Biometric SIM Re-verification Results: 5.47 mn Subscribers Lost

By

-

Jun 10, 2015

The biometric SIM re-verification campaign has proved to be devastating for the telcos operating in Pakistan. The campaign dealt a significant blow to the growing total teledensity of Pakistan.

According to PTA, Pakistan’s total teledensity was measured at 79.89% for the year July 2013- June 2014 and was expected to grow at a good pace. Instead, there was a gradual drop to 77.17% in November 2014.

It was then hit by the SIM re-verification campaign which began in December 2014, pushing the teledensity down to 73.0 % in April 2015 within a span of 5 months.

	Annual Cellular Subscribers
June 2014	139,974,754 (139.97 Million)
November 2014	137,341,523 (137.34 Million)
After SIM Biometric re-verification campaign
April 2015	131,865,579 (131.86 Million)

As reported by PTA, this means there has been a decrease of 5.47 Million subscribers in the last 5 months.

The telco to be most affected by the number crunch was Ufone, which lost about 4.23 Million connections due to the biometric SIM re-verification campaign.

The second most affected network was Warid, which lost around 1.53 Million connections.

Mobilink stood third with 3 lakh lost connections.

Zong stood at fourth place with a loss of mere 37 thousand connections.

Surprisingly, Telenor didn’t lose connections instead gained around 7 lakh connections.

There are slight discrepancies in the data provided by PTA, yet it is quite evident that the big 5 have suffered a blow and it seems things will just get more difficult – the internet tax introduced by Punjab government has seen to that.

Have something to add to the story? Let us know in the comments below.

3 Bahadur Movie Review: A Must Watch For Kids

By

Faizan Ahmed

-

Jun 10, 2015

The year has been full of firsts for the Pakistani cinematic industry and we have seen quite some pleasant shockers.With the revival of the industry, the movie genres expanded and we have been treated to spy espionage thrillers, crime capers, comedies, drama, romantic and now Pakistan’s first computer-animated feature-length film

The first animated movie of Pakistan is something of great importance to the movie industry of Pakistan. Ever since the revival of the faltering industry started to rise up like a phoenix from ashes, we have seen quite some marvelous movies produced by the same industry who didn’t venture beyond the traditional Punjabi ‘ghunda’ flicks.

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, the Oscar-winning director has directed this movie. It is a joint production of SOC films, ARY Films under the production banner of Waadi Animation. The movie duration is 1.5 hours. The movie is slated for release on 22^nd May, 2015.

The Plot:

The plot revolves around the three main characters, the 11-year-old friends Saadi, Amina and Kamil and is set in a fictional town Roshan Basti (Town of lights).

The movie focuses on the teenagers gaining superpowers and their struggle to rid their town of the evils both supernatural and ordinary organized crimes that plague it.

The big baddie in the movie is a petty criminal turned evil supernatural lord ‘Mangu’ who rules over the fictional town through his terror and thugs.

In the middle of the plot lie two talisman keys and their two keepers, one good and one evil granting respective superpowers to the characters.

Critical Analysis:

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has delivered a powerful message to the children that everyone has their special powers and abilities and they should be utilized for the betterment of society. It empowers children to see them as superheroes who can bring about a change just by doing their part in the society.The children gain the message of will power, intelligence over anger and using their abilities to make a change in the society.

The movie addresses many social issues that plague Pakistan and its citizens such as littering, water and electricity shortage and its mafia, Bus racing and ‘Bhatta’. The movie portrays the downfall of the citizens that refrain from their responsibilities of doing their part in the society and condemning and stopping acts of evil.

The movie delivers the message to parents and adults to believe in the future generation; listen to their kids if they are telling something instead of shunning them away or branding them liars. They are told to be responsible so the future generations don’t turn up indifferent to the problems of the society.

The screenplay was crafted nicely. Any Pakistani could relate to the pointy sarcastic dialogues and the societal clichés. There were quite a few comedic punch lines which enticed hilarious moments in the movie. The action scenes were engaging and the camera movements tailored accordingly.

The duration of 1.5 hours is reasonable for the movie and the story doesn’t drag on. Yet the movie lacks a bit in the story development as movie struggles to create suspense but ends up looking half cooked as some things remain unanswered.

Voice actors should be lauded for a job well done, portraying the typical desi Pakistani characters.

The animation was quite commendable for being the first animated movie of Pakistan. There were rarely any repetitions in the animation; the texture was deep and detailed albeit some details were missing in some instances.

Lighting effects were really good throughout and some scenes such as ‘Mangu’ being dragged to the evil dimension by evil minions and the evening sky tones really stood out. The sound effects were excellent that really immersed you in the movie.

There was heavy brand placement throughout the movie. The most prominent of all was EBM’s ‘RIO’ which had billboards placement, shutters painted with the brand name and background recalls. The other biscuit less heavily placed in the movie was ‘Gluco’. Commander safeguard makes an appearance introducing the movie in the start and ‘Commander Safeguard’ action figure in Saadi’s room. Also ‘Safeguard’ soap placement can be seen on Amina’s father’s shop.

The Verdict:

Being the first Pakistani animated feature film, 3 Bahadur had to prove its mettle. It was quite a huge burden, expectations were high and the film delivers what was expected. The effort of introducing a Pakistani animated film should be applauded and cherished. The children can easily relate to the main characters as they are Pakistani.

Overall it is a commendable effort and for the kids, a must watch. The movie is slated for release on 22^nd May, 2015.

Ratings:

Story: 6/10

Action: 7/10

Acting: 7/10

Direction: 7/10

Soundtrack: 6/10

Animation: 7/10

Overall Rating: 7/10

The Pros & Cons of Apple Music

By

Ahsan Mirza

-

Jun 9, 2015

Apple has finally dived into the on-demand music streaming industry with the introduction of ‘Apple Music’. Touted as the eventual ‘killer’ of Spotify, the first thing that comes to mind is whether Apple would successfully bring in a plethora of new users to streaming music, and break the backs of its competitors in the process.

With the beauty of Apple’s products – iPods, iPads, iPhones, MacBooks, and whatnot – the tech-giants have been known to conduct effective marketing to attract masses of tech-enthusiasts into buying or trying their products. Apple Music could also follow the same pattern.

It is apparent that music download sales have seen a sharp decline in the past two years, coupled with the fact that the on-demand music industry has been rapidly growing.

The top-level management at Apple desperately required to make a smooth and quick transition from its iTunes sales model to the fast-growing subscription streaming, or risk losing their customer usage and, in turn, watch their revenue levels fall.

Quite astonishingly, Apple has decided to make Apple Music available to Android phones and Windows computers, when the much-hyped app is made available on June 30, 2015 – an announcement that is quite bizarre for a software.

However, the application would be made available in about 100 countries as opposed to the 58 countries that can currently use its main competitor, Spotify.

Unlike Spotify, that provides a 30-day free trial version, and 3 months for 99 cents, the Apple Music gives a three-month free trial.

Additionally, it comes with a special family plan package that comes at a cost of $14.99 for 6 family members per month. That is a steep price, considering that the maximum streaming quality it offers is 256kbps, as compared to the 320kbps offered to premium Spotify users and also the fact that Apple Music has no exclusive-to-premium-user features.

Apple Music’s social element, Connect, an upgrade to iTunes’ Ping feature, allows users to experience their favorite bands and singers recording their music. Moreover, the users can see feeds of music, photos, videos, as well as text posts.

If indeed Apple decides to provide heavy cross-promotion in iTunes, pre-installation on its iOS, free subscriptions on every new device purchase, and also pays for high-profile exclusives, it could well take over Spotify.

However, it lacks a compelling reason why users should prefer it over Spotify.

Whether Apple Music is a hit or miss – or if it would act as a revolutionary app that wows audiences around the world – or a mere downloaded app that users forget about, remains to be seen.

It will be very interesting to see how this particular Apple story unfolds!

Bin Roye Music Released at Telenor Bridal Couture Week 2015

By

Bismah Ahmed

-

Jun 9, 2015

The last day of the Telenor Bridal Couture Week 2015 was host to the music release of the much awaited Pakistani movie BIN ROYE.

Bin Roye features a stellar cast comprising of Mahira Khan, Humayun Saeed, Armeena Rana Khan, Javed Sheikh, Zeba Bakhtiar, Adeel Hussain and Junaid Khan.

Mahira Khan will be playing a lovestruck girl and Humayun Saeed will be seen romancing both the leading ladies.

Like the star-studded cast, Bin Roye’s music has some of biggest names of the subcontinent associated with it including Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Abida Parveen, Shiraz Uppal, Ankit Tiwari, Rekha Bhardwaj, Harshdeep Kaur, Waqar Ali and others.

Music of the movie was released for the first time ever to an excited crowd in an especially designed Bin Roye Line segment, where the star-cast of the movie walked the ramp on a medley of Bin Roye’s four songs including Ballay Ballay, Chan Chariya, Teray Bina Jeena and Maula Maula.

Songs details are given below:

Title Track: Bin Roye

Singer: Shiraz Uppal

Penned by Shakeel Sohail

Composed by Shiraz Uppal

Song 1: Ballay Ballay

Singers: Shiraz Uppal, Harshdeep Kaur.

Penned by Shakeel Sohail

Composed by Shiraz Uppal

Song 2: Teray Bina Jeena

Singers: Ustaad Rahat Fateh Khan, Saleema Jawwad.

Penned by Sabir Zafar

Composed by Sahir Ali Bagga

Song 3: Chan Chariya

Singers: Rekha Bhardwaj, Momin Durrani,

Penned by Sabir Zafar

Composed by Shani Arshad

Song 4: Maula Maula

Singers: Abida Parveen, Zeb Bangash

Penned by Sabir Zafar

Composed by Shani

Song 5: O Yara

Singer: Ankit Tiwari

Composed by Waqar Ali

Penned by Sabir Zafar

Due to growing demand from the local audiences, the medley of Bin Roye’s four songs was released earlier than planned.

The full music launch of the movie is slated to take place in Dubai on June 11, 2015, whereas the movie hits the silver screen on Eid ul Fitr 2015.

Microsoft & HEC Offer Free Office 365 Student Plans

By

Misbah Jamal

-

Jun 9, 2015

Microsoft Pakistan and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan have announced the launch of ‘Students Advantage Program’ whereby Office 365 services will be offered for free to the students enrolled at Higher Education Institutions of Pakistan.

Materializing ‘The Educational Alliance Agreement’ between HEC and Microsoft, this program offers a magnificent opportunity for the students to access the latest Microsoft software products and get on par with the students of developed nations of the world.

This program is just the tip of the iceberg; more is yet to come under the introduction of ‘Office 365 services’.

Taking this collaboration a step further, HEC of Pakistan and Microsoft are partnering with Techaccess Pakistan to introduce ‘Office 365 Services’ to Pakistan’s educational system which will allow students to install the latest Genuine Microsoft Office products on up to 5 PC’s or Mac’s and 5 Windows tablets including Office Apps on mobile devices.

How will the students benefit from this program?

Access to latest Microsoft Office products
Access to state-of-the-art social networking services including; Skype for Business, Exchange, Yammer and SharePoint.
1TB of One Drive storage
Flexibility to work in online versions of the familiar Office applications
More opportunities and better access for skill development and training

Student Advantage Program is indeed one of the unique initiatives taken by HEC. The impact analysis of this project would be worth due consideration in the near future.

Contributed by Misbah Jamal.

Ant-Man Official Trailer Released

By

Yusra Hassan

-

Jun 9, 2015

UPDATE: The latest trailer for Ant-Man is out now! Watch the video below:

This summer, the world is ready to welcome another Marvel Studios Adaptation of the comic-book Superhero, Ant-Man played by Paul Rudd.

The trailer for the movie has been released where Rudd is playing Scott Lang, a reformed thief alongside a scientist, Hank Pym, played by Micheal Douglas.

Ant-Man is a superhero created in 1960s by Stan Lee, who shrinks to a size smaller than an Ant, and simultaneously amplifies in his strength to a super-human level, by wearing his specially-designed suit.

In some ways, the trailer is reminiscent of Toby Mcguire’s Spiderman films, with the inspirational commentary by Micheal Douglas and it’s thrilling because of the unique capability of this protagonist.

In the movie, the duo will collectively rescue the world from a heist by Yellowjacket which is a wasp-like villain played by the good-looking Cory Stoll of House of Cards fame.

Other actors in the movie include Hayley Atwell and Evangeline Lily. The movie is a directorial venture of Peyton Reed, and has been scripted by Adam Mckay.

According to the telegraph, “It’s a film about a shrinking man who rides ants, made by comedians.” Thus, there is great speculation of the extent of humor injected in this 12th superhero-venture of the Marvel franchise. The movie will release on July 17th this summer.

Take a look at the trailer here:

Hugh Jackman Retires: Who Should be The Next Wolverine?

By

Hunza Gul

-

Jun 9, 2015

Hugh Jackman has revealed that he is retiring from being Wolverine, the role that has made him a household name all over the world. It seems that the actor has made up his mind and is ready to throw the towel in on his role as the clawed and costumed superhero.

And he is certain that the search for a new Wolverine is already in process. Jackman has been playing the character of Wolverine in the X-men franchise for 17 years now, and the upcoming Wolverine 3 movie is going to be his last.

“This will be my last one,” the 46-year-old actor said. “It is my last time, I just felt … It felt like it was the right time to do it. And, let’s be honest, 17 years. I never thought in a million years it would last this long. I’m so grateful to the fans and for the opportunity of playing him, and I love it. I kind of have, in my head, what we’re going to do in this last one, and it just feels like this is the perfect way to go out.”

His career as Wolverine started off in the 1999 X-Men film, and he went on to star in 7 movies in the X-Men franchise.

Now that Jackman is stepping down from the Wolverine pedestal, who could be a worthy successor?

Tom Hardy, who has racked up quite an impressive resume, seems to be a popular fan cast for Wolverine. He seems to have the right height, muscle mass, and even the gritty, gruff persona for the role.

Another fan favourite is Penn Badgely, of Gossip Girl fame. He may seem to lack a certain Wolverine feel, but could be a decent contender for a younger looking Logan. Beef him up a bit, and he just might pull it off.

While Fox and Marvel casting a new Wolverine is purely speculation at this point, ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’ star Taron Egerton has already expressed an interest in the role.

About the possibility of being recast as Wolverine, Egerton has said, “I was with Hugh [Jackman] the day that he announced his retirement from that role. I did joke about that very thing with him. But the phone hasn’t rung yet, my friend, so I don’t know.”

More potential Wolverine recasting rumours are bound to rise out of the woodwork, but until then there is still the new Wolverine movie to look forward to.

The Wolverine sequel, as of yet untitled, is slated for a 2017 release.

Apple WWDC 2015 Keynote Announcements

By

Rida Sadiq

-

Jun 9, 2015

With the buzz of Google I/O 2015 developers conference still going strong, Apple kicked off its WWDC 2015 Keynote conference yesterday at San Francisco’s Moscone West. To be held from 8^th June through till 12^th June, the conference hosts Apple’s software partners and media big wigs and announces all major developments underway and to be released during the year.

As with Google, Apple had some major announcements to make this year with the limelight on the upcoming software update, iOS9. Read on to what Apple plans to send your way this year:

iOS9

Competing with Google’s Android M will be the updated Apple operating system iOS9, featuring a smarter Siri. Not only will Siri be 40% more accurate than last year but will also be 40% faster to cater to the smallest of the user’s needs.

Important feature updates include extended battery life, a proactive assistant, easier Photo search, Transit map using multi-modal mapping, updated Notes application, a new News app, which will customize updates according to user’s specific preferences and multitask switcher with the option of picture-in-picture video frames.

Apple Music

Giving Spotify a run for its money, Apple has finally announced the launch of Apple Music. The new music streaming app is supposed to the best out there with a humungous collection of songs accessible via iTunes, including works of unsigned artists. What’s more amazing is that the app will feature the capabilities of iTunes Genius and will suggest users song according to their preference.

Launched in collaboration with Beats, the app will launch on 30^th June 2015 and will be available for a three month free trial. After the trial period, the app will be available for USD 9.99 and it will work on not only OS X for iTunes and iOS but will also be available for Windows and Android later during the year.

WatchOS 2

The new improved version of Apple Watch, WatchOS 2 will launch in August with updated features and fixed bugs.

WatchOS 2 apps will allow access to HomeKit, Digital Crown, microphone and accelerometer. Users will also be able to customize the face of the watch with their own photos; be it a single photo or changing ones from an entire uploaded album. Other noteworthy features will include Time Travel and time lapse option, which will allow users to see upcoming weather details and events and different faces of famous locations synced with the time of the day.

OS X EI Capitan

The latest version of OS X is coined EI Capitan and boasts of improved performance and only a few new features. The new features include new gesture options, improved Spotlight, option to pin sites in Safari, SplitView along with other organizing features for OS X and a Spaces Bar for better management of multiple desktops.

Another noteworthy feature is the introduction of Metal graphics technology which will help improve game performance and detailing, rendering at least 50% faster performance for Mac users.

The new version EI Capitan is available right now for developers only with consumer beta launch scheduled for July.

Stay tuned for more Apple WWDC 2015 announcements.

Imran Khan, Urban Punjabi Music King Returns with New Album Imaginary

By

Rida Sadiq

-

Jun 9, 2015

Having risen to global fame with his single, Amplifier, Imran Khan is back with a new album Imaginary, featuring award winning producer, Eren E.

Imran gave the world smashing hits like Amplifier, Bounce Billo and Bewafa when he entered the music industry, back in 2009. However during the past couple of years, none of his singles have fared so well among his fans.

His single last year, Satisfya, seemed like a revamped Amplifier and failed to garner popularity for the Dutch Punjabi star.

Watch Video: Atif Aslam’s New Music Video ‘Zindagi Aa Raha Hu Main’

Enjoy Imran Khan’s hip new song:

[dailymotion id=”x2t6yn8″ align=”left” mode=”normal” autoplay=”yes” parameters=”http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2t6yn8_imran-khan-imaginary-official-music-video_music”]

Across the border, he made his Bollywood debut last year with song Let’s Celebrate for Arjun Kapoor and Sonakshi Sinha starrer Tevar. The song was an out-and-out club song with fail lyrics however the foot-tapping music and Arjun Kapoor’s swag managed to salvage it.

After having just rebounded from the Bollywood buzz, Imran Khan has just launched his titular song for the new album, Imaginary, with producer Eren E and director David Zennie from USA. And, we have to say, the trio has finally to manage to pull what seems to be like a blockbuster on its way. The song’s lyrics were written by Khan himself and the clubby beat is definitely memorable.

Watch Video: Ithe Rakh: New Song By Abrar ul Haq & Sukshinder Shinda

Social media networks are already buzzing with praises for the new song, with less than 24 hours since its release. Comparisons are being made with the Indian rapper, Honey Singh, who seems to have failed the audience in the recent past with most of his songs.

IIFA 2015: The Best Dressed Bollywood Celebrities

By

Sahar Iqbal

-

Jun 9, 2015

The 3-day Annual IIFA Awards 2015 took place from June 5^th– June 7^th in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Hosted by Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh, the show gave Bollywood enthusiasts a reason to rejoice.

While we saw some powerhouse performances by Parineeti Chopra, Anushka Sharma, Shahid Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha and Shraddha Kapoor, the viewers were also dazzled by the glamorous outfits worn by some Bollywood glitterati.

Here are the top 5 fashion-forward attires worn by the B-Town celebs over the award show weekend:

DAY ONE: Best Dressed Celebrities

Shraddha Kapoor

Shraddha Kapoor wore a Georges Chakra embellished, full skirted knee length dress and was looking as gorgeous as ever. To let the corseted bodice have its moment, Ms. Kapoor wore her hair up and completed the chic look with a pair of classic black pumps.

Arjun Kapoor

The heartthrob, Arjun Kapoor, looked super cute in a blazer and shades. Loved by many, Arjun was able to bag the hearts of many girls by such simple attire as well.

Jacqueline Fernandez

The Sri Lankan beauty was seen in a Monisha Jaising golden silver gown. With her hair curled and lips shaded with pink, she was sparkling, literally. However, if you, like us are having a feeling of déjà vu, here is why! Nargis Fakhri was seen sporting the same look in TOIFAS back in 2013.

Lauren Gottlieb

We saw the sizzling actress in a red strapless Mayyur Girotra gown. The dress captured her frame perfectly, whilst the flowing tail added a sprint of elegance. With her hair swept to the side, she looked ravishing as ever.

Genelia D’Souza

The new mother chose to wear a Jatin Varma high-low purple dress. With her hair up and her jewellery kept to the minimal, she looked picture perfect!

DAY TWO: Best Dressed Celebrities

Priyanka Chopra

The actress with her recent movie achieving new heights at the box off was spotted in a pink Jenny Peckham. The sparkling pink gown contrasted with berry lips and curly hair-do was seen completed her look with white pointed pumps. Although, I would have preferred something as shimmery as her dress, but nevertheless, YOU GO GIRL.

Anil Kapoor

The never aging ‘Jhakkas’ actor was spotted in a 4-piece suit. With a stripped beige coat and his gamer shades on, I am sure he would have grabbed a lot of attention.

Bipasha Basu:

Bipasha walked the green carpet wearing a Sabyasachi ornate. Not only did she look uber gorgeous but also truly mesmerising. P.S.: Her jewellery is from Anmol

Farhan Akhtar:

We also witnessed Dil Dhadhkney Do’s actor in a white and light blue combo, standing out due to his simplicity. With a bow tie to complete his look, the actor looked dashing.

Ayushmaan Khurana:

the young actor cum singer was spotted in a white all 3-piece suit. While we cannot overlook the colour similarity he had compared to Farhan Akhtar, Mr. Ayushman still looked handsome.

DAY THREE: Best Dressed Celebrities

Deepika Padukone

Even after witnessing the Indian beauty wearing Sabyasachi numerous times, we cannot just get enough of her. The actress looks divine in Indian outfits and makes other actresses look dull in comparison. The beauty goddess was spotted wearing a red sequinned sari. With the right amount of makeup and jewellery, she looked elegant.

Anushka Sharma

Virat’s girl was spotted in a red long shoulder-less Gauri and Nainika gown just like Dia Mirza. With red lips and no jewellery, Anushka looked great even though we felt that her hair lacked volume.

Hrithik Roshan

Hrithik looked stunning with his combinations of red and black. He wore a hot red tux with a bow tie which was the cherry on the top. The hot actor looked handsome as always winning hearts of his many fans.

Aditi Rao Hydari

Aditi picked up a strapless Shantanu and Nikhil printed gown, wearing it with soft curls, elegant earrings and red lips. All in all, she was able to take our breath away.

Shahid Kapoor

The not-so-eligible bachelor decided to go with a simple black coat pairing it up with black pants and white shirt. What we fail to understand here is how he can look so admirable without making any obvious efforts. Guess he is awesome like that.

What do you think of Bollywood’s best? Let us know in the comments below!

Contributed by Sahar Iqbal.

3 Bahadur on way to Cross 5 Crore Mark in Pakistani Cinemas

By

Web Desk

-

Jun 9, 2015

#3Bahadur, Pakistan’s first animated full-length super hero film, is set to cross 5 crores this weekend having already earned over 4.7 crores in just over 2 weeks. This is the first Pakistani animated movie which has made the highest grossing in Pakistan beating Rio 2’s previously held box-office record.
The movie was released on 22nd May 2015 in all digital cinemas across Pakistan.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, the iconic movie producer and Oscar winning Director, has stated this regarding the profound triumph of the venture, “The success of 3 Bahadur is indicative of the success of Pakistan’s animation industry. We are delighted that our film has been embraced by Pakistanis young and old and that our children finally have local animated heroes to look up to. As long as we continue to dream big anything is possible!”
The movie has marked an important milestone in Pakistani cinema because it has proved that good content and unique initiatives can achieve substantial results. It is a very feel good factor for all the people involved in Pakistani media to watch a local venture like 3Bahadur fare so well in cinemas that it is at par with Hollywood blockbusters like Ice Age, Toy Story and so on.
3 Bahadur not only had houseful shows on weekends but on weekdays too, the film had over 80% turnout in all the leading cinemas of Pakistan with kids and families falling in love with the superheroes and wanting to become one of them.
Mr. Jerjees Seja, CEO, ARY Digital Network has stated that, “3 Bahadur has now opened new boundaries for the film makers in Pakistan and will be the first of its kind whenever animated films will be talked about in Pakistani Cinema.”

Pakistani Websites Protest Against Internet Taxes

By

Rida Sadiq

-

Jun 9, 2015

The Pakistani digital community has rejected the newly imposed internet taxes by the Government of Punjab and blacked out their websites’ home pages as a protest.

Last week, on 28^th May 2015, Government of Punjab imposed an astonishingly high rate of GST 19.5% on all internet services available in Pakistan. This includes 3G, 4G, EVDO, fiber and DSL services, with PKR 1500 or more monthly bill rates on those with a broadband speed of 2 Mbps and above.

While it is only the internet users of Punjab who will suffer for now, it is likely that if the digital protests fail, Islamabad and other provinces will follow suit.

Outraged at the whopping GST rates imposed on internet usage, the entire digital community including digital publishers, internet service providers, and IT organizations have come together to protest.

As part of the protests, in order to force the government to revoke tax impositions, website owners and bloggers nationwide have implemented a digital blackout till their demands are met.

President of Information Communication and Technology Think Tank (ICT3), Sohaib Sheikh, expressed his indignation on the new rates and claimed that these will not only hamper the internet growth in Pakistan but will also discourage foreign shareholders from investing again.

Only last year, USD 1.2 billion investment was added to obtain 3G and 4G licenses in Pakistan. The investment saw an astounding rise in internet subscriptions to a whopping 15 million in just one year.

The digital community has claimed, in a joint press conference in Lahore, that the upcoming spectrum auction and network rollouts are contingent on the revoking of the newly imposed tax rates.

With the new rates imposed, the government is likely to earn PKR 3 billion from internet taxes alone this year. However, what the government is failing to see is the consequent loss in GDP due to the inevitable slowing of the internet growth.

According to PLUM research on Pakistan, as quoted by More Mag, the new tax rate will cause Pakistan’s economy an estimated loss of PKR 100 to PKR 200 billion. This is in line with PEW research that indicates that 10% increase in broadband subscriptions help the national GDP rise by 1.5%.

On the other hand, CEO of job-matching website, Rozee.pk, pointed out that while the increased tax rates will adversely affect the internet industry, it won’t affect the software industry the same way.

Government of Punjab has gone out of its way last year to help improve digitization in the process with incentives like public online libraries and free laptops. However, with the recent tax impositions, they have rendered not only all their own efforts moot but also, driven the hard work of telecom operators and cellular companies useless too.

Shaista Lodhi to Make a Comeback on HUM TV

By

Web Desk

-

Jun 9, 2015

The lost face of Pakistan’s morning show, Shaista Lodhi is all set to make a highly anticipated comeback by either replacing or co-hosting Hum’s chronic favorite morning show ‘Jago Pakistan Jago’.

According to some contrary rumours, Lodhi will be hosting an evening slot and the channel has no plans of replacing Sanam Jung or her show, which has its own set fan following.

Born and brought up in Karachi, Shaista Lodhi was the face of GEO’s morning show, ‘Utho Jaago Pakistan’, before she got involved in Geo blasphemy controversy.

She was then forced to leave the channel and the country due to safety concerns.

While we love Sanam Jung and we wish she will stay on board, we also wish Shaista Lodhi well for her comeback after a long dry spell.

KaymuKaravan Creates Online Shopping Awareness Throughout Pakistan

By

Hunza Gul

-

Jun 8, 2015

Karavan will be starting off its journey from Karachi today. It will travel to 20 locations in 3 cities over the span of 10 days.

This attempt by Kaymu.pk is being done to bring the experience of online shopping to more people and attract a bigger pool of potential customers.

The event is going to be open to the general public with an array of activities they can take part in.

There will be a number of opportunities available to the public, which includes the chance to win prizes and obtain discount vouchers for shopping on Kaymu.pk. In general, the Kaymu Karavan is going to be spreading the awareness about benefits of eCommerce and online shopping.

After a four day stay in Karachi in a number of locations, the Kaymu Karavan will make its way towards Lahore. There, the Karavan will be making the experience available at various locations before making its way to Islamabad for the final leg of the journey.

Kaymu.pk is the first of its kind of eCommerce platform to undertake this ambitious endeavour.

The timings and location details about the Kaymu Karavan can be found on their Facebook event page.

Contributed by Hunza Gul.

Jeeto Pakistan Makes History with Malik Riaz, Gives Away Prizes Worth 3 Crore

By

Maheen Nusrat

-

Jun 8, 2015

malik-riaz-makes-record-in-fahad-mustafa-jeeto-pakistan

ARY’s widely popular game show, Jeeto Pakistan created a new turn in Pakistan’s TV industry by giving away prizes worth a total of PKR 1.5 crores in tonight’s episode. Hosted by ever popular actor/anchor/producer, Fahad Mustafa, the game show can now be formally declared as the biggest game show in Pakistan’s entertainment history.

Today’s episode (June 7th, 2015), held in Lahore, Bahria Town, was doubly especial as famous Pakistani real estate magnate and philanthropist, Malik Riaz gave away 3 plots with a total worth of PKR 1 crore and 50 lacs.

And that’s just the beginning; to keep up the spirit of Ramadan 2015, Malik Riaz announced that he will give away property worth of PKR 10 crores on the show, reports Jeeto Pakistan’s officials.

Currently aired from ARY’s on every Friday and Sunday at 8 pm, the prize winning game show has taken over the nation with a frenzy of free gifts and prizes worth millions.

Originally based on the concept of ‘Nilaam Ghar’, hosted by Tariq Aziz, Jeeto Pakistan started as a comeback from ARY to Aamir Liaquat’s Inaam Ghar but soon took over the limelight and became the biggest game show of Pakistan.

The show, sponsored by myriads of brands, has managed to achieve highest ratings so far and judging by tonight’s episode, it is just the beginning of another successful Ramadan transmission.

Click here to register for Jeeto Pakistan

L’Oreal Paris Creates Augmented Reality Ad feat. Sabeeka Imam

By

Yusra Hassan

-

Jun 8, 2015

L’Oreal Paris has come up with augmented reality-based ads to promote their Color Riche lipstick and to celebrate the completion of 30 years.

Shedding off conventional media, this is the first time that a make-up brand has come up with a clutter breaking attempt to promote their product with a technology based tool.

Featuring Pakistani supermodel, Sabeeka Imam as Snow White in retro settings, the digital story-telling takes viewers into a fairy tale of L’Oreal’s latest lipstick range.

The brilliant attempt has been created by Adcom Zenith Optimedia.

Take a look at Sabeeka Imam’s digitally recreated avatar:

Augmented Reality is one of the hottest new trends in advertising and it can be defined as a digital layer over the real world thus it creates a surreal appearance of the real-world environment for the viewers.

According to the Business Insider, augmented reality gives brands the opportunity to unexpectedly integrate the digital world with the real world, which appeals to younger tech-lovers who are usually skeptical of traditional advertising methods.

Pakistani advertisers have not yet made an attempt at AR-based advertising and this will be the first among its fairy-tale line of digital ads which celebrate Color Riche line by L’Oreal Paris.

IIFA 2015 Twitter Roundup – Winners’ List & Event Highlights

By

Web Desk

-

Jun 8, 2015

The 16^th annual IIFA awards took place on 7^th June this year, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Bollywood stars flew into the country to attend those awards and give an ode of appreciation to the Indian film industry.

The International Indian Film Academy Awards – also called the IIFA awards – are an annual event that honours the talent of Bollywood. The awards are presented by the Indian International Film Academy and are given to both artists, like actors and directors, as well as those in charge of technical aspects of film-making.

The awards are presented by the Indian International Film Academy and are given to both artists, like actors and directors, as well as those in charge of technical aspects of film-making.

Priyanka Chopra, Hrithik Roshan, Anil Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Vivek Oberoi, Deepika Padukone, and Sri Devi were in attendance – to name only a few of the A-list stars who flew out to Malaysia for the event.

It was a very extravagant affair, full of many delightful moments for any Bollywood fan. A number of Bollywood stars performed at the event, including the likes of Hrithik Roshan, Shraddha Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha, Anushka Sharma, Shahid Kapoor and many more.

However, notably missing were some big name celebrities like Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Amitabh Bachchan and his family. Naturally, the stars have their own schedules to consider.

Despite the absences, the affair was overall a very successful and entertaining one. Many deserving talents won the appreciation of the academy and left the night with an IIFA award to decorate their mantel.

See Tweets from the star-studded nights below:

The gorgeous lady Malaika Arora Khan at the IIFA Fashion Extravaganza green carpet. #IIFA2015 pic.twitter.com/cEgWy1Vxqt

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 6, 2015

Stylish & stunning always! @NehaDhupia at the IIFA Fashion Extravaganza green carpet. #IIFA2015 pic.twitter.com/hKDTmyfBL3

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 6, 2015

.@HaydonLisa at the IIFA Fashion Extravaganza green carpet 2015. #IIFA2015 @Videocond2h @Maruti_Corp pic.twitter.com/YnIBayWCBm

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 6, 2015

.@TheKanikakapoor at the IIFA Fashion Extravaganza green carpet. #IIFA2015 pic.twitter.com/Lx1WYYbobz

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 6, 2015

.@deespeak shimmers at the IIFA Fashion Extravaganza green carpet. #IIFA2015 pic.twitter.com/ktK2mSTW3w

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 6, 2015

& to accompany him we have the colourful n gorgeous @NehaDhupia! @ColorsTV pic.twitter.com/gNF1AaypQA

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 6, 2015

The grand green carpet is set for the most awaited awards night! #IIFA2015 is about to begin. Stay tuned! pic.twitter.com/gCs0lT2wkY

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 7, 2015

Now thats a jhakas start for tonights show! Mr. @AnilKapoor is at the #IIFA2015 green carpet. pic.twitter.com/NHNPBLiKyM

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 7, 2015

How awesome is this view for you? #IIFA2015 is about to begin! pic.twitter.com/FgcNMYWE5k

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 7, 2015

.@ParineetiChopra at the #IIFA2015 green carpet. Her style is going to steal many hearts tonight! @Videocond2h pic.twitter.com/xysOw7zQ2o

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 7, 2015

One word- elegance! @sonakshisinha at the #IIFA2015 green carpet. pic.twitter.com/fqAFUYMECx

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 7, 2015

Can anyone match that killer style? @iHrithik at #IIFA2015 green carpet. pic.twitter.com/bibtrfOIGE

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 7, 2015

Express your love for this amazing actress! @ShraddhaKapoor at the #IIFA2015 green carpet. @Maruti_Corp pic.twitter.com/IYey5bDylM

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 7, 2015

Charmer of the night! @shahidkapoor at the #IIFA2015 green carpet. pic.twitter.com/vvRHcwEGgl

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 7, 2015

Our rockstar babas have made an entry on the stage! @arjunk26 & @RanveerOfficial pic.twitter.com/Iq7nXcJWe8

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 7, 2015

RT if you were waiting for a picture of this dazzling beauty! @deepikapadukone on the green carpet. #IIFA2015 pic.twitter.com/pESZc2WGw0

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 7, 2015

.@humasqureshi at the #IIFA2015 green carpet. @MACcosmetics pic.twitter.com/cXsRReHKYt

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 7, 2015

Let the curiosity build in with this frame. Catch @Maruti_Corp S-cross IIFA Awards 2015 soon on @ColorsTV. #IIFA2015 pic.twitter.com/ampg6wEJR8

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 7, 2015

.@AnushkaSharma sizzles the stage with her charismatic performance. #IIFA2015 pic.twitter.com/C86m67Tq6l

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 8, 2015

Saving the best for the last! @iHrithik nailed it with his super-energetic performance. #IIFA2015 @Maruti_Corp pic.twitter.com/oqaW3t91mn

— IIFA Awards (@IIFA) June 7, 2015

IIFA 2015 Winners List:

Best Picture: Queen
Best Performance in a Leading Role (Female): Kangana Ranaut for Queen
Best Performance in a Leading Role (Male): Shahid Kapoor for Haider
Best Direction: Rajkumar Hirani for PK
Best Story: Vikas Bahl, Chaitally Parmar & Parvez Shaikh for Queen
Woman of The Year: Deepika Padukone
Best Regional Film: Lal Bhaari
Best Performance in a Supporting Role (Female): Tabu for Haider
Best Performance in a Supporting Role (Male): Riteish Deshmukh for Ek Villian
Best Playback Singer (Female): Kanika Kapoor for Baby Doll
Best Playback Singer (Male): Ankit Tiwari for Galliyaan from Ek Villian
Award for Outstanding Contribution: Subhash Ghai
Best Performance in a Negative Role: Kay Kay Menon (Haider)
Best Debut (Male): Tiger Shroff (Heropanti)
Best Debut (Female): Kriti Sanon (Heropanti)
Best Performance in a Comic Role: Varun Dhawan (Main Tera Hero)
Best Music Direction: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy for 2 States
Best Debut Direction: Omung Kumar for Mary Kom and Sajid Nadiadwala for Kick

Amitabh Bachchan’s Movie Wazir Sets a Dark Tone

By

Rida Sadiq

-

Jun 8, 2015

The masterminds behind the global blockbuster, PK, are back with yet another movie, Wazir, starring the veteran, Amitabh Bachchan and the multitalented, Farhan Akhtar.

Produced by Vidhu Chopra and Rajkumar Hirani, Wazir took five years to develop and became the power-packed movie that we see glimpses of in the trailers. Other cast members include Aditi Rao Hyderi in the lead and John Abraham and Neil Nitin Mukesh in cameo roles.

In an interview during the media release of Wazir’s trailers, Chopra credited the success of his movies to the extensive amount of time and efforts dedicated to the script of the movie

According to him, it took five years for him and co-writer, Abhijat Joshi, to write and develop the main characters of the movie, played by Amitabh Bachchan and Farhan Akhtar.

We have no doubt that the script of Wazir would be well worthy of another blockbuster; but what has made Wazir the most anticipated movie of the year is the cast of the movie.

Posted by Wazir : The Movie on Thursday, June 4, 2015

Amitabh Bachchan has always delivered excellent performances no matter what role he is presented with. His recent performance in Piku is just another example of how he merges himself into the soul of the character and displays the most realistic version of it as possible. In Wazir, he plays the part of a paralyzed, wheelchair-bound chess wizard.

Posted by Wazir : The Movie on Thursday, June 4, 2015

On the other hand, Farhan Akhtar, the talent powerhouse, is yet another Bollywood gem. He has marked his mettle in the areas of production, direction, singing and acting. His astounding performance in Bhaag Milka Bhaag earned him several accolades and his most recent project Dil Dhadkne Do seems like a hit in the making too.

Akhtar underwent rigorous training and did some thorough research to adapt to his role of a headstrong Anti-Terrorist Squad officer for the movie.

While he was delighted to be able to share screen space with the legendary Bachchan, the script of the movie was the deciding factor for him, “I found the story quite compelling. The story is well-written and also has action and romance.”

Wazir, directed by Bejoy Nambiar, is all set to release later during the year 2015. Meanwhile, enjoy the thrilling trailers here:

Trailer 1:

Trailer 2:

Internet Tax in Punjab – Implications for Telcos

By

Yusra Hassan

-

Jun 8, 2015

Recently, the Government of Punjab has levied a tax of 19.5% tax on all Internet connections which exceed 2Mbps and/or if the domestic Internet bill exceeds 1500 PKR as of May 29th 2015.

Earlier on, the Government of Pakistan had allowed a tax exemption to the province, which has now been withdrawn.

More than a year ago, the Pakistani Government maintained its stance that they had to go to as much extent as possible to support the development of technology and further the concept of wider internet availability across the county. All of the major Telecos were encouraged to participate in the 3G/4G Auction. Telecom companies in Pakistan have invested about $ 1.1 billion in the launching of 3G/4G internet and even more in the infrastructure for high-speed wireless internet.

However, all this investment has gone in vain, because the government has started taxing the 3G/4G data services in one single move at a time when the data users in Pakistan had quadrupled in the mere span of one year.

How this will, in the long run affect the Telecommunication Industry and the evolving technological platform of the country, is yet to be seen.

The tax has been levied on internet usage including DSL, 3G, 4G or any kind of internet over 2Mbps. It is bound to sabotage the multi-billion investment of the telecos and there is sure to be a decline in the constant growing number of high-speed internet users in the country after the implementation of this tax.

Sales Tax Doubled on Mobile Phones in Federal Budget 2015-16

By

Rida Sadiq

-

Jun 8, 2015

The government of Pakistan has doubled the mobile phone’s sales tax for the coming fiscal year 2015-2016, as announced in its recent budget.

While Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar, claims that the new budget and increased tax rates are supposed to benefit the poor people of Pakistan, real statistics suggest otherwise.

According to the budget 2015-2016, the GST of the sale of mobile phones have doubled, meaning the phones will commission taxes of PKR 300, 500 and 1000 at the sale of lower, middle and higher end phones respectively, instead of the former rates of PKR 150, 250 and 500.

These tax rates are exclusive of the other import duties and taxes including Advanced Sale Tax, WHT and Freight that official importers have to pay.

According to More Magazine, a leading mobile phone distribution company’s official claims that according to the new rates, the government will now earn PKR 550 on a PKR 2,550 phone and a whooping PKR 9000 on a PKR 70,000 phone.

This in turn means that the already high mobile phones smuggling rates will peak further as government officially imposes these rates next year.

The monthly import rate of mobile phones had already plummeted to a mere PKR 1.8 million in April 2015, a stupendous 30% decrease from last year’s monthly figure. With increased tax rates, this is likely to decrease further as the smuggling mafia grows stronger and imports mobile phones via existing and new grey channels.

Ishaq Dar has justified this increase in tax rates by claiming that these will only affect the high end phone buyers, while revoking the previously imposed PKR 200 waiver on import duty of all mobile phones. The quoted official counteracted government’s statement by further explaining how the new rates will increase the duty structure to as high as 25% for some cheap mobile phones too.

While the telecommunication and mobile phone companies are working hard to provide their users affordable smartphones and cheap internet rates, the increasing tax impositions by the government of Pakistan are driving their efforts moot. In another news, it was revealed that government of Punjab has introduced a 19.5% tax rate on internet usage in the province.

Added to this, the new tax rates on smartphones will badly affect the existing market and allow illegal mobile phone smugglers to thrive easily.