Yashma Gill was asked her two cents on Asim Azhar lately and she had the best advice for him. Not sure if he’s open to following it though!
Defending Asim Azhar
On a recent TV show, Yashma Gill was confidently defending Asim Azhar. When asked about the recent situation that unfolded, she said whatever he tweeted, we can not assume it was about Hania Aamir. The host says he never denied too. To this Yashma Gill responded, being fully informed, that he did indeed deny it everywhere.
Yashma Gill was then also put on the spot to ask her what advice she would give to Asim Azhar. Her response to that was pleasantly surprising and also smart! She mentioned that Azhar is at a “good place in his life” and is “mature”.
Image Source: Instagram
As a result, he should know what he should take to heart and what he should not. In short, baat dil pe na lein Asim Azhar!
Advice to The People
Gill also had advice for the people aside from Asim Azhar. She said she acknowledges that being a public figure means a lot of things. Firstly, it means that they’re all open to the public eye. The public can come to their platforms and ‘discusss’ whatever on it. They have the right to share their opinions.
However, according to Yashma Gill, there is a way of making your voice heard which Pakistanis are not good at! They don’t know the ‘way’ to say whatever they want to. Being harsh gets you nowhere! Gill was encouraging people to make someone understand their words gently because only then are words heard and understood.
Place To Speak or Not?
Image Source: Instagram
The reaction to this advice was also divided. Some undermined her advice because they think this is not her place to speak. Why is she forcing herself into the controversy? Others were amused and glad to hear her speak such mature words!
About Yashma Gill
Image Source: BizAsia
Yashma Gill is a Pakistani film and television actress who has made her name in the entertainment industry. Gill has starred in several supporting and lead roles. In the latter, Gill can count Ki Jaana Main Kaun and Kab Mere Kehlaoge as acclaimed projects that helped her lift her career. Moreover, she has received special praise for playing an antagonist in the romantic series Pyar Ke Sadqay.
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When we take a look at automobiles, a lot of options come to mind. The brands are endless and the models are new. Pakistan holds a huge variety of vehicle brands and Kia is one of them. It is also one of the fastest-rising brands in Pakistan. Kia recently launched Sorento. Now they are going to introduce the Kia Stonic to Pakistan. In light of that, let us compare it with Honda BR-V.
The two vehicles certainly belong in the same class. Both of them register as SUVs and radiate such features. You can easily fit your family in both of them. The storage space is also ample so you don’t have to worry about packing light. While they are counterparts, they do differ in some aspects. Let us look at what sets Kia Stonic apart from Honda BR-V.
KIA Stonic
This is an upcoming SUV in Pakistan. It has certainly all that an SUV can offer. From comfort to space, the Stonic has it all. There are going to be two variants expected in Pakistan. Both of them will feature turbo-lined 1.0 Litre engine. While the capacity may be less than the BR-V, the turbo may just give it an edge. Kia Stonic also comes embedded with state-of-the-art technology. The fuel average is yet to be seen but we expect it near to BR-V.
The leather seats in higher trim levels are sure to astonish the audience. The vehicle has everything from ABS, ESC to HAC and TPMS. We are not sure of the price of this vehicle yet but it will be near to sedans like Corolla and Civic.
Image Source: focus2move.com
Honda BR-V
The Honda BR-V is certainly one of the most impressive vehicles out there. It not only gives a good fuel average, but it is also comfortable. You can sit and drive for hours without worrying about a bad back. Looking at the first generation BR-V, it has three variants. All of them hold a 1.5 Litre capacity, with two of them being automatic. The base variant has a manual transmission. The vehicle has an assortment of colors, which is something we have yet to see in Kia Stonic.
The vehicle has the ability to give a fuel average higher than 12. It can even go as high as 14 or 15, depending on how the person is driving. The vehicle is highly comfortable and has a plethora of interior features, including an infotainment system. Its current price is set between Rs. 31 lac and Rs. 35 lac.
Image Source: news24.com
Giving A Verdict
So, what have we learned from this comparison? While the Kia Stonic is a newer, upgraded vehicle, it has yet to enter the market. We have to gain feedback from people before we can diagnose its capability. However, it seems to be able to give Honda BR-V good competition and a run for its money.
Additionally, in the end, it all boils down to user preference.
[Update]: The matter that started in December 2020 finally reached an end when authorities arrested TikToker Kashif Zameer. Kashif was responsible for inviting Engin Altan aka Ertugrul to Pakistan. However, even after gaining the publicity that he wanted, TikToker never paid the Turkish star.
Back in February, Engin Altan announced the termination of the contract. Moving the issue forward, he submitted the online application to the Inspector General to take action against the TikTok star. In the application, he documented that the accused had given him bogus cheques, claimed to be the owner of Chaudhry Group of Industries, and misused Engin’s name and pictures for personal fame.
After investigations, it was reveraled that Kashif is a habitual offender.
[Feb 16, 2021]: The Turkish star Engin Altan gained fame in Pakistan with the dubbed Ertugrul airing on the Pakistani Television channel. Just as other stars from the same show signed numerous Pakistani brands, Engin also signed with the Tiktoker Kashif Zameer through the Chaudhry Group of Companies. However, the Tiktoker went viral for doing alleged fraud.
There has been an update on that situation. Engin Altan has announced that he is officially terminating the contract with Kashif Zameer. He also stated that as the rumors have gone Kashif paid half the amount, they are untrue. Kashif Zameer, in fact, has not fulfilled any of the conditions stated in the agreement even though the indicated time period has passed.
Ertugrul star has said that this development does not mean he is upset with the country and hopes to visit Pakistan again in the near future.
Image Source: ARY
[Update]: According to police, TikToker Mian Kashif Zameer Chaudhry is nominated in eight cases pertaining to “fraud, betrayal of trust, car theft and robbery”.
A few days ago, TikToker Kashif Zameer who is also the managing director of the Chaudhry Group of Companies, had invited Turkish Engin Altan to Pakistan earlier this month.
However, on Thursday, the court has granted bail to Kashif Zameer, who was arrested for threatening an anchorperson, Hamad Aslam.
[Update]:
The recent controversy of TikTok star Kashif Zameer for defrauding Turkish star Engin Altan has taken internet by storm. According to Express PK, Engin was unaware that his host, Zameer has apparently been charged with fraudulent activities in the past. Now, it has been reported that Kashif Zameer, who organized Engin’s trip to Pakistan, has been arrested by Lahore police.
According to sources, Kashif Zameer has been charged with threatening to kill anchorperson Hamad Aslam. Police also arrested Zameer’s armed accomplices.
[Update]:
Just recently, the Sialkot-based businessman has refuted all rumors and reports against him. According to Kashif, all the local brands and some media outlets are tarnishing his image ‘out of revenge’ because he brought Duzyatan to Pakistan.
Ertugrul star Engin Altan and Esra Bilgiç made waves with their drama about Islamic history. Prime Minister Imran Khan suggested the show to the whole country, and hence it was dubbed in Urdu to be accessible. People absolutely loved it. It was evident when Pakistani brands invited the main actors to be their brand ambassadors.
Ertugrul stars in Pakistan
However, Esra got better deals. Jazz, QMobile, and Khaadi signed her. Meanwhile, Engin got two deals. We were excited about his arrival, but the brands had something else in mind. At first, he was signed by Blue world City. He was invited to Islamabad. However, the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has filed charges saying it is an illegal housing scheme.
And then there was recent news about Engin Altan returning to Pakistan. This time he was signing with the TikToker, Kashif Zameer. He is a businessman running Chaudhry Group of Business. He struck a deal of 1 million dollars with the actor. And it has been said that he only paid half of it.
Image Source: Instagram:
Cases against the Tiktoker
First of all, that means he paid a sum of FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS (wow, Pakistanis are quite wealthy). But reports are that since Engin hasn’t gotten the rest, he is not happy. So after doing some research, it turns out that Kashif Zameer has 8 cases against him. These cases range from the betrayal of trust to car-theft, robbery, as well as fraud. Four of the cases are registered in Lahore, and 2 in Toba Tek Singh.
Now the businessman is claiming this is a malicious campaign against him. According to him, since he was the sole host of the actor, people are angry that he didn’t let ‘anyone’ meet him.
He even shared a video that people are doing for rating.
Whatever the reason may be, we just wanted to say why Engin and his people could not do a background search on people when they contacted him. Isn’t that basic? And since there are cases registered against someone, that should be enough to tell them to be careful.
Also, other than running the Chaudhry group, Kashif Zameer is a famous TikToker as well. He released his video where he is laden with a heavy gold chain. Seeing that, both options seem viable; the option that says he can totally pay up the actor, and well, the other.
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June 17: Pakistan Advertisers Society is partnering with WFA in launching the World’s first-ever global census of the Marketing and Advertising industry, designed to provide hard data on the people who are working in the profession.
The survey will assess where the local and global advertising and marketing industry is in relation to diversity, equity and inclusion by investigating workforce composition across the industry as well as people’s perception of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, including their sense of belonging and their perception of progress.
The initiative builds on work already carried out in the UK as part of the highly successful All In Census – as well as the many efforts led in the US by ANA and 4As and in other markets – with the aim of establishing a tangible baseline for the global industry, which will help inform an action plan for improvement.
The participating markets in this census are Pakistan, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Greece, the Gulf Cooperation Council (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates), Hong Kong SAR, China, India, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and the USA.
National associations and publications such as APNS and Brandsynario have extended full support in the cause of DEI in Pakistan. A lot of Multinational, Local Companies and Agencies have also joined hands with PAS in the bigger initiative.
The questionnaire will go live between June 21 and July 2, 2021. The results will be compiled and analyzed by Kantar and the key findings will be published by Campaign’s global network of editions later in the year and presented at leading industry events in October 2021. The results will also be used as the basis for an action plan devised and led by WFA’s Diversity and Inclusion Task Force. The WFA intends to team up with Kantar and Campaign again in 18 months’ time to measure progress.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates!
There are 1.4 billion Apple users around the world, and each one of them seems to be in trouble as an Isreali company has claimed that it can hack into each one of them.
Cellebrite – an Israel-based forensics firm has unveiled a new system, which they claim is capable of hacking and unlocking any iPhone, iPad, and other high-end smartphones.
This claim has now raised serious concerns as if it is true, this means the security of the device owner as well as each country’s national security is at risk.
Universal Forensic Extraction Device (UFED), named UFED Premium was created to help police officials and other law enforcement agencies in unlocking phones of potential criminals and lawbreakers to extract data from locked iOS and Android services.
The features of this phone hacking system, as noted by Cellebrite, are as follows;
Bypass or determine locks and perform a full file system extraction on any iOS device to get much more data than what is possible through logical extractions and other conventional means.
Gain access to 3rd party app data, chat conversations, downloaded emails and email attachments, deleted content and more, increase your chances of finding the incriminating evidence and bringing your case to a resolution.
Apple has worked really hard to keep their devices away from such firms by offering the best security the company can get.
However, the question which has now raised in many minds is will Apple be able to keep its promise of security?
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for more news and updates.
Mango season is here and no one celebrates it better than Pakistanis! Here are the best snacks you can make from Mangoes
1. Something with Nachos?
Make a mango salsa and we promise you’ll never look back. Chop your other choice of vegetables as preferred. We love tomatoes, jalapenos and onions. For this version, cube mangoes the same way. Add some lime juice, a pinch of sugar and some vinegar if you’d like. The balance of flavours is divine.
Image Source: Cinco
2. Mango Smoothie
All you need to make this delicious smoothie that tastes like Mango ice cream is a blender and some pantry staples. Take mangoes, some milk/water, ice, bananas and lemon juice. Add them to the blender together and adjust the sweetness as you like.
Image Source: Mango Smoothie
3. Mango Trifle
Okay hear us out: you might be thinking what is a trifle doing in a list of snacks? But trifle is a snack for us especially when they’re this tasty and easy to make. Take some tea cake available at home, mix condensed milk with cream and layer on top. Add either mango puree or mango cubes and it will taste like your next favourite snack.
4. Mango Mousse
Mango mousse is super easy to make and tastes just as good. All you need is regular heavy cream, some whipping cream and some cream cheese (if you’re feeling it) and mangoes.
Image Source: My Latina Table
First, whip the whipping cream to stiff peaks. Then blend heavy cream with condensed milk and cream cheese and fold into whipping cream. Puree the mangoes in a blender. Add this to the final mixture!
5. Mango Lassi
This one beats it all. Next time you’re feeling like having some lassi, elevate your taste and go for mango lassi. It’ll taste like a blissfully chill summer evening. Mix yogurt with sugar as usual. Add milk to it in a blender and ice to your liking. As the final step, add some cut mangoes.
6. Mango and Peach Juice
The best homemade juice you can ever have either as a snack or as a breakfast side. Add frozen cut mangoes to a blender with ice, sugar, water and sliced peaches. Tastes sweet and tangy, just how we like it!
7. Grilled Shrimp Salad with Mangoes
Image Source: A Couple Cooks
We love shrimp salads! Do you? Next time you’re making one, make sure to marinate your shrimps and grill them in a sour mixture. Amp up the lime juice and vinegar quantities. When all is done, assemble as usual but add mangoes to it. It. will. not. taste. like. a. Salad.
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When it comes to relationships, there is no one size fits all. Relationships are different for everyone. Both girls and boys have different views on what is acceptable and what is not in a relationship. That also implies the things we go through in a relationship and the preferences we have. However, the bottom line is a trusting and happy relationship, and one must do whatever they can to maintain that.
The Latest Twitter Debate
In a series of events, a Twitter user posted a question on social media. It reads,
“Girls, will you be okay with your husband having a lot of female friends?”
Girls will you be okay with your husband having a lot of female friends?
This question started a debate among many girls who gave their opinion regarding the matter, and we have some exciting answers.
While the majority gave their answers in a simple big ‘NO’ or ‘NEVER,’ some of them had very compelling things to say.
“Girls hi nhi boys Bhi dono ko acha nhi lgta keh opposite gender keh friend ho or yeh achi bat hai.
Another user wrote, “But why he’d need a female friend if I’m with him for a lifetime. Never!” And we see a point in that!
“Nope. My jealous and possessive a** could never allow that”. Because yes, jealousy can be a significant factor when it comes to relationships.
Some of them even mentioned how comfortable they are with their husbands having female friends, and this seems like a breath of fresh air amidst all the tweets full of justifying possessiveness and jealousy.
Kinda surprised at how many people have said no. I find that so weird. My husband has female friends, and I am as comfortable with them as he is comfortable with me having male friends.
I have told my fiancé about the female friends i have literally about everyone of them. And she has no problem with it.
— Hunzla | Penguin's stan account (@hunzla_mehmood) June 14, 2021
No girl or boy will be “OKAY” while the other half has people of opposite gender. This isn’t cringe or narrow mindedness. This is possessiveness that’s much needed in any relationship
While no one is obligated to change their minds about their choices and principles, it remains questionable as to the cause behind the big NO? Is it because of the lack of trust or mere jealousy and possessiveness? And is it ok to justify your possessiveness? But, then again, isn’t explaining your answer with possessiveness a little too much?
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.
TCL Pakistan, Pakistan’s No.1 LED TV brand, join hands with Daraz, the leading online retailer, to deliver one of the biggest sales this Mobile Week. The sale will commence on 16th to 23rd June. Every year TCL and Daraz aim to bring high-quality products at incredible pricing. After witnessing the amazing response from the customers on the previous sale, TCL and Daraz is coming with exciting offers and discounts this Mobile Week.
Being co-sponsors, both TCL and Daraz promises the customers to give a unique shopping experience this Mobile Week. TCL is giving discounts on TVs and Air-conditioners listed on TCL’s Flagship Store on Daraz, along with free shipping and discount vouchers.
Speaking of the Mobile Week, Majid Khan Niazi, Marketing Manager of TCL said, “We are thrilled to work again with Daraz this Mobile Week. We are giving customers premium products and aim to give them the best deals and offers.”
Ibrahim Khan – Head of Brands of Daraz said, “The Mobile Week will make Pakistani’s enter a new age of shopping. The sale promises to give customers an entertaining experience. Customers are urged to tune into the Mobile Week as there will be something new to grab each day”.
TCL is one of the leading players in the Global Consumer Electronics industry with a global presence in over 150 countries.
15th June, 2021: Lahore, Pakistan: AkzoNobel -the world industry leader in paints and coatings and producer of Dulux paints in Pakistan- has entered its 4th year of partnership with SOS Children’s Villages Pakistan, as part of its global Let’s Colour initiative between the two organizations. The initiative is designed to use education and renovation to drive a positive impact on youth unemployment.
During a ceremony held on June 14, 2021 AkzoNobel made a generous donation of 15,000 Euros to SOS Children’s Villages Pakistan. Mr. Mubbasher Omar, CEO AkzoNobel Pakistan, presented the cheque to Ms. Saba Faisal, National Director SOS Children’s Villages Pakistan.
Continued efforts are being made by AkzoNobel together with SOS Children’s Villages Pakistan towards nurturing the future of tomorrow by extending a helping hand as well as a support system to young people who are at risk or have lost parental care.
During 2018-2020 AkzoNobel provided professional mentorship sessions and internship opportunity, for 225 young people between the age of 18 to 25. The sessions were designed to give the young children career guidance and exposure to a corporate environment and workplace. Over 60 AkzoNobel employees were involved so far. Besides this, and in order to renovate and transform the living space at SOS Children’s Villages Pakistan, 1,693 liters of Dulux paint were donated. AkzoNobel will continue to deliver more educational activities, and the renovation of SOS Children’s Villages in Sargodha in 2021.
Mr. Mubbasher Omar, CEO AkzoNobel, shared the company’s vision towards helping the new generation, “Our partnership with SOS Children’s Villages Pakistan shows that with consistent dedication and positive energy we can transform the lives of young people, which fits into AkzoNobel’s “People. Planet. Paint.” approach to sustainability. We are committed to providing soft-skills training and mentorship programs to the youth to help them transition smoothly into respectable jobs that further hone their talents and improve their chances of becoming responsible independent adults who not only work towards securing their future but also make it a duty upon themselves to give back to the community in a more responsible manner.”
Ms. Saba Faisal, National Director SOS Children’s Villages Pakistan expressed her gratitude to AkzoNobel, “We have always strived to not only bring joy to young children, but also to work with them towards a better future. SOS Children’s Villages Pakistan is happy to continue work with AkzoNobel in empowering these youth while providing them the best of skills to earn their living in the most dignified way.”
Excited for new Pakistani movies to be on screen soon? The cinemas are about to open after a long, long time! Here are some Pakistani movies that are waiting to be released soon!
1. The Legend of Maula Jatt
Directed by Bilal Lashari and produced by Ammara Hikmat under the banner of the production house, Encyclomedia, this movie is going to be big. The movie starring the likes of Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan is postponed due to COVID-19 and legal issues. We’re anxiously waiting!
Image Source: Wikipedia
2. Quaid-e-Azam Zindabad
A comedy coming soon. The movie is starring Fahad Mustafa and Mahira Khan and its trailer was released in October. It is an action-comedy directed by Nabeel Qureshi.
The movie is also co-produced by Fizza Ali Meerza. It is one of the most anticipated movies coming out in 2021 yet it does not have a release date so far.
3. Kamli
Saba Qamar’s Kamli is scheduled to release this summer. It has been written and directed by Sarmad Khoosat so one can only imagine a spectacular movie coming soon.
Image Source: The Current
The synopsis of the film is a tragic love story that depicts the vibrancy and humour of rural Punjab. Aside from Saba Qamar it stars Sania Saeed, Nimra Bucha, Eman Shahid, Umair Rana and Hamza Khwaja.
4. INTEZAR
Intezar is a drama film for which there is no release date yet despite the shooting being done. It is starringSamina Ahmad, Khalid Ahmed, Kaif Ghaznavia & many more. The cover looks like the calm before a storm and we’re more than excited. Intezar is also directed by Sakina Samo.
Image Source: Lollywood Online
5. DODA (Balochi)
Another drama release coming to theatres near you. However, the cast is already making us excited. The movie is starringShoaib Hassan, Abila Kurd, Fiza Akhtar & many more and is directed by Adil Binzanjo.
6. Dum Mastam
Dum Mastam is Imran Ashraf’s directorial debut. Details about the script and storyline have not been made public yet. All we are told is that Amar Khan will be the female lead and will have the role of a writer.
The movie is directed by none other than Mohammad Ehteshamuddin. He is the same director who made his debut who made his directorial debut with Superstar, the critically acclaimed Mahira Khan and Bilal Ashraf-starrer. Seeing how Superstar bagged so many awards, we’re beyond excited to see this.
The cast also includes Sohail Ahmed, Saleem Mairaj, Adnan Shah Tipu and Momin Saqib in significant roles.
7. Ishrat – Made in China
Image Source: Something Haute
This is a special movie because it’s bringing Sanam Saeed and Mohib Mirza back to screens together since Bachana (2016). it is an action flick that revolves around gang rivalries and is written by Ahsan Raza. The cast includes Mirza, Saeed, Shamoon Abbasi, Mani, Nayyar Ejaz, Shabbir Jaan, Ali Kazmi and designer Hassan Sheheryar Yasin.
The film’s shooting has been largely delayed due to coronavirus.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.
Apple made a lot of noise about protecting its people’s privacy. However, turns out some apps are still taking our data despite users’ consent.
Apple’s Failing Feature
The implementation of App Tracking Transparency is not appearing to be as successful as Apple had advertised. The new privacy framework, implemented with the iOS 14.5 update, allows users to accept or deny an app’s request to trace their activity. This is to eliminate apps serving the users’ targeted ads.
Image Source: CodeinWP
Apple had also made it mandatory for all apps to present prompts asking users for their permission to allow tracking across other apps and websites. It does do this, by the way, yet the issue is that our data still remains tracked.
Who’s Not Happy With This?
Facebook, for one, is not happy with these privacy frameworks. Facebook not only protested against this at first but also completely rejected the ATT framework. However, Apple has remained stubborn for its users and their privacy.
However, it is only now that the experts are claiming that App Tracking Transparency is not all that good. According to the Financial Times report, a marketing strategy consultant explained that the issue is extremely bad. “Anyone opting out of tracking right now is basically having the same level of data collected as they were before.”
It appears that in today’s world, there is no such thing as data protection or data rights. We can try our best but at the end of the day, technology betrays us.
How Can This Happen?
Thousands of apps are collecting our data despite Apple’s efficient framework. The reason for this is super technical but you must bear with it for your own good. There are third parties that utilize workarounds. For instance, they start collecting data including IP addresses to identify users. By picking up on this ‘fingerprinting’ tactic, some advertisers continue collecting data. This happens on more than 95-percent of their user base which is hooked to their iPhones and iPads.
Image Source: ScreenRant
Moreover, experts are also saying that there are some loopholes in Apple’s policy. These loopholes relate to the methods of collecting “temporary data” that they later aggregate. Through this method, these groups target the user base and aggregate information on their behaviour. All of it is put together later and we’re back to square one. This tactic is also commonly known as ‘probabilistic matching which many apps are continuing to do.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) consists of 57 member states. In 1981, they established COMSTECH, the Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation. Looking at the Palestinian suffering at the hands of Isreal, OIC wanted to play a part as well. They have announced scholarships for Palestinians.
COMSTECH Announces Scholarships
OIC is making their statement about Israel Palestine through COMSTECH’s Pakistani wing. According to that, Palestinian students will get fully-funded scholarship opportunities at Pakistani universities. COMSTECH coordinator general in Islamabad, Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, made the announcement on Tuesday.
As a part of this initiative, it will include 500 scholarships over the span of two years. This is not to be confused with the already existing 100 scholarships every year. The new quota focuses on research fellowships, technician training, and workshop grants for all disciplines.
Talking to a publication, COMSTECH’s media advisor said that this initiative has the support of 24 private and 14 public sector universities. Murtaza Noor adds:
“These are 500 fully-funded scholarships which will be given to undergraduate and postgraduate level students in partnership with the Association of Private Sector Universities of Pakistan (APSUP), and member institutions of the COMSTECH Consortium of Excellence.”
Further, Murtaza Noor said:
“The work on scholarships will start by the end of this month. They will be offered in the coming academic year, which is starting from September this year at most universities. Each scholarship will cost around one million Pakistani rupees on average.”
“In order to support them, COMSTECH has taken this initiative as higher education is our mandate and we want to provide them modern education at the best Pakistani universities.”
Image Source: Al Arabiya
Moreover, the scholarship will also cover students’ travel, accommodation, logistics, academics, and other expenses.
“For selection, students shall meet eligibility criteria of the university for their respective discipline. COMSTECH is establishing a project management unit with the collaboration of universities to implement the scholarship scheme. We will also involve the Palestinian embassy in Islamabad in the selection process to verify the nationality of these students.”
Palestine responds
The Palestinian ambassador expressed his gratitude for this initiative.
🇵🇸🙏🏻🤝🏻🇵🇰 COMSTECH announces 500 scholarships for Palestinian students. From Palestine, all thanks, respect and love to Pakistan for this great educational scholarship that is added to their unlimited support for the Palestinian people.
He said: “From Palestine, all thanks, respect, and love to Pakistan for this great educational scholarship that is added to their unlimited support for the Palestinian people.”
Hopefully soon, most of the world and not just Muslims will take a stand against the slaughter of humanity. Consequently, Palestine too will be able to breathe freely.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates!
There are many developments being made in the automobile industry. Despite there being a widespread pandemic, newer and newer vehicles are entering. It doesn’t matter whether you are a fan of compacts or sedans, they have them all. Now, it seems that KIA is set to launch a new SUV. It is expected to have impressive features and robust quality.
Now, KIA has been one of the most popular brands of 2020 and 2021. In fact, we may find KIA succeeding if we go as back as five years too. They made a daring comeback with the new Sportage back then. From that point on, KIA has only gone up and up. They have vehicles for people with every preference. Do you wish to drive a compact? The Kia Picanto is for you. An SUV fan? The Kia Sportage is your go-to.
Image Source: ifworlddesignguide.com
A New KIA Launch
So, what is it that we can tell you about this launch? From what we know, it is slightly smaller than your standard Sportage SUV. However, that does not mean that it is lacking in features. According to our sources, the vehicle goes by the name of Kia Stonic. Yes, it is said to enter the Pakistani market now. For now, there are four available variants of the vehicle. Three of them are manual petrol engines with quite a lot of engine capacity. The 1.0-litre, 1.2-litre and 1.4-litre ones.
However, the fourth variant is a 1.6 litre 4-cylinder diesel engine. Additionally, it has two further variants in terms of transmission. You can either get the one with manual transmission or the Dual Clutch Automatic transmission. It also states that there may be a hybrid version of the vehicle in the future. This will bring even more diversity to Kia Stonic. The name may seem quite new but it is certainly promising according to the features.
KIA Stonic And Pakistan
Coming to the interior of the vehicle, it has a good-sized infotainment system. You can be sure of ease of access when you are driving this vehicle. Additionally, it supports features like Apple Carplay and Android Auto. Lane-keeping assist, speed limit warning system and a driver attention monitor are all part of the package. You can be sure to get a plethora of features and gizmos when you buy this vehicle.
One of the most shocking parts about the vehicle is that its price is expected to be as much as Civic, Elantra and Corolla. Considering you are getting an SUV for the price of a sedan, should speak on its own. This seems like quite a good bargain and something many people might consider. The exact price has not been confirmed yet but you can check out Civic and Corolla’s prices to confirm. Apart from that, no official release date has been announced. However, it is expected to release around the final quarter of 2021.
[Karachi: 15th June 2021]: KASB, Pakistan’s leading stock brokerage has raised $4.5m from global investors in one of the largest fintech investments in Pakistan. KASB will use the money to help Pakistanis better manage their savings and invests in Pakistani stocks and commodities.
KTrade is the most downloaded stock trading app in Pakistan with over 200,000 active downloads. KASB’s mission is to make 10 million Pakistanis invest in companies listed in Pakistan through KTrade.
Using KTrade Pakistanis can now invest in stocks at the comfort of their homes. They can track their portfolio 24/7, get access to KASB’s award-winning research and advice on investments and also practice trade using the virtual trading features.
Pakistan Stock Exchange has outperformed global markets on the back of the economic recovery and favourable government policies. KSE100 Index is up more than 40% over the past 12 months and many Pakistani stocks have outperformed even Bitcoin. The best performance is in the technology sector which shows the confidence of both local and global investors in Pakistan’s technology sector.
KASB’s fundraising and backing by global investors are making headlines in the global press and has been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, Tech in Asia, and other leading press.
Mr. Ali Farid Khwaja, Chairman of KASB said ‘Most people in Pakistan lack access to formal financial products. Their savings in real estate or gold offer inferior returns, these are inefficient and have high transactional costs. Hence we at KTrade believe in financial democracy and financial literacy by educating clients and giving them access to the stock market’.
Two people, a man and a woman, have been arrested for trying to break into a mosque in Scarborough, Toronto, in Canada. The custodian was able to stop them but they kept threatening to set off an explosive. Canadian Police got there in time and arrested the individuals. They have further stated that they did not recover any weapons or explosives.
Once again, the authorities have attempted to shield the terrorists by saying their actions do not seem to have stemmed from hate.
Will they claim that this too was no terrorist attack?
Image Source: alahednews
Attack on Muslim Family in Canada
This month saw a family killed in a hate crime against Muslims in Canada. A 9-year old boy was the sole survivor of the family. This led to quite an uproar amongst the Muslim community around the globe and especially in Pakistan.
Canada tried to hush it off by saying that the arrested man did not have any links to hate groups. Through this, Canada sheltered itself by dissociating the crime from Islamophobia. But they need to understand that this was a terrorist attack, because if one whole Muslim family or if a Muslim place of worship is attached, it is a statement that their Islamophobic citizens are making.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates!
If you are an Apple lover and own most of the devices from Apple, then a home-pod is a must-have for you. It is one of the best-sounding wireless intelligent speakers available, and you can control it by voice using Apple’s virtual assistant, Siri.
However, there are multiple things that you might not know about a home pod. For instance, it is better to buy a home pod only if you’re an iPhone owner and a subscriber to Apple Music (or are willing to be). Likewise, let’s take a look at all the things you need to know about this cool gadget.
1. Power Efficient
A home pod is very power efficient. Even though it is plugged in most of the time, it utilizes minimum energy. The amount of energy it consumes while playing music is less than what a standard LED light bulb uses.
2. Earshot Range
The AI device can navigate when your iPhone is within earshot. This means even though your pod is switched on, it will only respond to your query on your phone after it detects that the phone is in your range.
Image source: https://www.macworld.com/
3. Voice Distinguisher
Even though Apple identifies specific waveforms to recognize your voice so that it can keep other people from accidentally summoning Siri, however, hope pod can’t do the same. Anyone in the house can have access to the home pod by just saying Hey Siri and getting whatever news they want.
4. Home Pod Can Make Calls or Messages
You can instruct Siri to make calls, dictate messages, and read your inbox aloud on the pod. And how would you do that? Similarly, how you ask Siri to run a message or make a call on your phone given that your phone is connected to the pod.
Image source: https://www.factmalta.com/
5. Find Music and Podcasts
Siri can help you find many music and podcasts, even if you sing one song lyric. You can also tell Siri to play music similar to the song that’s currently playing. With a home pod, your options for listening and navigating music are endless.
6. Privacy
You will be the only user is in control of the pod unless you buy a second one. According to Apple, the home pod only starts listening after you wake it up. Unlike Google Home or Amazon Echo, the conversations on the Home Pod are encrypted and will not be able to deliver personal information and notifications to anyone in the house.
Image source: https://www.howtogeek.com/
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.
Karachi: 16th June, 2021 – The Global Green Finance Leadership Program (GFLP), recently held a webinar on green finance for the Central Asia region, attended by more than 300 participants from central banks, financial regulators, local banks, international organizations (IOs), and research institutions in the region. More than 30 experts from Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, China and the UK were convened to share their insights on green investments, green taxonomies, environmental and social risk management, and biodiversity. The event was co-hosted by the Beijing Institute of Finance and Sustainability (BIFS), the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), and the Mongolian Sustainable Finance Association (MSFA), with support from the UK PACT program.
This event was a timely response to the many carbon neutrality announcements that developing countries have made recently, such as those along the Belt and Road, like Kazakhstan. It is imperative to examine their current capacity and future needs for achieving these goals. As a network for knowledge sharing and capacity building in green finance, the GFLP looked into this issue and launched the report, Paving the Way for Green Finance Development in Central Asia, which assessed the baseline of green finance progress in the region and developed recommendations for multiple stakeholders to scale-up green investments, including local governments and IOs. The report estimates that significant amounts of green finance and capacity building will be needed to achieve carbon neutrality goals in Central Asia, where economies rely significantly on fossil fuel-related activities and therefore need deep and rapid energy transitions.
Jenny McInnes, Deputy Director of International Climate Finance, UK BEIS said in her opening remarks that, “UK PACT works in partnership with countries to accelerate the global climate transition. We need to raise the ambition and ability of all countries ahead of COP 26”.
Jenny McInnes, Deputy Director, International Climate Finance, BEIS
In parallel to major announcements on carbon neutrality, major banks and financial institutions operating in the Belt and Road region have signed up to the Green Investment Principles (GIP) for the Belt and Road to improve their capacity for environmental risk management and look for green investment opportunities. During this event, the GIP launched its first regional chapter, chaired by Mr. Yaseen Anwar, the former Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), and hosted by AIFC Green Finance Center. The main aim of this regional chapter is to enhance engagement with local stakeholders, identify prospective GIP members and collect green projects to be shared among existing members as potential investments.
Dr Ma Jun, President of the BIFS and Chairman of China Green Finance Committee, stated, “the greening of the global economy requires the greening of every single administration, including the involvement of local institutions of emerging market economies. That gives us our motivation for the launching of this regional chapter”.
Ma Jun, Chairman of China Green Finance Committee
“The core function of the chapter is to develop GIP knowledge and activities, build capacity for green and sustainable investment, as well as solve practical problems faced by investors and corporates who wish to make more green investments.” Mr. Yaseen Anwar, Chairman of GIP Central Asia.
Yaseen Anwar, Chairman of GIP Central Asia
Experts from investment institutions in Kazakhstan, Mongolia and the UK shared cases of green investments, specifically promoting green investment with energy transition and infrastructure development. Sima Kamil, Deputy Governor of the SBP emphasized that extensive financial resources would be needed to accelerate sustainability development and that they just launched a national program on environmental and social risk management.
Speakers under the green taxonomies session introduced different major green taxonomies in the world, where Sean Kidney, CEO of the Climate Bonds Initiative, shared the global trends of green taxonomy development. Ms. Raux from UNEP FI presented the results of their internal test application of EU taxonomy and walked through how a taxonomy-aligned loan would be like. Experts from Mongolia and Kazakhstan also introduced their respective green taxonomies and implementation in their domestic markets.
As more and more banks have been aware of the role of Environmental and Social Risk Management (ESRM), Ms. Chuluunkhuu Baartar from Trade and Development Bank of Mongolia explained the bank’s E&S risk assessment process and its integration in the banking system. Ms. Yuan Wei from IFC shared their approach for risk assessment — an ESMS pyramid which emphasized the role of top-down behavioural change from the management, and training and capacity building among the employees, as well as ESG policy and procedures as benchmarks. Bankers from the Development Bank of Kazakhstan assessed the opportunity and risk of renewable energy in the country and their impacts on renewable energy projects.
The topic on the connection between biodiversity and the financial sector has been quite new. Experts from UNEP FI and WWF emphasized the importance of biodiversity and the accelerating crisis in nature by pointing out that the global living planet index reduced 68% from 1970 to 2016. Although biodiversity loss might cause finical risks, as presented by Nick Robins of the London School of Economics and Political Science and the NGFS from the perspective of central banking and financial regulation, nature and biodiversity protection would also create great financial opportunities, e.g. nature-related debt, bonds & funds and other instruments were already found in the market. BIOFIN expert Ainura Shalakhanova from UNDP Kazakhstan argued that financial support for biodiversity in Kazakhstan faced around 50% gap and the solutions for the gap could include ecotourism certification, carbon offsets, etc. (GFLP)
Generation, a clothing brand based in Pakistan, came under fire for posting an irresponsible picture in their Instagram story. The story was offensive to the Hindu community but thankfully, it was not just the Hindus but also, Muslims, speaking against this act.
Let’s see what the story was, first!
Generation took to their Instagram stories a photo that showed a wall with a poster taped on; they found it funny. The poster featured a meme but that meme was based on a Hindu belief, one of their gods. According to Hinduism, one of their goddesses has multiple hands. The one who created this meme, and the brand that reshared it weirdly found it funny. Knowing that if it was an attack on their religion, they wouldn’t tolerate it, it is sad that they felt someone else’s religion could be insulted.
Netizens school Generation
Offended, a number of people expressed their irritation at the ignorance. They couldn’t believe that a brand that portrays itself as socially aware, could do such a thing.
Image Source: FacebookImage Source: Facebook
Netizens also expressed discomfort on the idea that there is no blasphemy law when it comes to religions other than Islam.
Image Source: FacebookImage Source: Facebook
Anyway, after much schooling, just like any other brand would do to avoid conflict, Generation issued the apology. But it was still beyond the netizens’ grasp how could one even do this, regardless of whether the apology was made or not.
Image Source: Instagram
In Pakistan, we are quick to pass extreme fatwas and judgments against even alleged blasphemy cases when it comes to Islam. However, we do not exercise the same honesty when it comes to blasphemy against other religions. It hasn’t been that long when Jannat Mirza, the TikTok star had offended the Christian community. And now, a popular brand has offended the Hindu community.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates!
KARACHI, 14th June, 2021 – Bagallery announces its 4th year in the e-commerce industry with a mega Anniversary Party that has taken the internet by storm. The campaign will last for 5 days, starting from 26th– 30th June with more than 750+ brands on offer, featuring beauty, lifestyle & fashion products in this mega campaign with jaw-dropping discounts up to 80% off!
The #1 beauty, fashion e-commerce store in Pakistan is also partnering up with the industry’s leading names such as Unilever has announced its platinum partnership for the campaign, as well as L’Oreal who are on board as gold partners. Those customers who shop through HBL or Bank Alfalah can also obtain an additional 10% off through an exclusive payment partnership. Moreover, a virtual activity will take place called “#SpotthePartyBox” in collaboration with Maybelline New York, where participants can win big prizes! Lastly, Bagallery will collaborate with Teeli Productions for a web series exploring the various nuances of online shopping.
The leading online fashion store of Pakistan has a lot in stores for its customers. Firstly, the #partyonlinechallenge sees passionate beauty fans who showcase their creativity and get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to win an iPhone 12! Secondly, Bagallery has created its own jingle for the campaign, and will allow it for public use for people to make humorous videos out of them. Lastly, Bagallery will release exclusive video content with the top fashion and makeup influencers with the likes of Mehak Raheel, Hunaina Rasool & Saman.
Islamabad June 16th, 2020: Prime Minister’s Kamyab Jawan and PepsiCo Pakistan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to offer the largest internship program in the country. Through the MoU, PepsiCo and its bottling partners will offer 1000 internships for students from across the country through a virtual internship program. The internship program will prepare students for their professional careers by giving them the experience of working in a business environment.
PepsiCo’s ambition of rolling out a large-scale initiative for youth has been made possible through leveraging its ‘Roshan Kal’ platform. PepsiCo Roshan Kal is a youth platform that develops the professional skills of students through internships and skills development programs. Roshan Kal has created over 5300 opportunities for youth through its internship program and its professional skills development program that is run in collaboration with Amal Academy. Present at the occasion Mr. Furqan Ahmed Syed, CEO PepsiCo Pakistan and Afghanistan commented ‘Creating opportunities for the Pakistani youth is a government priority and part of PepsiCo’s DNA. I believe this synergy between Kamyab Jawan and Roshan Kal has created an opportunity to develop the skills of our youth at an unprecedented scale.’
The Prime Minister’s Kamyab Jawan program is rooted in the principles of education, employment and engagement for the youth of Pakistan. The program operates a number of schemes for youth. These include internships, loans for entrepreneurship, skills development, volunteering programs and supporting talented youth in fast-tracking their ideas through a ‘start up’ program. Mr. Usman Dar, The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Youth Affairs was present at the MoU signing ceremony. He commented ‘our best hope for a new and changed Pakistan is supporting economically productive, politically responsible socially integrated youth who espouse the values of merit, equity, volunteerism, inclusivity and tolerance. This partnership is yet another step taken for a brighter future of the country. I thank PepsiCo for joining us in this important journey.
