Comments - Pakistan's Research Output Growth Among the World's Fastest in 2018 - PakAlumni Worldwide: The Global Social Network 2024-03-29T13:47:41Zhttp://nedians.ning.com/profiles/comment/feed?attachedTo=1119293%3ABlogPost%3A122699&xn_auth=noTop European Research Labs Se…tag:nedians.ning.com,2023-06-29:1119293:Comment:4251972023-06-29T00:07:05.812ZRiaz Haqhttp://nedians.ning.com/profile/riazul
<p>Top European Research Labs Select Three teams of Secondary school students-- One Each Netherlands, Pakistan and the US--For Own Accelerator Beam Experiments at CERN and DESY<br></br><br></br><br></br><a href="https://home.cern/news/press-release/cern/three-teams-secondary-school-pupils-netherlands-pakistan-and-usa-win-10th" target="_blank">https://home.cern/news/press-release/cern/three-teams-secondary-school-pupils-netherlands-pakistan-and-usa-win-10th</a><br></br><br></br><br></br>Geneva and Hamburg, 28 June…</p>
<p>Top European Research Labs Select Three teams of Secondary school students-- One Each Netherlands, Pakistan and the US--For Own Accelerator Beam Experiments at CERN and DESY<br/><br/><br/><a href="https://home.cern/news/press-release/cern/three-teams-secondary-school-pupils-netherlands-pakistan-and-usa-win-10th" target="_blank">https://home.cern/news/press-release/cern/three-teams-secondary-school-pupils-netherlands-pakistan-and-usa-win-10th</a><br/><br/><br/>Geneva and Hamburg, 28 June 2023. In 2023, for the second time in the history of the Beamline for Schools competition, the evaluation committee selected three winning teams. The team “Myriad Magnets” from the Philips Exeter Academy, in Exeter, United States, and the team “Particular Perspective”, which brings together pupils from the Islamabad College for Boys, the Supernova School in Islamabad, the Cadet College in Hasanabdal, the Siddeeq Public School in Rawalpindi and the Cedar College in Karachi, Pakistan, will travel to CERN, Geneva, in September 2023 to perform the experiments that they proposed. The team “Wire Wizards” from the Augustinianum school in Eindhoven, Netherlands, will be hosted at DESY (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron in Hamburg, Germany) to carry out its experiment.<br/><br/><br/>Beamline for Schools (BL4S) is a physics competition open to secondary school pupils from all around the world. The participants are invited to prepare a proposal for a physics experiment that can be undertaken at the beamline of a particle accelerator. A beamline is a facility that provides high-energy fluxes of subatomic particles that can be used to conduct experiments in different fields, including fundamental physics, material science and medicine.<br/><br/>---<br/>“Congratulations to this year’s winners – may they have good beams, collect interesting data and generally have the time of their lives,” says Christoph Rembser, a CERN physicist at the ATLAS experiment and one of the founders of Beamline for Schools. “Every year I am astonished by how many young people submit very creative, interesting proposals. In 2014, we weren’t sure at all whether this competition would work. Ten years and 16 000 participants later, I am proud to say that it is obviously a resounding success.”<br/><br/>The fruitful collaboration between CERN and DESY started in 2019 during the shutdown period of the CERN accelerators. This year, the German laboratory will host its fifth team of winners.<br/><br/><br/>------<br/><br/>The Pakistan team “Particular Perspective” will measure in detail the beam composition of the T10 beamline of the CERN Proton Synchrotron accelerator. The experiment set-up they designed will make it possible to differentiate between different particle species and measure their intensity.<br/><br/>“I am grateful to BL4S for having provided me with an opportunity to represent my country, Pakistan, and its budding community of aspiring physicists. This is a chance for us to experience physics at the highest level and will inspire people with interests similar to ours to reach greater heights,” says Muhammad Salman Tarar from the “Particular Perspective” team.<br/><br/>-------<br/><br/>The “Wire Wizards” team’s experiment focuses on detector development. The Dutch students designed and built a multi-wire proportional chamber (MWPC), a gas detector able to measure the position of a particle interacting with it, and they plan to characterise it using the electron beam available at DESY.<br/><br/>“The BL4S competition provides us with a unique educational experience that will be a highlight in our time as students,” says Leon Verreijt from the “Wire Wizards” team.<br/><br/>The winners have been selected by a committee of CERN and DESY scientists from a shortlist of 27 particularly promising experiments. All the teams in the shortlist will be awarded special prizes. In addition, one team will be recognised for the most creative video and 10 teams for the quality of physics outreach activities they are organising in their local communities, taking advantage of the knowledge gained by taking part in BL4S.<br/><br/></p>
<p class="comment-timestamp"></p> Pioneering Stem Cell Research…tag:nedians.ning.com,2023-02-23:1119293:Comment:4200272023-02-23T02:01:47.968ZRiaz Haqhttp://nedians.ning.com/profile/riazul
<p><span>Pioneering Stem Cell Research Conference at The Aga Khan University Brings Together Global Experts</span><br></br><br></br><a href="https://www.aku.edu/news/Pages/News_Details.aspx?nid=NEWS-002937" rel="noopener" target="_blank">https://www.aku.edu/news/Pages/News_Details.aspx?nid=NEWS-002937</a><br></br><br></br><span>The 8th Annual Surgical Conference in Pakistan aimed to promote collaboration between clinical specialties and basic science by convening experts from academia, research labs, and…</span></p>
<p><span>Pioneering Stem Cell Research Conference at The Aga Khan University Brings Together Global Experts</span><br/><br/><a href="https://www.aku.edu/news/Pages/News_Details.aspx?nid=NEWS-002937" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.aku.edu/news/Pages/News_Details.aspx?nid=NEWS-002937</a><br/><br/><span>The 8th Annual Surgical Conference in Pakistan aimed to promote collaboration between clinical specialties and basic science by convening experts from academia, research labs, and healthcare organizations worldwide. The conference focused on the latest developments, challenges, and opportunities in the field of stem cell research and its implications for surgery, with the aim of fostering innovative solutions for fatal diseases, such as heart diseases, strokes, burns, various cancers, diabetes and more. These are increasingly burdening the healthcare system and economy of Pakistan, and the overall quality of life of Pakistanis.</span><br/><br/><span>The chief guest, Prof Atta-ur-Rehman who is a UNESCO Science Laureate and Professor Emeritus, International Centre for Chemical & Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, said: “Sharing ideas is the first step towards innovation, and this conference is an unprecedented move towards encouraging discussions about the challenges associated with the field of stem cell science." Prof Rehman has previously served as Pakistan's Federal Minister of Education and Science and Technology.</span><br/><br/><span>50 experts from around the world participated in the discourse, with keynote addresses by Helena Pereira De Melo from Nova School of Law Lisbon, Portugal, Catherine Prescott from Cambridge Network, UK, and Marita Eisemann-Klein from Germany, to name a few.</span><br/><br/><span>Distinguished guest speakers, most of whom were invited from outside of Pakistan, delivered talks at the conference. Professor Arnold Richard Kriegstein, from the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research at the University of California and San Francisco (UCSF), commended the Aga Khan University for its pioneering efforts in initiating stem cell research in Pakistan and expressed pride in collaborating with the University to establish the stem cell center at AKU.</span><br/><br/><span>Professor Ather Enam, the Scientific Director of AKU's Juma Research Laboratory emphasized the significance of the conference stating that it was a one-of-a-kind event in the University's history that centered around the theme of bringing stem cell research from bench to bedside and into clinical trials. It was a unique opportunity for field experts, policymakers, and other stakeholders to collaborate and build momentum towards this goal.</span><br/><br/><span>Dr. Saleem Islam, the Chair of Surgery at AKU, stressed the importance of conducting basic science research in the region, despite the difficulties that come with it. Dr. Islam asserted that the reason AKU and Pakistan pursue this type of research is precisely because it presents a formidable challenge and that they must persevere in their commitment to undertaking challenging work.</span><br/><br/><span>In addition to the main conference, a series of pre-conference workshops were conducted to provide researchers with hands-on training and capacity building in stem cell science and biotechnology. The event also provided a platform for young researchers to showcase their work through oral and poster presentations and engage with their peers from around the world, thus fostering the exchange of scientific knowledge and building translational bridges. The conference proceedings are now available as a special supplement in the Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association.</span></p> Stem Cell Research in Pakista…tag:nedians.ning.com,2023-02-23:1119293:Comment:4198562023-02-23T02:01:04.775ZRiaz Haqhttp://nedians.ning.com/profile/riazul
<p><span>Stem Cell Research in Pakistan; Past, Present and Future</span><br></br><br></br><br></br><span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4445703/" target="_blank">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4445703/</a></span><br></br><br></br><span>Major research project related to stem cells in Pakistan</span><br></br><span>Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Pakistan Science foundation (PSF) has approved many research projects on stem cells recently i.e. Dr. Asmat Salim doing research on…</span></p>
<p><span>Stem Cell Research in Pakistan; Past, Present and Future</span><br/><br/><br/><span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4445703/" target="_blank">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4445703/</a></span><br/><br/><span>Major research project related to stem cells in Pakistan</span><br/><span>Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Pakistan Science foundation (PSF) has approved many research projects on stem cells recently i.e. Dr. Asmat Salim doing research on “Role of preconditioned and genetically modified mesenchymal stem cells in the regeneration of cardiac tissue” in University of Karachi. Another project by Dr. Fridoon Jawad Ahmad is on “Development of Stem Cell therapy for Patients Suffering from Heart Disease in Pakistan” in King Edward Medical University, Lahore. Ongoing project by PSF is “Preconditioning of the stem and progenitor cells to increase their cardiomyogenic potential” (27). Besides this, there are few other projects which are going on in collaborations with American and European universities and research institutes and Pakistani researchers visit those labs and work there.</span><br/><br/><span>Go to:</span><br/><span>Stem cells research institutes in Pakistan</span><br/><span>As stem cells have created a great hype all over the world so stem cells research institutes/centers are also increasing in Pakistan. There is no specific institute or center that is fully dedicated for stem cells research but there are many institutes which have dedicated labs for stem cells research. The major centers in Pakistan that are working in area of stem cells include, Centre of excellence in molecular biology (CEMB), Center for Advanced Molecular Biology (CAMB), Dr. Punjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (University of Karachi), Shahid Zulfiqaar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST), Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Quaid-i-Azam University, King Edward Medical University (KEMU) Lahore, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Rawalpindi, Atta ur-Rehman School of Applied Biology (NUST, Islamabad), Agha Khan University (AKU), Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) and School of Biological Sciences (University of the Punjab) etc. There are also some private hospitals which are working in this area and the most famous hospital is National Institute of Blood Disease and Bone Marrow Transplantation (NIBD), Karachi. There is also a private center (CryoCell Pak), collecting and storing umbilical cord blood (UCB) so stem cells from UCB could be used later in life when required (Table 1).</span></p> #Karachi's Aga Khan Universit…tag:nedians.ning.com,2022-05-22:1119293:Comment:4082192022-05-22T14:18:55.823ZRiaz Haqhttp://nedians.ning.com/profile/riazul
<p><span>#Karachi's Aga Khan University Prof Zulfiqar Bhutta ranked among top 100 scientists in #medicine globally. He is the only scientist from #Pakistan and the low- and middle-income countries who made it to the top 100. #Pediatrics #AKU @AKUGlobal @PFL_aku…</span></p>
<p><span>#Karachi's Aga Khan University Prof Zulfiqar Bhutta ranked among top 100 scientists in #medicine globally. He is the only scientist from #Pakistan and the low- and middle-income countries who made it to the top 100. #Pediatrics #AKU @AKUGlobal @PFL_aku <a href="https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/959688-prof-zulfiqar-bhutta-ranked-among-top-100-scientists-in-medicine-globally" target="_blank">https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/959688-prof-zulfiqar-bhutta-ranked-among-top-100-scientists-in-medicine-globally</a></span><br/><br/><span>Professor Zulfiqar Bhutta of the Aga Khan University (AKU) has been ranked among the top 100 medicine scientists in the first edition of top scientists ranking for medicine published by Research.com, one of the major knowledge centres for medicine research</span><br/><br/><span>The ranking is based on criteria that consider h-index, which indicates how productive and influential a researcher is, as well as publications and citations.</span><br/><br/><span>The ranking team examined 166,880 scientists on Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic Graph, and over 65,743 profiles for the discipline of medicine.</span><br/><br/><span>Professor Bhutta is the only scientist from Pakistan and the low- and middle-income countries who made it to the top 100.</span><br/><br/><span>“As is the case for other recent recognitions, though a personal recognition, this ranking reflects the achievements of scores of young researchers and faculty members across the world who have worked with me on problems of the most marginalised and impoverished women and children in poor communities,” commented Professor Bhutta, who is the founding director of the Centre of Excellence in Women and Child Health and the Institute for Global Health and Development at AKU, and co-director of the SickKids Centre for Global Child Health, Robert Harding Chair in Global Child Health and Policy, and a senior scientist in the Child Health Evaluative Sciences programme at The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto.</span><br/><br/><span>“Congratulations to Professor Bhutta and his team for this great achievement. Their relevant research at the AKU has changed lives not only in the countries where we seek to serve but also globally,” said AKU President Sulaiman Shahabuddin.</span><br/><br/><span>Professor Bhutta is one of the original members of the AKU’s faculty since the establishment of the university.</span><br/><br/><span>Having begun his career at AKU in 1986, the university provided a foundation for the development of an illustrious career in which he built research programmes on maternal and child health and nutrition with national and global impact, despite the challenges of political turmoil and economic insecurity in Pakistan.</span><br/><br/><span>Between 1996 and 2002, Professor Bhutta and his team at the university undertook extensive community outreach and research programme in an urban slum of Karachi and several rural areas of Pakistan, which then expanded to many regions and provinces of Pakistan as well as other low- and middle-income countries.</span><br/><br/><span>Over the last two decades, he has closely collaborated with the government of Pakistan to assess effectiveness of health care approaches and innovations in real-world settings through partnering with public sector community health workers.</span><br/><br/><span>Many of these large community-based cluster randomised trials led by Professor Bhutta have generated findings that changed global policy, most notably the finding that using chlorhexidine for cord care among home births was associated with significant reduction in the risk of neonatal sepsis and death, and that public sector community health workers could successfully work with communities to reach those at greatest risk and reduce perinatal mortality as well as maternal morbidities.</span><br/><br/><span>His work has been the foundation of multiple international guidelines, including changing the World Health Organisation policy on the treatment of persistent diarrhoea and malnutrition along with establishing lady health workers (LHW) as foundational members of community-based interventions in Pakistan, South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.</span></p> U (University of Utah) team t…tag:nedians.ning.com,2022-03-17:1119293:Comment:4070452022-03-17T20:33:15.710ZRiaz Haqhttp://nedians.ning.com/profile/riazul
<p><span>U (University of Utah) team travels to Pakistan to launch $19 million USAID initiative</span><br></br><br></br><span><a href="https://attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff/u-team-travels-to-pakistan-to-launch-19-million-usaid-initiative/" target="_blank">https://attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff/u-team-travels-to-pakistan-to-launch-19-million-usaid-initiative/</a></span><br></br><br></br><br></br><span>University of Utah officials recently traveled to Islamabad, Pakistan to hold the first Stakeholders Meeting of the…</span></p>
<p><span>U (University of Utah) team travels to Pakistan to launch $19 million USAID initiative</span><br/><br/><span><a href="https://attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff/u-team-travels-to-pakistan-to-launch-19-million-usaid-initiative/" target="_blank">https://attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff/u-team-travels-to-pakistan-to-launch-19-million-usaid-initiative/</a></span><br/><br/><br/><span>University of Utah officials recently traveled to Islamabad, Pakistan to hold the first Stakeholders Meeting of the new Higher Education Systems Strengthening Activity (HESSA)—a United States Agency for International Development (USAID)—funded initiative aimed at enriching the country’s higher education system. A 5-year, $19 million grant was awarded to the U and partners by USAID to provide technical assistance for the project. Representatives from the U’s Office for Global Engagement, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering and College of Education are leading the initiative. Other U.S. project partners include the University of Alabama and the Institute of International Education.</span><br/><br/><span>These U.S. institutions will work closely with Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC). Together, they will provide training aimed at bolstering the administrative systems, curriculum and student life supports that will ultimately help students meet the needs of the contemporary workplace.</span><br/><br/><span>HESSA-trained member institutions will then promote best practices in undergraduate and graduate education and strengthen the contributions of research universities to the country’s economy. “This important strategic initiative will increase access to and improve the quality of our higher education institutions in Pakistan,” said HESSA Chief of Party Aslam Chaudhry.</span><br/><br/><span>“The University of Utah is a global university with engagement in over 200 countries. This USAID grant builds on our existing relationships in Pakistan and will allow us to grow opportunities for Pakistani students and our educators,” said Taylor Randall, president of the University of Utah. “We look forward to working with our U.S. partners and Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission to strengthen Pakistan’s educational infrastructure and achieve its goal to provide students an excellent academic experience.”</span><br/><br/><span>The U has remained involved in Pakistan’s higher education development since the 2014 launch of the U.S.-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water—also a USAID-funded initiative, aimed at helping to train the next generation of the country’s water engineers. The reputation garnered during that project led to additional educational initiatives and capacity-building partnerships throughout the country.</span><br/><br/><span>“Expanding upon our long-standing higher education partnerships in Pakistan is an exciting endeavor that will foster the definition of academic rigor in the region,” said Michael Barber, chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and principal investigator, HESSA Project. “Our team enjoys exchanging knowledge and ideas to help international higher education institutions meet their evolving needs. In doing so, we learn so much about global challenges and opportunities that we can then bring back to Utah to share with our colleagues and students.”</span><br/><br/><span>The University of Utah is fast becoming known for international thought-leadership and the HESSA project is a continuation of that work. “Projects of this caliber make me very excited to be stepping into the role of Chief Global Officer at this time,” said Brian Gibson, who recently joined the U’s Office for Global Engagement. “We look forward to helping USAID deliver on its international development mission on behalf of the American people.”</span></p> A team led by Pakistani scien…tag:nedians.ning.com,2022-02-15:1119293:Comment:4066992022-02-15T19:23:56.735ZRiaz Haqhttp://nedians.ning.com/profile/riazul
<p><span>A team led by Pakistani scientist has developed a promising solar cell technology that sets two new world records of efficiency in the lab. The approach could help foster clean energy initiatives to combat the global warming issue.…</span><br></br><br></br></p>
<p><span>A team led by Pakistani scientist has developed a promising solar cell technology that sets two new world records of efficiency in the lab. The approach could help foster clean energy initiatives to combat the global warming issue.</span><br/><br/><span><a href="https://tribune.com.pk/story/2343626/pakistani-scientist-sets-two-world-records-in-solar-cell-technology?fbclid=IwAR1044xn7jVqxoIbg0nxaiVdsfemY64iwSfEnO31PzBMsW-eXiI_FlYZOXg" target="_blank">https://tribune.com.pk/story/2343626/pakistani-scientist-sets-two-world-records-in-solar-cell-technology?fbclid=IwAR1044xn7jVqxoIbg0nxaiVdsfemY64iwSfEnO31PzBMsW-eXiI_FlYZOXg</a></span><br/><br/><span>Yasir Siddique – a PhD scholar at the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) and the University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon, South Korea – has designed and fabricated solution-processed Copper Indium Sulphu Selenide (CISSe) solar cells.</span><br/><br/><span>The stable solution-processed, low bandgap CISSe device perfectly works as a single cell, but could also be sandwiched with other thin-film solar cell materials having suitable bandgap as top cell-like recently emerging solar cell technology of Perovskite in tandem solar cell configuration.</span><br/><br/><span>The bandgap is the amount of energy needed to free the electron from any semiconductor; the lower the bandgap the more it produces electricity.</span><br/><br/><span>Our sun is an average 150 million kilometres away but a primary source of light and heat for our planet. Theoretically, the sun throws 1,360 watts per square metre of mixed energy on a surface directly facing it.</span><br/><br/><span>However, the sunlight on any solar cell largely reflected or passed through the structure and a few per cent of energy converts directly from sunlight into electricity. So, the power conversion rate, roughly called the efficiency is the degree to which a solar cell converts energy from sunrays.</span><br/><br/><span>There are many types of solar cells with varied efficiencies. The first, second and third generation of solar cells is another way to describe them. Different types of solar cell have different efficiencies for instance traditional silicon cell has efficiency from 15 to 20 per cent while concentrated solar cells could be 41 per cent efficient but need focused beams at one place.</span><br/><br/><span>However, Siddique’s cell falls in the emerging trend of Tandem solar technology and is now most efficient in its category.</span></p> #Pakistan researchers claim p…tag:nedians.ning.com,2019-04-30:1119293:Comment:1249012019-04-30T02:52:56.506ZRiaz Haqhttp://nedians.ning.com/profile/riazul
<p><span>#Pakistan researchers claim producing low-cost artificial #skin. A team of #doctors, #biologists and #microbiologists has produced cloned #biological skin at a laboratory in #Lahore. They claim it is higher quality than produced in #US, #Europe. …</span><br></br></p>
<p><span>#Pakistan researchers claim producing low-cost artificial #skin. A team of #doctors, #biologists and #microbiologists has produced cloned #biological skin at a laboratory in #Lahore. They claim it is higher quality than produced in #US, #Europe. </span><br/><span><a href="https://www.jpost.com/HEALTH-SCIENCE/Researchers-in-Pakistan-We-can-manufacture-low-cost-artificial-skin-588236" target="_blank">https://www.jpost.com/HEALTH-SCIENCE/Researchers-in-Pakistan-We-can-manufacture-low-cost-artificial-skin-588236</a></span><br/><br/><span>The University of Health Sciences has formally requested recognition of its artificial human skin from the country’s Drug Regulatory Authority, and the process is expected to be completed soon.</span><br/><br/><span>“We have signed an agreement with the representative body of the Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA),” Akram said. “A consortium of 20 large companies will manufacture the skin and related medications. We have made sure it will be available at low cost. Also, companies will export it globally.”</span><br/><br/><span>Haseeb Khan, a representative of the PPMA, confirmed that a memorandum of understanding had been signed with the University of Health Sciences to produce the human skin locally.</span><br/><br/><span>“We have placed an order to import advanced machinery from Canada and Spain,” Khan told The Media Line. “We have agreed to produce artificial human skin, the pupil of the human eye, and cells of kidneys in Pakistan according to international standards.”</span><br/><br/><span>According to Dr. Rauf Ahmed, a renowned microbiologist in Pakistan who played a vital role in producing the skin, its quality is better than that of skin manufactured in the US and Europe.</span><br/><br/><span>“It took local doctors only eight days to prepare a single draft of artificial biological skin,” Ahmed told The Media Line. “Some chemicals and chemical substances are used during the preparation. They are less expensive in Pakistan as compared to the US and EU. That’s why we have managed to keep the costs low.”</span><br/><br/><span>Dr. Yasmin Rashid, the provincial health minister, called the production of cloned biological skin by local doctors a “landmark achievement.”</span><br/><br/><span>“Pakistan spent millions of dollars on the import of human skin annually,” Rashid told The Media Line. “Now it will be available in Pakistan at low cost.”</span></p> Pakistan’s digital revolution…tag:nedians.ning.com,2018-12-27:1119293:Comment:1233002018-12-27T18:16:26.487ZRiaz Haqhttp://nedians.ning.com/profile/riazul
<h1 class="article__headline">Pakistan’s digital revolution is happening faster than you think</h1>
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<p><a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/11/pakistan-s-digital-revolution-is-happening-faster-than-you-think/" target="_blank">https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/11/pakistan-s-digital-revolution-is-happening-faster-than-you-think/</a></p>
<div class="article-body"><div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>The digital power of China’s Belt & Road Initiative…</p>
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<h1 class="article__headline">Pakistan’s digital revolution is happening faster than you think</h1>
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<p><a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/11/pakistan-s-digital-revolution-is-happening-faster-than-you-think/" target="_blank">https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/11/pakistan-s-digital-revolution-is-happening-faster-than-you-think/</a></p>
<div class="article-body"><div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>The digital power of China’s Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) is slowly unfolding and shaping into a whole new area of opportunity.</p>
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<div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>When the BRI took global centre stage in 2013, most conversations revolved around traditional infrastructure: building roads, railways, power sources and linking borders. However, the digital awakening that BRI brings, and the associated development of human capital and innovation, is much more powerful.</p>
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<div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>The global map is being altered at a much faster rate than anticipated due to the disruption created by digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and blockchain. Further digital and technological disruption is now set to mend fractures in society – leading to improved living conditions and enhanced economic empowerment.</p>
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<div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>This disruption has given new life to e-commerce and the start-up scene in BRI countries. In light of the<span> </span><a href="https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-global-competitveness-report-2018">Global Competitiveness Index 4.0</a>, it is extremely important that economies grow in all areas, overcoming challenges and making investment in human capital and innovation. Resilience and agility are key.</p>
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<div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>Looking at the South Asian region, some of the traditional deterrents to growth have been inadequate transport facilities, patchy power supplies and lack of financial inclusion. As we have seen in the past, industrial revolutions take their time to reach developing countries but the Fourth Industrial Revolution has been quick to reach all corners of the world.</p>
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<div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>Billions of dollars of investment are bridging the infrastructure and power supply gap while improving technology – the goal is to look past the problems that have hindered the road to progress in countries along the BRI.</p>
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<div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>The flagship project of the BRI, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is a major collaboration between China and Pakistan, has been rapidly progressing and the impact of the project can be seen in the lives of Pakistani people, as reflected in an improving human development index.</p>
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<div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>Pakistan, which is emerging from many years of the war on terror, is now on a decent path to progress, with economic growth of 5.8% and improved investor confidence. At the World Economic Forum in 2017, Ebay’s chief executive, Devin Wenig,<span> </span><a href="https://tribune.com.pk/story/1298101/ebay-ceo-terms-pakistan-fastest-growing-e-commerce-market/">highlighted Pakistan</a><span> </span>as one of the fastest growing e-commerce markets in the world.<span> </span><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-08/alibaba-buys-rocket-s-online-retailer-daraz-in-pakistan-push">In 2018, Alibaba bought Pakistan’s largest e-commerce platform, Daraz.pk</a>.</p>
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<div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>Growth is being accelerated by other major investments in power and connectivity infrastructure, technology and digital infrastructure. Ant Financial Services, China’s biggest online payment service provider, recently bought a 45% stake in Telenor Microfinance Bank, in<span> </span><a href="https://www.telenor.com/media/press-release/telenor-group-and-ant-financial-in-strategic-partnership-to-deliver-inclusive-financial-services-in-pakistan/">a deal that valued the Pakistani bank at $410 million</a>.</p>
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<div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>Irfan Wahab, chief executive of Telenor Pakistan, called the deal a “game changer”; while Eric Jing, chief executive of Ant Financial, said it would provide “inclusive financial services in a transparent, safe, low-cost and efficient way to a largely unbanked and underbanked population in Pakistan”.</p>
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<div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>This kind of investment will benefit from the significant demographic dividend in Pakistan, targeting the largely unbanked young population, and providing not only financial inclusion but also a base on which to build digital businesses.</p>
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<div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>What the country needs now is to improve its position on the innovation and financial inclusion indices, currently at 89 and 75 respectively, on the<span> </span><a href="https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-global-competitveness-report-2018">World Economic Forum’s Competitiveness Index 2018</a>.</p>
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<a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/GCR2018/05FullReport/TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport2018.pdf"><img alt=" " src="https://assets.weforum.org/editor/12NH7U4uxLQjWKbUYvihWvQX57ijOoKGGTbgJsFZZZM.png"/></a><br />
<div class="image__credit">Image: World Economic Forum</div>
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<div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>CPEC is creating the atmosphere for investments like this, which improve connectivity with infrastructure and digital advances. The prospects for getting more benefits out of the project have improved further with the change of government in Pakistan. By providing more transparency in CPEC deals, the government of Pakistan is ensuring a safe investment that will not lead the country into danger.</p>
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<div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>It has been observed that populations in countries with large digital and technological divides are fast adopters of technology. China is at the forefront of developing future technologies – artificial intelligence, robotics, cyber and space technologies – making it a promising partner for countries along the BRI.</p>
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<div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>This demonstrates the opportunity presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which can uplift people by merging the physical, digital and biological worlds to create a better quality of life and "harnessing and converging technologies in order to create an inclusive, human-centred future".</p>
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<div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>The underlying concern for stakeholders in Pakistan and the rest of the region is to improve skills and create a future-ready workforce with an understanding of digital media and knowledge about entrepreneurship.</p>
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<div class="st__content-block st__content-block--text"><p>The rapid completion of CPEC projects and the use of digital technology in the process is disrupting the economy and the lives of people at the same time. The question is whether Pakistan’s leadership will choose to embrace these technologies and take advantage of the biggest project on the road to progress. The future is full of opportunities and promise.</p>
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<p></p> These 19 developments shaped…tag:nedians.ning.com,2018-12-27:1119293:Comment:1232992018-12-27T18:13:01.390ZRiaz Haqhttp://nedians.ning.com/profile/riazul
<p><span>These 19 developments shaped Pakistan's economic future in 2018</span><br></br><br></br><span><a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1452810" target="_blank">https://www.dawn.com/news/1452810</a></span><br></br><br></br><span>Overall, 2018 saw Pakistan's economy buckle under increasing pressure, with decreasing foreign exchange reserves, increasing trade deficit, circular debt as well as foreign loans taking a toll on macroeconomic health.</span><br></br><br></br><span>As a result, the economy suffered while…</span></p>
<p><span>These 19 developments shaped Pakistan's economic future in 2018</span><br/><br/><span><a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1452810" target="_blank">https://www.dawn.com/news/1452810</a></span><br/><br/><span>Overall, 2018 saw Pakistan's economy buckle under increasing pressure, with decreasing foreign exchange reserves, increasing trade deficit, circular debt as well as foreign loans taking a toll on macroeconomic health.</span><br/><br/><span>As a result, the economy suffered while resources were diverted to handling power crises, import bills, and other issues. The country's foreign exchange reserves also remained under pressure.</span><br/><br/><span>Given that this was an election year, the outgoing PML-N government presented a populist budget, considerably slashing income tax slabs which put a further burden on the economy.</span><br/><br/><span>After Islamabad witnessed a regime change, the newly elected government increased taxes on utilities and luxury goods to mitigate the deficit. Side by side, a significant depreciation in the value of local currency also played a role in increasing inflation.</span><br/><br/><span>Meanwhile, friendly countries came forward to rescue the country's economy. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) provided a lifeline of $3 billion each to maintain foreign exchange reserves.</span><br/><br/><span>The KSA additionally provided a deferred payment facility of $3bn, while the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development financed eight development projects in Pakistan with a total value of AED1.5bn, including AED931 million in grants.</span><br/><br/><span>During the first half of the year, a tax amnesty scheme was launched for foreign asset holders. During the outgoing year, stricter regulations were imposed by the State Bank of Pakistan and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan on asset inflows and outflows.</span><br/><br/><span>The central bank also raised its policy (target) rate by 150 basis points (bps) to 10 per cent near the end of the year.</span><br/><br/><span>Here's a look at the major developments on the economic front throughout the year.</span><br/><br/><span>1. America suspends entire security aid to Pakistan</span><br/><br/><span>2. EU renews GSP+ scheme for two years</span><br/><br/><span>3. Tax amnesty scheme</span><br/><br/><span>4. Reduced taxation under reforms</span><br/><br/><span>5. Chinese tech giant Alibaba breaks into Pakistani market by acquiring Daraz</span><br/><br/><span>6. Pakistan placed on FATF 'grey list' despite diplomatic efforts to avert decision</span><br/><br/><span>7. In farewell budget, govt showers businesses with incentives</span><br/><br/><span>8. Rupee falls 5.7pc against dollar in interbank trade</span><br/><br/><span>9. First tax recovery made under Panama Papers investigation</span><br/><br/><span>10. PM Khan forms 18-member Economic Advisory Council</span><br/><br/><span>11. Saudi Arabia pledges $6bn package to Pakistan</span><br/><br/><span>12. PM forms Council of Business Leaders</span><br/><br/><span>13. Rupee sees further plunge as volatility sweeps financial markets</span><br/><br/><span>14. SBP raises key lending rate by 150 basis points to 10pc</span><br/><br/><span>15. Pakistan’s ‘Doing Business’ ranking up 11 notches</span><br/><br/><span>16. China agrees to almost double its imports from Pakistan</span><br/><br/><span>17. Rs82bn plan launched to reduce rural poverty</span><br/><br/><span>18. UAE pledges $3bn to boost Pakistan's liquidity, reserves</span><br/><br/><span>19. ‘Mini-budget’ planned as IMF, govt still differ</span></p> Science festival inspires stu…tag:nedians.ning.com,2018-12-26:1119293:Comment:1231012018-12-26T15:55:20.711ZRiaz Haqhttp://nedians.ning.com/profile/riazul
<p><span>Science festival inspires students in rural Pakistan</span><br></br><br></br><br></br><span><a href="https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/science-festival-inspires-students-in-rural-pakistan-1.60991206" target="_blank">https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/science-festival-inspires-students-in-rural-pakistan-1.60991206</a></span><br></br><br></br><br></br><span>With their vibrant scientific models and stimulating explanations, students from the historical city of Thatta, in Pakistan’s Sindh province,…</span></p>
<p><span>Science festival inspires students in rural Pakistan</span><br/><br/><br/><span><a href="https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/science-festival-inspires-students-in-rural-pakistan-1.60991206" target="_blank">https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/science-festival-inspires-students-in-rural-pakistan-1.60991206</a></span><br/><br/><br/><span>With their vibrant scientific models and stimulating explanations, students from the historical city of Thatta, in Pakistan’s Sindh province, not only displayed their talent but also fascinated visitors at the first ever Laar Science Festival.</span><br/><br/><span>More than 7,000 students from over 50 regional schools and colleges participated in the two-day (Dec 14-15) festival at Thatta’s Sports Complex.</span><br/><br/><span>A large number of teachers, entrepreneurs, science specialists and government officials also attended the event including Dr Nawaz Sogho, Deputy Commissioner of Thatta, Senator Sassui Palijo from Thatta district, Sindh’s Minister of Science and Technology Taimur Talpur.</span><br/><br/><span>Admiring the talent of local students in science and technology, minister Talpur promised to establish science centres in the region to groom young scientists.</span><br/><br/><span>“It’s amazing to see the scientific spirit in the ancient city of Thatta famous for its archaeological, cultural sites and the seat of three successive dynasties,” said Junaid Ahmad Dahar, CEO of Sindh Education Alliance.</span><br/><br/><span>He agreed with most of the visitors that the high level of participation by the students was a clear indication of their interest in utilising everyday science to work towards solving issues in their towns and cities.</span><br/><br/><span>Organised by Thar Education Alliance (TEA), Campaignistan, and Laar Education Campaign with the support of District Government of Thatta, the festival reached rural students who would not typically have the chance to attend science and technology events.</span><br/><br/><span>The science fest promoted a culture of inquiry and hands-on learning in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) subjects.</span><br/><br/><span>“We started this journey of organising science festivals from Tharparkar back in February 2018, and continuing this campaign for quality education in Pakistan” remarked Partab Shivani, CEO Thar Education Alliance and organiser of the event.</span><br/><br/><span>The theme of the event was ‘climate change’ to raise awareness on the issue as Pakistan has been ranked 7 on the list of climate vulnerable countries. To raise public awareness on the effects of climate change, the event was held in Sindh province, which is vulnerable to increased intensity of extreme weather events such as frequent floods and droughts.</span><br/><br/><span>Young scientists exhibited projects on solar panels, windmills, water purification, offering innovative solutions to climate change.</span><br/><br/><span>A project by Nimra Memon, a Grade 12 student at Concept School, Thatta, was highly acclaimed at the festival as well as on social media where her video received appreciation from Climate Change Adviser Malik Amin Aslam.</span><br/><br/><span>“The festival in my hometown Thatta has enhanced my interest in science and encouraged me to work on solutions to climate change and aware the people of Laar on the issue.”</span><br/><br/><span>After explaining the phenomenon and impact of global warming, she asked the visitors: “If it is not the time to talk about climate change, then when will be the right time?”</span><br/><br/><span>Campaignistan CEO Farhad Ahmad Jarral said: “We live in a digital age, where there is need to connect online and offline to bring change in the education discourse. The festival was appreciated by thousands online and sparked interest among students in other regions of Pakistan when the pictures and videos of students of Thatta were shared online.”</span></p>