The world of marketing is as complex and exhilarating as it comes. With the pressure to be your utmost creative to market a brand in an ad comes the risk of sometimes creating something that can fall into a pit. This pit, as critics lovingly circle around it, is called the pit of ‘plagiarism or coincidence?’ Here are the ads that have stumbled into this pit:
PVR is India’s biggest cinema and they recently released a brand ad in which they’re promoting their theatres. The ad ends with the line, “every seat holds a story.” While that may be touching, it’s not all that original. The Vox Cinema’s ad has the same concept and a similar tagline too. Our decision hat tells us this one falls in the plagiarism bucket!
2. The Story of A Burrito and McDonald’s
A while ago, a man named David Sikorski got famous all over social media for his love for burrito. He shot some photos of himself getting engaged to a burrito and they got viral! Soon after, McDonald’s came out with photos that looked exactly the same. Have a look and we’ll wait for you to tell us this is just some coincidence.
Volkswagen released an advert a while ago for its Chinese branch in which it wanted to deliver the message of being safe on the road. While the ad was a huge hit with many views, it landed in courts over plagiarism allegations. A firm named Happiness Belgium reported it looked just like their ad from 2009. You be the judge!
4. Audi In Trouble
Audi also got in trouble when their latest ad copy bore a lot of similarities to another copywriter’s work. When the ad was released it was praised for its copy and originality. This was all until the man who wrote the copy shared that this was just like his work.
Jiye Technologies, Pakistan’s fastest growing agri-tech platform recently launched ‘Kissan Kahani’ the country’s first ever animated, bi-monthly awareness program for farmers, which will help them understand and exercise their fundamental rights.
The content of Kissan Kahani uses local language and imagery to build relatability with the farming community and focuses on enabling them to overcome their challenges by helping them leverage technology, in order to get better access to agri-markets, agri-information and agri-fintech. The content will be released fortnightly (on Wednesdays) across Jiye Technologies social media handles, especially their YouTube channel.
According to the company, with its distinct characters, Kissan Kahani is Pakistan’s first ever modern-day farmer awareness program on social media, that gives a localised feel of a ‘comic book series’.
Giving further details, Zunair Muzaffar, Head of Brand and Marketing, Jiye Technologies, says the company worked on two simple and universal insights, a) people in rural areas understand images more than they understand words, and b) people in rural areas like to hear and tell stories. He says the format of the program is inspired by EPI (Eradication of Polio Program) and World Health Organization’s Maternal Health Program, that gives out training materials for lady health workers – illustration-based training, public demonstration manuals for lady health workers in rural areas for effective mass translation of complex messages. Jiye created the series in partnership with AT&R, their creative agency.
“Our motto is value-creation and every day we try to create a measurable impact on our ecosystem,” says Zunair, adding that Kissan Kahani is a content series owned and produced by Jiye, but is proposed to benefit the entire agri-ecosystem. Since it is a farmer awareness program, the company encourages all brands and media houses who create, air, publish messages on subjects such as farming best practices, farming inputs or financing, yield enhancement advisory and anything in the interest of farmers, to collaborate and create an enhanced version for the audience.
The platform, they say, will enable all players in the agri-ecosystem to convert technical messaging into engaging and fun messages conveyed through story-telling.
Furthermore, Muzaffar says what actually sets Kissan Kahani apart from others is its authenticity and localisation, since all episodes are based on true stories and real-life encounters of farmers and their families, so much so that names of the animated characters are also inspired by real names from farming families.
Jiye Technologies is Pakistan’s fastest growing agri-tech network, working to revolutionise the agricultural sector in Pakistan. Earlier this year, on International Women’s Day (March 8) Jiye launched Pakistan’s first ever female empowerment program Jiye Aurat and Pakistan’s first BNPL solution for Agri businesses. The company is a farmer-first platform creating easy access to inputs, democratising access to major markets and catalysing agri-fintech adoption in Pakistan.
Their plans ahead include expansion into further verticals to enhance their business support initiatives and also built a highly efficient agricultural supply chain across the country and beyond
Babar Azam is arguably the best all-format batsman across the globe at this time, and his rankings reflect that too. He is the no.1 batter in ODI and T20 rankings, as well as at no.4 In Tests, only 30 points behind Steve Smith at no. 3. But what he did at Galle today was nothing less than a masterclass.
He walked down to the middle with his team struggling at a difficult pitch. Pakistani openers fell cheaply, and an out-of-form Azhar Ali followed them too. Babar was the only hope to save the ship, as there was no Fawad Alam in the middle order and his replacement Salman Agha fell making only 5 runs.
There is a saying, ‘when the going gets tough, the tough gets going’; that’s exactly what happened in Babar’s case. just when the danger of following on was hovering over Pakistan, Babar Azam played a captain’s knock to guide his team to a safe total. Babar was unfazed throughout his innings, while the wickets kept tumbling down on the other end. Babar Azam scored 119 off 244 balls, and the next best score was 18 runs by Yasir Shah.
Babar and Naseem Shah had a key 70-run partnership for the last wicket, assuring that Pakistan only ceded a four-run first-innings advantage.
This was Babar’s seventh century in Test cricket, and his second in 2022; he also scored a century against Australia in March. He currently averages above 45 in all international formats, solidifying his reputation as the finest player in the world across all formats.
He received a lot of praise for his valiant effort. Former players and fans across the globe applauded how he handled the pressure and remained calm on a challenging surface.
Babar Azam scored 54.58% of Pakistan's first innings total (119/218) at Galle.
This is the highest contribution ever by a Pakistan captain in an all-out Test innings. Previous best: 52.82% by Hanif Mohammad (187*/354) vs England at Lord's in 1987.#SLvPAK#SLvsPAK#PAKvsSL
What a knock it was to witness live from @babarazam258 today, a well deserved century indeed under pressure situation paired with @iNaseemShah’s patience. Time to win it from here boys, In Shaa Allah 🇵🇰🙌🏼#SLvPAK
While we look for new colors to look different, the classic black and white combination has definitely been our constant comfort color combo to wear. When in doubt, all of us just grab our monochrome outfits and we know we’re all set for the day because let’s just admit every woman wishes to have minimalistic but consistent wardrobe solutions to get dressed every day.
GulAhmed’s unstitched suits are loved by women for all the right reasons. The breezy and comfortable fabric with gorgeous designs enables you to stay fresh and create a style statement. The black and white collection has us thinking of a million ideas to get them tailored in a fashionable way.
Let’s look at our picks from their black and white dresses that are ideal for summers as they have super breathable fabric. So, scroll down to see what’s in store for you.
This 3-piece unstitched embroidered lawn suit has caught our eye. Lawn is everybody’s favorite fabric especially from GulAhmed. This dress is distinctively unique as the print is very different from the usual ones paired with a dupatta that has a zigzag design on it and has a tie and dye feel on it too!
White on black is always for the win! This two-piece lawn suit has a very elegant look to it with a dupatta that has a black base with white detailing on it. This is perfect for everyday wear and it’s definitely a must-have for your wardrobe!
This stunning two-piece lawn suit from the black and white collection has beautiful floral detailing all over the suit that will instantly make you feel confident. This piece can be creatively styled in so many ways and that’s the best part about it.
This three-piece lawn suit has a beautiful karandi organza dupatta that has eye catching details all over it paired with a modern design shirt piece that will add a touch of sophistication to your closet. You can add your favorite laces tailored on the suit that will make you appear trendy and fashionable.
The monochrome combination is considered as classic hues that remain in fashion throughout the year. The collection attracts women of all ages and that’s the best part about the collection. You can utilize the dresses all year long so you know you’re investing in the right place! As GulAhmed already offers unique designs and absolutely light and airy fabric there’s no reason for not getting your favorite black and white lawn suits. So, wait no further and grab your favorite picks from your nearest GulAhmed outlet or visit www.gulahmedshop.com.
BMW is an extraordinaire automotive company that acts as a benchmark for luxury. However, the car company is making headlines for all the wrong reasons as of late as news of its micro-payments has come to light. But BMW is an interesting case study for the overall landscape of the automotive industry. Is it greed or is it necessary to stay afloat?
BMW recently announced that they’re going to be offering subscription options to its owners. For instance, you can pay a subscription amount monthly to get heated seats. This feature was previously an in-built one that came once you purchased the cars that already had premium prices. However, now the money only starts rolling out once you purchase the car itself.
Image Source: News Tinger
There are other subscription options too. For example, the French BMW ConnectedDrive Store offers a heated steering wheel feature for €15 for one month. For 10 euros, you can also get the feature that lets you turn on your headlights automatically when need be.
Why Is This Happening And Who Will Be Affected?
Many are claiming this is a greedy practice by the automotive king. However, with recent political and general developments globally, all of this seems necessary. There are supply chain hold-ups, the Russia-Ukraine conflict is posing its own set of problems and the demand has obviously seen a huge shift since the pandemic. Many other brands are also paywalling their features, for instance, Tesla may charge extra for different colors!
Image Source: News Text Area
The target audience is definitely going to be the ultra-rich, for whom paying unnecessary amounts of money for the smallest of features will be alright. For those who would like to save for the car and then enjoy it for some time, this is going to become a hard pass.
What Are People Saying?
The reactions of people on Twitter are very telling when it comes to this development. People are passionately opposing this new tactic of BMW to earn more. Have a look at what all they have been saying:
Dear BMW, please stop the ridiculous subscription model to regain the trust of your loyal and future customers. You have become the target of criticism and ridicule all over the world. Whoever thought this might be a smart move, has no BMW DNA in them.
@BMW wtf is that subscription service?!! Y’all fucking crazy.
— CEO of retardation (@CoolcatinspaceD) July 15, 2022
@BMW My wife and I will no longer support your company or any company that charges a monthly subscription fee for vehicle features. You may make money off of some people but you’re going to lose so many potential buyers because of your greed.
While from the surface it may seem like BMW is struggling and this is an attempt to stay afloat, in reality, that is not the case. Other brands like Volkswagen, Toyota, Renault, and even Audi have begun paywalling their micro-services to speed up delivery processes and cut down on costs.
Lahore, 15 July 2022 – Alibaba.com, a global leading B2B e-commerce marketplace, is hosting an event in Lahore to discuss the new era of B2B e-commerce with existing and potential exporters in the region. The attendees will get to know the significance of digitization as it proved to be the backbone of many businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Salesforce, the global e-commerce market grew by 11% in the third quarter of 2021 alone.
The seller event, which is scheduled to take place offline in Lahore and will be live-streamed concurrently on 20 July 2022, is organized in collaboration with the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industries (LCCI) and the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Association (SMEDA). It will cover topics including the potential of e-commerce, how to start exporting using Alibaba.com, what to expect from B2B e-commerce, and tips and advice on achieving sustainable growth.
The event will feature a line-up of experts in the export and e-commerce fields, including are Mr Song Song, Head of Alibaba.com Pakistan; Mr Ethan Wang, Product Operation of Alibaba.com Pakistan; Mr Sheharyar Tahir, Head of External Relations of SMEDA; Mr Mian Rehman Aziz, Senior Vice President of Lahore Chamber of Commerce, Mr Md Ammar Khan, CEO of Raaziq Intl. Logistics; Mr Barrister Ahmed Uzair, an Export Law specialist of AUC| Law and Muhammad Sajid Minhas, an exporter who has Ali Gold Supplier member for more than 15 years.
According to ProPakistani, With the economy and export of Pakistan booming, the national export, the trading amount is now reaching the peak value in the past 10 years. Businesses that are equipped to navigate the e-commerce market will be better positioned to benefit from the favorable trading environment.
The Alibaba.com event is now open for registration. Interested parties please sign up here.
A powerful AI systems Craiyon, has taken the world by storm for being able to create images with words. The digital marketing platform names ‘Weird Dell-E mini generators’ shared the AI images on their social media platforms. The AI image generator tool displayed the Demogorgon from Netflix’s “Stranger Things” holding a basketball.
The pictures which range from ridiculous to disturbing used Craiyon – a freely available artificial intelligence system. To use it, you just type what you’d like it to envision — “A rainbow lion eating a slice of pizza”, and it will spit out pictures in response.
The idea behind the technology belongs to Matt Laming, a 19-year-old from the United Kingdom, has gained a million followers on Twitter ever since the release of the images.
“I think that’s the main draw of it: You can make anything a reality,” Laming said in an interview with CNN Business.
Boris Dayma is an Austin-based machine-learning engineer, who was the leading engineer for Craiyon. “Craiyon is popularizing a growing trend in AI. Computers are getting better and better at ingesting words and producing increasingly realistic-looking images in response. Lately, people are typing in about 5 million prompts per day.” Dayma said in a statement.
Image source: newsmediaempire.com
“I think it’s important to be able to have an alternative where everybody has the same access to this type of technology.”
There are similar, much more powerful AI systems than Craiyon on the market. Including OpenAI’s DALL-E (Craiyon was initially named DALL-E Mini as an homage) and DALL-E 2, as well as Google’s Imagen.
However, unlike Craiyon, which anyone can try, most of these are not available to the public. DALL-E 2 is open to users via invitation only, while Imagen has not been opened up to users outside Google.
Meanwhile, the images generated by Craiyon are not nearly as realistic-looking as what DALL-E 2 or Imagen can offer. Yet they’re fascinating. People tend to blur into objects, and images look fuzzy and at least slightly askew.
What do you think about this AI generator? Let us know in the comments below.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.
Resident Evil is finally out, and the anticipation regarding Ahad Raza Mir’s role in the Netflix original has been resolved. The 28-year-old star in the new sci-fi horror series plays ‘Arjun Batra’, an Indian refugee following the global T-virus pandemic.
While many Pakistanis are praising him for landing a role in a big franchise, a relatively new development has caught everyone’s eyes.
Resident Evil Scenes
It is not strange to see intimate/kissing scenes in Netflix shows. However, it is pretty strange for a Pakistani to do so – according to netizens. Ahad Raza Mir is an artist whose art knows no boundaries. The actor has landed a role in yet another English series – the second season of BBC’s ‘World On Fire’. While Mir’s acting has been met with applause in his Netflix debut, he is also being criticised for acting through intimate scenes – a boundary he sure failed to keep according to the local audience.
Specific clips from the series are doing rounds on social media, and while many are justifying the role, others are not impressed.
Astaghfirullah can't expect this,is he really a muslim?Is he a Pakistani?omg it's unexpected mein soch b nahi skti thi k ye itna gire ga,If any Pak male actor does this kind of things they're called hot but if any female actress does they become vulgar#AhadXResidentEvilNetflixhttps://t.co/i3V9OHmX3m
While Ahad’s steamy scenes look like a recipe for disaster for the local audience, the question of using a body double has also been raised by the netizens, and many fail to admit that the actor himself starred in those scenes.
bruh its acting + ye Visual hai I am very sure isne asal mei nahi kiya.
Meanwhile, many raised the question of how romantic scenes are the essence of Pakistani movies and TV shows, and such scenes shouldn’t come as a surprise for a massive international project.
And ppl who see all this, many others doing such romance in movies, despite of being Muslim and Pakistani. Wo gunnah ni krty??
Social media has sparked a debate regarding the actor’s Hollywood debut. It is not a surprise to see Sajal Aly in the mix. Netizens made sure to rest their case on the couple’s divorce and mentioned the scenes behind the reason for the couple’s separation.
Toxic fans are enough. People kiss all the time in movies and shows, so Ahad being Muslim doesn't mean shit. You same people watch the shit out of GoT, so u don't have a right to talk about this.#ResidentEvilNetflix#AhadXResidentEvilNetflix
Ahad Raza Mir is not the first and certainly not the last for his role in an overseas project. Many celebrities have been met with severe criticism previously for their intimate and bold scenes on different platforms. However, according to netizens, being a male celebrity has given him the benefit of the doubt and a privilege not everyone seems to get amidst the moral and ethical codes set by the public.
The ‘Uber Files’ or ‘Uber Scandal’ is a leaked database of Uber’s activities in 40 countries between 2013 to 2017. Leaked by Uber’s former Senior Executive Mark MacGann, who confesses to being ‘partially responsible’, the database was published by The Guardian, which also shares the database of over 124,000 files with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICJ) and 42 other media outlets, which includes emails, iMessages, WhatsApp messages along with presentations and memos exchanged between the senior leadership.
The record shows how the ride-hailing giant’s executives paved way into new markets and won favors from politicians, regulators, and leaders, including former British politician George Osborne, former German chancellor Olaf Scholz, US President Joe Biden, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The files also document the use of tools such as ‘greyball’ used to mislead local police and a ‘kill switch’ deployed during police raids to conceal data. In one message, the co-founder says, “violence guarantees success.”
Macron, who has recently been re-elected as the French president and who during his first presidential address promised to make France a ‘start-up nation’ is under a parliamentary inquiry on how his involvement in the scandal was kept under cover. The files show that Macron was close to Uber managers and that he (Macron) was on their speed dial to ask for any advice.
However, some drivers say they were misled and were lured to the platform with financial incentives that did not last; the company also sharply increased its commission from each ride.
MacGann, Uber’s Chief Lobbyist in Europe at the time, described the company’s strategy to enter new markets as a ‘sh*tstorm in the document, with Nairi Hourdajian, then head of Uber’s global communications writing to a colleague amid government efforts to shut down the ride-hailing service in Thailand and India, “we’re just fucking illegal.”
By 2014, Uber dominated the ride-hailing market in the US and aimed to conquer the rest of the world. Armed with buckets of cash from investors like Jeff Bezos and Goldman Sachs, the five-year old company entered 31 countries in 2014 alone.
In 2016, then US Vice President Joe Biden sought a meeting with Kalanick at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland and said the ride-hailing company was transforming cities and the way people work, all for the better. Biden was so impressed that he tweaked his keynote speech delivered that day to tout the company’s global impact.
The company expanded services in over 80 countries by the height of its international operations in 2017 but has pulled out of major markets including China, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Hungary, and Russia, due to commercial, legal and political challenges.
When the company wanted to move into a city, it hired former government officials to lobby former colleagues. When they were accused of breaking rules, the company solicited customers to serve as grassroot lobbyists and sign ‘save Uber’ petitions. When the agenda needed a scholarly push, it paid friendly academics to produce favorable research.
The company adopted the mantra: It is better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
Entering into markets without government approvals made Uber drivers the target of traditional taxi drivers’ rage as the latter saw their business threatened by competitors who did not have to play by the same rules. Uber drivers were beaten, harassed, and their cars set to fire in Europe and South America – something that Uber executives sought to spin to their advantage. Uber also tried to deflect inquiries about its aggressive tax avoidance strategies by volunteering to help host countries collect income taxes owed by drivers.
Moreover, in every country, claiming that Uber was transforming the workforce was central to the company’s pitch. However, some drivers say they were misled and were lured to the platform with financial incentives that did not last; the company also sharply increased its commission from each ride.
Image Source: RNZ
Commenting on the recent scandal, Jill Hazelbaker, Uber’s Senior Vice President of Public Affairs acknowledged ‘mistakes’ and ‘missteps’ that culminated five years ago in ‘one of the most infamous reckonings in the history of corporate America. “We have not and will not make excuses for past behavior – that is clearly not in line with our present values, instead, we ask the public to judge us by what we’ve done over the last five years and what we will do in the years to come.” She also added that the company’s operations have completely changed since 2017 after facing high-profile lawsuits and government investigations that led to the ouster of Kalanick and other senior executives.
Travis Kalanick’s spokesperson however stated that Kalanick “never authorized any actions or programs that would obstruct justice in any country” and that he “never suggested that Uber should take advantage of violence at the expense of driver safety.”
The scandal is an ongoing global investigation. Unfortunately, it shows how the superpowers in the global political scene can come together to achieve what they set their mind to and that everything is controlled by money. Uber has always remained the benchmark of success for all start-ups but now it shows a lot that goes behind it – most of which are undesirable, exploitative, and unethical.
Could this be the downfall of Uber or will it inspire others to do the same?
This World Emoji Day, Mark Zuckerberg announced that WhatsApp now allows users to react to messages and group chats with a full range of fun emoticons and skin tone selector within conversations. Earlier users could only use six emojis to react to messages and group chats, which has now been changed to the full Emoji keyboard to make conversations more lively and fun.
In addition, Meta has also revealed trends on our favourite Emojis and how they are being used in Pakistan and around the world.
What’s new on WhatsApp Emoji dock?
Trends show Emojis are quickly becoming the universal visual language understood by all. From Gen Z to Baby Boomers, people from all generations find it convenient to ‘speak’ Emoji when it comes to connecting with friends and family, co-workers, and acquaintances.
That is why; Meta has been expanding its emoji dock with newer emojis to help people communicate with more nuance and range. Here are some of the newest emojis popping up in our conversations and WhatsApp and Emojipedia have explained what each of them actually mean to settle the dispute amongst users:
🧢 Blue cap: Most of us are likely to get this one wrong. The meaning of this unsuspecting headgear in a digital conversation is much deeper than we could have guessed.
🫠 Melting Face is the new hot favorite but just like the blue cap this one is also likely to be misinterpreted.
💀Skull: This one is the most misunderstood of all. Commonly denoting figurative death, the skull has found new meaning and purpose with Gen Z in Pakistan and around the world.
✍️Taking notes: This is what each one of us should be doing right now to excel in the art of digital communication.
Facebook Trends in Pakistan
In addition to WhatsApp, Emojis also come in handy in keeping conversations informal, frank and warm on Facebook and Instagram. Meta trends show Facebook users all around the world used a wide range of fun emoticons, topped with a new range of emojis each with fun meaning and usability to convey their feelings.
The Meta trends shed light on who we are in our digital lives, our likes and dislikes and the way we respond to life situations in digital communications. Pakistanis are no different and our increasing dependency on visual-based communication has led to a new vocabulary of emojis, GIFs and camera-based messaging, which is making us more expressive than ever before. The semiotics associated with each emoji live and thrive within our cultural environment and their meaning and relevance grow over time.
Like other parts of the world, in Pakistan too, some emojis clearly remained the top favorites for their ability to translate people’s emotions and situations people find themselves in or their age group and gender.
Amongst the newly released emojis on Facebook, (face holding back tears) remained the top favourite in Pakistan, followed by (face with peeking eye), (saluting face), (heart hands), and (melting face).
Pakistan’s young Gen Z users, aged between 18-24 years used the️ ❤️ (red heart) the most, followed by😂 (face with tears of joy), (heavy black heart), 👍(thumbs up), and 🤣 (rolling on the floor laughing).
Millennials, aged 25-44 years old also preferred the ❤️ (red heart) the most. (thumbs up) and (face with tears of joy) remained the second and third most favorites on their list.
Lastly, Gen-X and Baby Boomers, aged 45 and above were no different in their choice of visual communication. They also preferred the ️(red heart), and 👍(thumbs up) apart from the 💕(two hearts) to convey their feelings.
Sports are one of the most popular sets of emojis on Facebook. In Pakistan, on Facebook 🏌️(Golfing), ⚽(Soccer Ball) and 🏹 (Bow and Arrow) topped the list of favourite sports emojis. While Soccer remained the most popular sports emoji globally, While on Instagram 🏏 (Cricket) topped the list, followed by ⚽(Soccer) and 🏋️♂️(Weightlifting) in Pakistan.
The Gen Z in Pakistan was found to be using the most diverse emoji set in their conversations like 🚑 (ambulance), 🤡(clown face), 💀 (skull),🙃 (upside down face), and more to express themselves.
There are so many emojis on the Meta platform that it is hard to remember the meaning of each one of them. In such a case, the Emojipedia (https://emojipedia.org/) can serve as the perfect guide to the universal visual language.
As petrol prices become unimaginable, a lot of alternatives are being explored for the affordable commute. With the advent of famous ride-hailing services, many questions have been raised about who can use which service. For instance, where do women go who can afford rides on bikes only but can’t sit with men? This is a pertinent question that must be answered in time now:
The current situation is such that on the famous ride-hailing services, at the moment, here are rarely any female drivers. This makes the service the last resort for many women because there have been many horror stories about what male drivers have done to women often. Why won’t we make a separate service with only female drivers or give another option for it?
Image Source: Arab News Pk
The same is true for bike riders especially. Though we’re starting to see more female bike riders around us, these services have still not hired many of them. As a result, again, women are disadvantaged because of cultural values.
Why Can’t Women Sit With Men On Bikes?
This is a question raised a lot. Many men and women often also continue saying, if you want to commute, sit with men. Why not? The answer is because firstly, many women are not comfortable and secondly, many women actually can not. To sit on a bike, one has to sit close to the person riding the bike and women do not feel comfortable doing this with random men.
Image Source: Dawn
Moreover, many women can actually be punished for doing this because they can be labeled as doing ‘haram’ by touching the body of a na-mehram. Hijabis especially can not sit that close to random men.
Why Do We Need To Work On This?
This needs to be worked upon because with the exorbitant prices of fuel and whatnot, everyone deserves equal access to affordable commute. Why should women have to bear the cost of getting cars every time simply because women bike riders won’t be hired? Everyone deserves to save their money in this failing economy.
Image Source: TRT World
Hiring female riders would itself be a step in the right direction. What is holding us back?
Some Pakistani celebrity couples often make it to the headlines for the extreme public show of affection. If it is common knowledge that someone is dating or even if they are married and share intimate pictures, it doesn’t fit well with the ethics of moral police and they start trolling the couple. So, we are listing down eight of those celebrity couples that shared cute yet very PDA (Public Display of Affection) and that led to moral police trolling them for it.
1. Ahsan Mohsin & Minal Khan
They are the hottest unmarried couple in town. Never have they confirmed the news in words but everyone knows about them dating. Considering they are in a relationship, they do post pictures when they are hanging out. And people do not like it when they are ‘too’ close.
2. Muneeb Butt & Aiman Khan
Minal’s sister, Aiman is married to yet another celebrity, Muneeb Butt. Both of them also share lovely pictures. The latest pictures were from their trip to Turkey.
3. Iqra Aziz & Yasir Hussain
Iqra and Yasir are the epitome of PDA ever since Yasir proposed that way to her at the award show. The kisses when she said yes will probably be engraved in the Pakistanis’minds.
Sarah Khan also posts pictures with her husband. And while people find Agha and Hina’s intimate and funny stories cute, they troll Sarah and Falak’s insta posts.
Ayeza Khan and Danish are undoubtedly the best couple in town given their photoshoots. With their steamy pictures on Insta while they get the love they also get trolled.
The PDA for this couple probably began when they posted on Insta a video of them kissing in the streets of a foreign country. After that, they decided to ignore all the trolling and continued with it.
Home-based businesses have seen a massive surge in the last decade. While the employment opportunities are less, entrepreneur opportunities are on the rise. It has now become much easier to start a business at home, thanks to social media. And while there are only enough brands and items we can try, looking out for the best ones is always a massive task. So, you need not worry. We are covering all the home-based food delivery services you must try in Karachi.
1. The Lunch Company – TLC
Starting from as low as rs.200, the lunch company is a home-based food brand that offers weekly meal plans for its customers. The lunch company offers delicious homemade food in town, which is delicious and aesthetically pleasing. The wide variety of menu and the budget-friendly prices makes them one of the best options if you are looking for a weekly/monthly meal plan.
The 4teen Bistro is a fast-growing service provider in Restaurant and Catering industry. They offer Hygienic Food with budget-friendly options. Best catered for big parties and corporate events, the 4teen restaurant caters to all your needs, be it birthday parties or religious events. You can place a customized order of your choice from a variety of menus they have to offer.
Image source: facebook.com
3. Farah’s Kitchenette
Food made with love, Farah’s Kitchenette offers a variety of cuisines and options, from frozen food items to freshly cooked dishes. The economical price point with a blend of amazing service and taste makes them one of the go-to options for Karachities. The best part is that they offer pop-up stalls so you can contact them for your events.
Aur Chaawal is all about natural and organic food options. They offer customized lunch boxes with desi ghee, pesticide-free vegetables, and hormone-free chicken and meat. A one-stop solution for everyone looking for restricted diet options as they offer a variety of dishes that are delicious and healthy as they offer a blend of vegetable dishes.
Image source: facebook.com
5. Nawab Sahab Kitchen
What’s better than food? Traditional food is served in a traditional style, and Nawab Sahab is your one-stop solution for all the traditional and Hyderabadi dishes. They also offer catering services and weekly meal plans for all your needs.
Image source: facebook.com
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Each year, while many of us look forward to the sound of rain and the gushes of cold wind smack in the middle of frying summers, monsoon remains a nightmare for many. The torrential rains that come with monsoon bring with them floods that wreak havoc in many areas of Pakistan. We’re all aware of the impact on humans of it but how informed are we about what it does to the environment?
Recently, 8 dams have recently burst due to heavy rain and the consequences have been frightening for both humans and the environment. In Balochistan, 57 people have been killed because of the floods. For KPK, houses are collapsing, leaving even children vulnerable. In Karachi, Pakistan’s biggest metropolitan city, almost every road is flooded.
Image Source: Global Giving
Reports also suggest that Pakistan has received 87% more rain this monsoon season than in previous years.
The Impact on The Environment
Some of the small ways in which the environment can be damaged in the long-term include wildlife habitats being destroyed by the inundated water. With these rains, trees can often be obstructed whilst water gets everywhere on land. The huge loss of life of animals at this time can disrupt the ecosystem greatly.
Image Source: Muslim Aid
The floodwater we see on the roads and everywhere else is contaminated water. This water then becomes a part of natural water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and the sea. As a result, natural water sources and their quality can decline.
The Loss Due To Environment’s Damage
Another consideration is how the damage to the environment creates losses. Flood water can inundate not only agricultural spaces but also remain stagnant there for long. The silt in it and also the chemicals in it can ruin the soil and also result in over-saturation of the water. Crops already planted can be destroyed. Moreover, the land can become unsuitable for further plantation resulting in massive losses.
Image Source: BBC
Is There A Silver Lining?
While this may not be something people want to focus on as we experience the destructive effects of floods, this phenomenon also has some benefits. For instance, it can recharge groundwater. Just as it destroys habitat, it can trigger breeding events for many animals as they face the threat of extinction in the ecosystem. Lastly, they can also bring nutrients to new grounds.
Great bosses change us for the better. They see more in us than we see in ourselves, and they help us learn to see it too. They dream big and show us all the great things we can accomplish.
Outstanding leadership can be a difficult thing to pin down and understand. You know a great leader when you’re working for one, but even they can have a hard time explaining the specifics of what they do that makes their leadership so effective.
Great bosses believe in their people, which drives them to create an environment where people thrive. Today’s most-exceptional bosses do the following.
1. Communication
While communication is key to any relationship, the same goes for employer-employee relationships. Successful bosses ensure they have an open door of communication between themselves, employees, and clients. Not only do they make sure they offer a welcoming environment to encourage work-related communication, but they also make sure they supply their employees with the necessary tools for proper communication.
2. Constant Support
An exceptional boss provides their employees with immense support in trying times. Previously, a boss’s leading role was to give orders and to make sure they were being fulfilled. However, great bosses are now becoming coaches, colleagues, and cheerleaders for the employees they support rather than prison wardens or executioners. Great leaders allow their employees to make mistakes or to disagree with the status quo with no fear of retribution or judgment.
Image source: entrepreneurs.com
3. Maintain Individuality
Average bosses lump people together, trying to motivate, reward, and teach everyone in the same way. Exceptional bosses treat people as individuals, respecting that everyone has their motivation and style of learning.
4. Encourage Career Development
Every successful boss knows that having the right employees in place with the best skills, knowledge, and experience will help their business grow, so they offer some ways for employees to develop their careers.
An excellent boss will encourage employees to take the initiative to gain more knowledge and skills that will help them grow in their position and the company.
Leading by example is a true characteristic of a successful boss. Bosses who cannot only give out directions but also set an example of how employees should work in the office will lead a much more productive group of individuals.
6. Open To Change
Ordinary bosses operate by the motto, “This is the way we’ve always done it.” They believe that change is unnecessary and causes more harm than good. Exceptional bosses see change as an opportunity for improvement. They constantly adapt their approach and embrace change to stay ahead of the curve.
Image source: americanrecruiters.com
7. Look At The Big Picture
Exceptional bosses help their employees by influencing them to look at the bigger picture. They make the vision accessible and relatable for their team, so the employees know what they are working towards.
8. They Accept Failure
Failure isn’t a bad thing as long as people learn from it. Exceptional bosses try to accept that failure usually has to fall on their shoulders.
Nothing beats the promise of sun-filled days with no commitments. Summertime serves up the best weather to enjoy so many activities. The key to enjoying any season on a budget is to permit yourself to be a kid again. Allow your brain to be curious, play, and remember how fun it is not to make things a big deal. Simple is better.
However, sometimes taking on simple activities is the way to go. While inflation has made leisure inaccessible, saving up for a fun weekend yoga class or a swimming session is possible with little money strategies.
Take a look at some ways you can have some summer fun.
1. One-Dish Party
A get-together is another decent option to have some summer fun with your friends and family. Plan a one-dish party to divide the food expenditure. Meanwhile, you can also set up games and music.
Image source: Pinterest.com
2. Picnic In The Backyard
Nothing beats the long summer evenings and weekends. Set up your backyard with a large pool to have fun without stepping out. Take out some good old board games and snacks to spend a time full of fun with your family.
Image source: livelyhome.com
3. Movie Night At Home
Nothing beats a movie night that too with your favorite snacks. If you want to take your movie night to the next level, you can hire a projector to get the cinema experience at home.
Set up a playdate for your kids and their friends at home. Try to engage the kids in some educational activities like scrabble. Meanwhile, you can also set up a small tea party at home.
It is never too late to learn your favourite skill, be it a new language, sewing, or anything you would like to learn. Social media is a great channel that offers impeccable information on a wide variety of skills. You can find out tutorials online for free to polish your skills from the comfort of home without spending extra money.
Image source: weallsew.com
6. Go For A Photography Session
With smartphones and devices, it is easier to capture professional photos without hiring a professional photographer. Many photography tutorials are also available on social media to help you refine and retune your photography skills. Take a walk around your neighbourhood or a park, and channel your inner photographer.
Image source: picsart.com
7. Pool Party
Nothing says summer without a pool party with your friends and family. A quick way to cool yourself while having lots of fun. The next time you plan a pool party, don’t forget to set up a margarita stall for added fun.
Image source: peerspace.com
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The latest TikTok beauty trend, ‘Face Tape,’ has taken social media by storm. Nonetheless, it’s an answer to all those beauty worries which require you to go under the knife, i.e., plastic surgery. Truth be told, we have learned a fair share of beauty trends from TikTok. Meanwhile, the new IT trend has been swarming our social media feeds lately.
Face Tape Trend
The method is pretty straightforward; users apply tape to areas of the face where they wish to reduce the appearance of wrinkles or fine lines (mostly on their foreheads) and wear the tape overnight to prevent movement. When they wake up, users remove the tape and repeat the process for a week or more, recording the progress.
Whether placed near the eyes, on the jawline, or near your cheekbones, some forms of tape come attached to a small string that blends into your hair. Once pulled upward for the desired look, you can easily hide the magic string in a ponytail or amidst your tresses.
Sometimes, the tape is worn during a makeup tutorial transformation video. While the internet is skeptical, the face tape trend is a temporary answer to the chiseled jaw, lifted brows, and saggy skin. It is an answer to getting smooth, wrinkle-free skin without having to invest in expensive treatments.
While a bit of Scotch tape probably won’t leave permanent scars, face taping can do more harm than good.
According to dermatologists, using a piece of tape, especially one that is ‘supposed’ to hold your skin down for a whole night, can damage the skin barrier when you take it off. This tape isn’t made to be safe on the skin and can cause redness, irritation, and acne breakouts. Often, the adhesive must be incredibly tight and, therefore, uncomfortable to use for an extended time to “hold” the muscles still.
The filmmaking duo Fizza Ali Mirza and Nabeel Qureshi, are best known for their socio comedies that deal with issues affecting people within our society. Namaaloom Afrad, Actor in Law and Load Wedding – their previous films – carried very strong moral lessons and QAZ is no different.
The film centers around Gulab (Fahad Mustafa) whose father (Qavi Khan plays the older version later in the film) is an honest police officer and teaches his son to refrain from dishonesty and fraud. He tells Gulab that our currency has Quaid’s image on it ‘takkay wo hum pay nazar rakh skien’ (so that he can watch us). As a child, Gulab learns that his father’s philosophies do not match his needs and desires. Hence, he grows up to become a corrupt policeman indulging shamelessly in illegal activities and accepting bribes.
The second half depicts his journey from bad to good cop. With spiritual awakening, he starts enforcing law and order and patriotic duties at his best. His love interest revolves around Mahira Khan who is a vet and also an animal rights activist. She drives a scooty and is dedicated to rescuing injured and abused street animals. Within the narrative of the film, her character represents kindness in contrast to corruption.
Image Source: 92Pulse
Both leading actors have played their part well. Fahad Mustafa in particular truly deserves to be applauded for he carries the weight of the entire film on his shoulders. Whether its romance tragedy, action or dance, he proves that he is here to stay for long. Mahira looks absolutely gorgeous and her costumes are lovely designed by none other than Nomi Ansari. There are some funny moments between the two and the chemistry is charged throughout, specially in the songs.
Watch the trailer here:
We also get to see Javed Sheikh as the sub-inspector and Gulab’s confidant who is ready to support his boss in both good and bad times. Javed Sheikh is one of our veteran actors who is extremely versatile and even though his role is small, the cinematic presence is incredible; especially with the auburn hair and mustache, which make him look very charming and fits perfectly in the skin of the Sindhi policeman.
Mehmood Aslam as Babar Jillani (Gulab’s boss) and Nayyer Ejaz as Rana Kamran the mischievous politician, play the lawbreaking agents who back up each other for their selfish means. There is one scene in the end when Rana Kamran is finally caught and amidst a police encounter, Gulab slaps him, a very poorly-timed, irrelevant, needless reaction that kills the seriousness of the scene.
QAZ is a definitive action-packed police film with a unique and original concept and fantastic music. Though some of the action sequences in the first half have been replicated from the Bollywood flick Singham resulting in severe backlash from the audience. However, the sequence shot in the plane is a must-watch and sets the bar high for future fight sequences in Lollywood films.
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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Pakistan have reached a staff-level agreement for the conclusion of the combined seventh and eighth reviews of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF). The people who closely monitor Pakistan’s economy such as the stock market and have skin in the game are rejoicing.
The resumption of the program is expected to bring stability to Pakistan’s struggling economy, at least on a short-term basis. It depends on Pakistan’s economic managers how they use this short-term ease to put Pakistan’s economy on track. But historically, they have always failed to come out of an IMF program triumphant such as Thailand and Vietnam did in the past.
Pakistan’s economy has been struggling and there are several reasons. People with money in Pakistan tend to invest in unproductive places such as real estate when they should have been investing in the industry.
Image Source: Arab News PK
Real estate is a lucrative avenue to invest in Pakistan and the government has so far been unable to strike the right balance.
Despite low production in the country, the country has an appetite to consume because many manage to earn big bucks from unproductive sectors such as real estate and then they want to spend to improve their lifestyle. For that they create demand for goods that are not produced in the country, and since there is a demand for legitimate goods, the economic books say there has to be a supply. The demand is then catered by imports.
Imports for a country are not bad. In fact trade between countries is good since some countries are good at producing certain things and other countries have another set of certain things they have competitive advantage in.
However, the problem comes when imports are significantly higher than exports – three times more in Pakistan’s case. Remittances come handy but still Pakistan has a high current account deficit, which has reached $15.2 billion in the first 11 months (July-May) of fiscal year 2022.
The current account deficit puts pressure on foreign exchange reserves, which depleted to below $10 billion presently and barely covers two months of imports.
The falling reserves puts Pakistan’s sovereign credibility into question whether it could honor agreements of foreign payments.
The resumption of the IMF program means that the foreign exchange reserves will come out of the uncomfortable level as resumption of the IMF program also opens doors for other creditors such as for friendly Gulf countries and Asian Development Bank. Some experts say resumption of the IMF program would see forex reserves jumping to above $15 billion, which would stabilize the economy.
However, when the IMF extends its loan facility, it wants the country to take certain actions that are expected to make the country a going concern – meaning it is living within its means and can pay back its loan.
It asks the government to remove subsidies such as from fertilizer, fuel and electricity that jacks up inflation. It wants the government to increase interest rates in order to curtail demand. All these actions reduce employment and make things expensive.
But the problem is not in the IMF program. It’s in the fundamentals of Pakistan’s economy. To survive, Pakistan must industrialize and increase both agricultural and manufacturing output to reduce imports and increase exports. Otherwise, the IMF program may provide a year or two of relief only and we will again be standing in a similar but a bit more precarious situation.
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Knowledge of data security is one of the essential forms of experience we need to be equipped with today. We’re living in the times where data breach and stealing is what social media platforms thrive on. Noam Chomsky ousted politicians paying Facebook for data of its users to “manufacture consent.” On the other hand, Google is sued for billions for stealing data on Incognito mode. So what do you do to protect your data?
1. Do Your Homework
It is always a good idea to do research. Do a simple Google search on a company’s privacy and security policies. Find the third-party sites that are sharing their data. Determine whether you can delete your data from a website should you choose to. Companies may or may not adhere to regulations of data, but the consumer has the power to hold them accountable. Data security is often your responsibility.
2. Use End to End Encryption
Image Source: Pusher Blog
End to end encryption (E2EE) is a form of securing your data. It encrypts your data while it’s being transferred from one device to another. In layman terms, it means that the third party will not be able to decipher what your data is. The data in such a method is encrypted in the user’s device, and only they can decrypt it.
Whatsapp uses end to end encryption, and Snapchat has finally introduced it too to ensure data security!
3. Check the Data Policy
Image Source: Pros and Cons
We know no one sane ever used to read the data policy for apps, but now you don’t have a choice. It’s either that or you unknowingly consent to apps storing your data so you can’t sue them too. Read the policy no matter how long it is. Make sure you’re disabling cookies or not consenting to them.
Cookies are small files that contain the user’s data and store it onto the web servers. For instance, at a shopping site, if you enable cookies, they will remember what you liked last. Next time, they’ll show you relevant goods. While that sounds convenient, it can be dangerous for you in the long run. The data the site stores can be sold to third parties for various purposes.
4. Confidential Emails
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Gmail has an option to send confidential emails to protect sensitive data being shared on email. This option equips the sender with the ability to set an expiry date or revoke access at any time. Moreover, the opportunities to forward, copy, print, and download are disabled for the recipient.
However, Gmail makes it clear that the recipient can still screenshot the email. Or if they have malicious software on their device, they can download it still.
5. Check Your Permissions
This one is especially for Android users. Every time you download a new app, phones often automatically enable some permissions in the settings. That is why you need to keep a regular check on your permissions in the settings. More often than not, the location option is enabled, which means your whereabouts are stored in the app, which is dangerous.
Snapchat introduced the location feature a while ago, which resulted in many people being harmed as their location was shown. However, soon after, everyone turned on the “ghost mode” to remain safe.
Have you been doing these? Let us know in the comments below!
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