best practices in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Karandaaz Pakistan, a leading impact investment platform that drives sustainable economic growth and strengthens financial and social protection systems for inclusion, has received the prestigious Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Benchmarks (GDEIB) Award 2024.
Expressing gratitude for this achievement, Karandaaz CEO Waqas ul Hasan expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “We are honoured to receive the GDIEB Award. It is a testament to our unwavering commitment to creating an environment where diversity is celebrated, equity is valued, and inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. At Karandaaz, we believe that a diverse and inclusive workplace fosters innovation and creativity, and ultimately drives our success in promoting financial inclusion in Pakistan.”
Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Benchmarks (GDEIB) are the standards for organisations around the world. The Global DEI Benchmarks Standards help organisations determine strategy and measure progress in managing diversity and fostering inclusion.
HR Metrics conducts GDEIB awards on an annual basis through a merit-based process in which organisations are given the opportunity to disclose their diversity, equity, and inclusion accomplishments with a focus on social and economic impact on relevant stakeholders.
Organisations from all sectors across Pakistan are eligible to take part in the awards. GDEIB standards contains 15 categories, 275 benchmarks and 5 levels of maturity assessed by an international jury of Award.
Karandaaz Pakistan received the award for Best Practices in Category 3 i.e. DEI Structure and Implementation, a testament to its focus on diversity in the leadership and governance structures of the organisation.
Equitable policies, systems, and inclusive product designs ensure everyone can access Karandaaz’s services and technologies. This helps us become a global leader in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Shell Pakistan scores profit of Rs5.8 billion in fy2023
The Board of Directors of Shell Pakistan Limited (SPL) announced the company’s financial results for the year ended December 31, 2023. The company posted a profit after tax of PKR 5.8 billion for 2023 compared to the loss of PKR 72 million in 2022.
In October 2023, Shell Petroleum Company Limited, a subsidiary of Shell plc (Shell), signed an agreement to sell its 77.42% majority interest in Shell Pakistan Limited (SPL) to Wafi Energy LLC. The completion of the transaction is subject to requisite regulatory approvals, completion of legal requirements and satisfaction of other closing formalities.
SPL acknowledges and welcomes the Government’s recent decision to increase industry margins and take robust measures to combat black market activities, which are aimed at stabilising the currency.
The Mobility business continues to provide best-in-class customer value proposition for customers across the country, with the introduction of 27 new sites and modernising of its existing network, while promoting safe refueling, easy payment solutions and introducing customer-centric programs. Shell Lubricants continues to maintain market share despite industry challenges.
Shell Tameer plays a keen role in upskilling and recognizing young entrepreneurs. Learning sessions were organised across Pakistan engaging universities and incubation centers, training over 700 individuals which included 560 startups. Shell Tameer also celebrated the 10th Tameer Awards, which had more than 400 applications, out of which 6 winners and 6 runners-up were announced.
SPL remains committed to operational excellence, safety performance, strengthen its financial position, and play a responsible role in society.
Emirates Airline supports SOS Children’s Village Islamabad
In its 25th year of operations in Islamabad, Emirates Airline has stepped up to support children in the local community by teaming up with SOS Children’s Village Islamabad. The airline collaborated with the charity organisation to provide much-needed blankets to the orphaned students and their caretakers.
Emirates’ charitable initiative, led by Salem Al Mana, Emirates’ Regional Manager – Pakistan and other members of its local sales team, reflects the airline’s ethos of giving back to the communities in which it operates.
In addition to donating the blankets to the orphanage’s management at its premises in Islamabad, the team also spent quality time with the children, engaging in exciting activities and sharing inspirational stories. By partnering with organizations like SOS Children’s Village Islamabad, Emirates continues to uphold its values of enriching the communities it serves and supporting disadvantaged children.
“We believe in not only providing material support but also in fostering personal connections and uplifting spirits,” said Salem Al Mana. “Our team had the privilege of spending time with the children of SOS Children’s Village Islamabad, sharing stories of perseverance, courage, and determination. Emirates is grateful to have been given the opportunity to bring some cheer to the children. It was a humbling experience for all of us.”
SOS Children’s Village is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a loving home and family-like environment to orphaned and abandoned children. The blankets donated by Emirates will undoubtedly provide comfort for the children under its care, especially during the cold winter months.
Emirates has been operating in Pakistan since 1985, with Karachi being its first destination when the airline launched. Emirates currently operates 53 weekly flights between Dubai and five points in Pakistan, conveniently connecting travellers to over 140 cities globally, via Dubai. To meet the diverse needs of passengers, Emirates serves regionally-themed cuisine to cater to their taste on board, as well as movies and other content in Urdu, featured amongst 6,500 channels on the airline’s multi award-winning in-flight entertainment system ice.
African Islamic Finance Summit successfully concluded in Somaliland
The 11th African Islamic Finance Summit, was successfully organised by AlHuda Centre of Islamic Banking and Economics (CIBE) in association with the Central Bank of Somaliland and the National Insurance Authority (NIA) on March 5th, 2024 in Hargeisa, Somaliland. The event attracted a diverse audience of industry leaders, scholars, and practitioners from across Africa and the globe. This monumental occasion was made possible through the collaborative efforts of esteemed sponsors, Amanah Insurance and International Turnkey System (ITS), along with the unwavering support of the Somaliland Banker’s Association (SLBA), Egyptian Islamic Finance Association, Islamic Finance Research Institute – Ghana, AL BARAKAH Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society Limited, and our esteemed media partners True Cable TV, IFING-MEDIA, Islamic Finance, and Hargeisa Press.
The primary aim of the Summit was to facilitate dialogue, exchange of ideas, and explore avenues for the advancement of Islamic finance across the African continent. The event discussions was centered around key topics such as Islamic Banking, Islamic Fintech, Regulations & Shariah Governance, Challenges and Investment Opportunities for Islamic Finance Industry, Takaful (Islamic Insurance) Product Innovation and Development of Islamic Microfinance in Africa. Delegates engaged in insightful discussions, strategic dialogues, and knowledge-sharing sessions aimed at advancing the Islamic finance landscape on the African continent. The Summit was followed by a two-days post-event workshop designed to provide participants with in-depth knowledge and practical skills in Islamic finance.
The summit featured distinguished speakers, including Mr. Khalif Omer Nour, CEO of Somaliland Banking Association, Dr. Mufti Muhammad Zubair Usmani, Chairman Sharia Board at Habib Bank Limited – Pakistan, and Miss Heba Abdel Aziz Mohamed, Pre-Sales Manager at International Turnkey Systems – Egypt, Mr. Samuel Oumkoko, CEO and Founder, Metropol Credit Reference Bureau Limited – Kenya, Mr. Asseged Gebremedhin, Chief Executive Officer, Insurance Brokerage & Consulting Firm – Ethiopia and among others.
Muhammad Zubair, CEO of Alhuda CIBE, expressed his profound gratitude to all participants, sponsors, and supporters for their invaluable contributions towards making the 11th African Islamic Finance Summit a resounding success. He remarked, “Somaliland holds immense potential to emerge as a leading Islamic finance hub in East Africa. With 100% Islamic finance services offered across banking, microfinance, and takaful sectors, Somaliland presents a conducive environment for economic development and financial inclusivity”.
Furthermore, the Chief Guest of the summit, His Excellency Mr. Muse Bihi Abdi, the president of Somaliland, extended a warm welcome to international experts and participants, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to host such an important event. He commended the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders involved in the Islamic finance industry, emphasizing the pivotal role played by the nation and the banking sector in supporting one another for mutual growth and prosperity.
In his address, President Muse Bihi Abdi lauded the dedication and expertise of economists and professionals in the field of Islamic finance, recognizing their tireless efforts in driving economic development and financial stability within the nation. He remarked, “I praise all those who work in the economy, whether in the private sector or within the government for the economic growth to contribute to make the Somaliland prospers’’. He also complimented Alhuda CIBE for organizing this event and proving to the world that Somaliland exists.
The 11th African Islamic Finance summit served as a pivotal platform for enhancing strategic partnerships, exploring innovative solutions, and charting a collective roadmap for the future of Islamic finance in Africa. Through intensive efforts and collaborations, stakeholders remain steadfast in their mission to harness the transformative power of Islamic finance towards building a more equitable and prosperous future for all.
Nestlé Pakistan wins big at EFP women empowerment, GDEIB gender diversity awards
Nestlé Pakistan has been honored with two consecutive top recognitions by the Employers Federation of Pakistan (EFP) and HR Metrics, for its unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive culture in a country where gender gap remains significant and female representation in the workforce is low.
Nestlé Pakistan was the recipient of EFP’s Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Diamond Award 2024 while winning the HR Metrics Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Benchmarks (GDEIB) Awards 2024 in the 15 categories with Best Practice. Nestlé was also among the top three companies to win the ‘Most Inclusive Organization’ Award in Pakistan at GDEIB.
Expressing her gratitude upon receiving the awards, Hajra Omer, Head of Human Resource, Nestlé Pakistan said, “Sustainable prosperity can only be achieved when women are provided equal opportunities to realize their full potential. We have been dedicatedly working towards implementing these principles within our organization and beyond.”
She further added, “Diversity goals are championed by leaders at all levels of our company and are an integral part of each function’s comprehensive business plan. This not only showcases our commitment to women empowerment, in alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goals 5 – Gender Equality, 8 – Decent Work & Economic Growth, and 10 – Reduced Inequalities, but also motivates us to further our mission.”
Nestlé’s internal programs ‘Kero Aitemaad’ breaks stereotypes and encourages young female university students to join the workforce, instilling hope, ambition and self-confidence. Similarly programs such as Women In Nestlé – WIN remain strong as a pillar of strength deriving inspiration from stories of resilience and strength within, while the Male Champions of Change across the company drives a culture of inclusion to further women career growth and development in the organization.
Externally as well, Nestlé Pakistan actively engages with the community through various initiatives. The Nestlé BISP Rural Women Sales Program, for instance, offers livelihood opportunities to beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP). Over 3000 BISP beneficiaries have successfully graduated themselves out of poverty by becoming rural sales agents.
Nestlé Pakistan is dedicated to creating an inclusive culture within our organization and beyond, as we strive to provide equal opportunities for all, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Rare Diseases Need Government Attention
In recognition of Rare Disease Day, Roche Pakistan Limited held a panel discussion and press briefing to raise awareness about rare diseases in Pakistan, and to emphasize the unmet needs of patients especially when it comes to awareness, funding and government support. The panel comprised MD Roche Pakistan, Ms. Hafsa Shamsie, Roche’s Head of Medical, Dr. Yasir Adnan as well as paeds neurologist Dr. Raman Kumar and hematologist Dr. Munira Borhany and Mr. Muhammad Ali Shaikh, Special Secretary Health, Govt of Sindh.
Ms. Hafsa Shamsie, MD Roche highlighted the fact that even for those who have been diagnosed, the lack of government healthcare spends and support makes the treatment burden for rare diseases even more difficult to bear. Rare diseases sufferers are the neglected outliers in Pakistan’s healthcare system. Roche is a company that is committed to serving rare disease patients by bringing innovative treatments that can help patients live a fully normal life or at least a much better quality of life. But, treatment is one side of the picture. Ensuring that patients have awareness about rare diseases, and access to these standard of care treatments is the other side of the picture. She shared that since 2017, Roche has run a Patient Support Program that has helped almost 25,000 patients with free of cost treatment for a number of diseases including Spinal Muscular Atrophy and Multiple Sclerosis. But as the burden of disease grows no one company or entity can go it alone. That is why it is critical to have the government on board through public private partnerships. This will help to support rare disease patients by including funding for standard of care treatments into government healthcare programs. She said rare disease patients deserve the same care, attention and inclusion as other patients and that is why it is time that “Recognizing Rare” becomes a healthcare priority too.
Dr. Yasir Adnan explained that worldwide about 300 million people live with a rare disease. Moreover, with Pakistan having over 240 million people, the rare disease incidence in this country becomes more acute with such a large population. Rare diseases like Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Muscular Atrophy and Hemophilia pose not only debilitating physical and health challenges for the sufferer, but also grave challenges for the families of sufferers and for the society at large. Without treatment, children are deprived of the chance for a normal life such as in the case of hemophilia, young women lose out on their most productive years as in the case of multiple sclerosis, and even SMA patients who could perhaps regain function are unable to do so. One of the other problems is that rare diseases can sometimes be invisible to others and it can take years sometimes for someone to even get a diagnosis. And worse still, these people are often lost within a healthcare system that fails to give them answers.
He stated that worldwide, less than 10% of patients with rare diseases are treated. So the numbers of rare disease sufferers coming through the system is already an under representation – especially in a country with poverty and low literacy. He talked about Multiple sclerosis (MS) – a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance. It’s a lifelong condition that can sometimes cause serious disability. It’s most commonly diagnosed in people in their 20s, 30s and 40s although it can develop at any age. It’s about 2 to 3 times more common in women than men. MS is a disabling and stigmatizing disease that can lead to social isolation and exclusion. It is important that governments, national healthcare systems, employers and legislation enable people with MS to achieve a quality of life. This includes diagnosing and treating the disease early to stave off relapses, and prevent progression of disability, alongside protective legislation to enable people to access affordable treatment as well as remain in employment.
Dr. Raman Kumar said spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a severe neuromuscular disease and one of the leading genetic causes of infant death. He said that even though there was a lack of data to assess the prevalence of SMA in Pakistan, cousin marriages are the most common reason attributed for its occurrence and Pakistan had a very high frequency of cousin marriages. Dr. Kumar suggested that Govt/policymakers should work in establishing National/Provincial Policy for Rare Disease and capacity building of healthcare infrastructure to serve rare disease patients. Further, he encouraged all relevant stakeholders for empowering people living with SMA for equitable access to diagnosis, treatment care and social opportunities.
Dr. Munira Borhany explained that Hemophilia A is a debilitating and life-threatening bleeding disorder. Hemophilia A severely affects the quality of life of patients who may experience spontaneous bleeding and bleeding due to trauma within the muscles, joints, and other internal organs, often 15-20 times a year. These bleeding episodes may either end up to be fatal, or result in permanent joint disability. Hemophilia A, patients experience long-term psychosocial impacts as well. Children face barriers to socialization (missed school, unable to play with friends), leading to impact on education and career decisions. Later in life, they face workplace issues (missed days at work), and have to constantly rely on carers to manage bleeds. She emphasized that in Pakistan there was a severe lack of hemophilia management infrastructure and was not generally treated in tertiary care hospitals. In addition, hemophilia standard-of-care treatment was generally not covered under any government health program. As a result, patients were forced to use conventional treatments, which hindered their chances to live normal lives. She said there is a dire need for our provincial governments to provide utmost support, especially in terms of standard-of-care treatment, so that patients could live normal lives and become active members of society.
Wateraid unveils key health study on ‘wash’
WaterAid’s latest Health Study, “Determining the Health Cost of Inadequate Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Pakistan,” was unveiled in Islamabad recently, marking a significant step towards addressing critical public health challenges.
Led by Dr. Abid Aman Burki from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), the study sheds light on the economic burden of illnesses such as malaria, diarrhea, and typhoid due to inadequate access to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities. Key findings underscore a staggering household cost of PKR 116.13 billion, with lower-income households bearing the brunt of the burden.
Esteemed guests, including Professor Dr. Meher Taj Roghani, Member of Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations, Pakistan emphasised the urgency of addressing the nexus between health and WASH.
The insightful panel discussion featured experts such Dr. Masood Jogezai, Technical Consultant, Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination; Itsuro Takahashi, WASH Manager, UNICEF; Dr. Shahzeb Mirza, Assistant Director, M&E, Health Department, Govt of Sindh; and Dr. Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive Director, SDPI.
Muhammad Fazal, Head of Program Strategy and Policy at WaterAid, emphasised that recent research studies have highlighted that poor WASH is one of the major cause of morbidity and mortalities in Pakistan that requires all of us to take collective actions to ensure access to safe WASH for better health and nutrition of people of Pakistan.
Furqan Ahmed, Interim, Country Director of WaterAid Pakistan, emphasised the urgency of addressing climate change’s impact on WASH and public health, stating, “Together, let us continue our collective efforts to prioritise WASH interventions from a health perspective and work towards achieving universal access to sustainable and safe WASH services in Pakistan.”