Tag: Digital Pakistan

  • PTA, TikTok agree at a ‘mutually acceptable mechanism’ for content

    PTA, TikTok agree at a ‘mutually acceptable mechanism’ for content

    TikTok Head of Public Policy-Emerging Markets and Head of Global CSR, Helena Lersch, along with her team visited the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) headquarters . PTA has agreed to work with TikTok to build a framework to guarantee that all content shared on the site is legal and safe for society.

    As per the press release, “The chairman PTA, while acknowledging the highlighted efforts of TikTok, assured to continue engagement with TikTok to reach at a mutually acceptable mechanism for provision of safe, lawful and productive internet experience to the users in Pakistan.”

    Earlier, Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Athar Minallah expressed anger over the fourth ban on video-sharing app TikTok by PTA and asked the authority for justification regarding the ban.

    TikTok was banned for the fourth time in Pakistan on July 21, 2021 for its failure to take down “inappropriate content”. 

  • ‘Wapistani’: A new programme for Pakistanis wishing to return to the country

    ‘Wapistani’: A new programme for Pakistanis wishing to return to the country

    The Indus Valley Capital has announced the launch of a dedicated programme for returning Pakistani, known as Wapistani, at 021Disrupt 2020, an online conference by Nest I/O.

    This announcement was made by Aatif Awan, the Founder & Managing Partner at the Indus Valley Capital.

    Indus Valley Capital is an early stage venture capital fund investing in Pakistani startups. This fund has a well-established network that is deployed to help early stage startups build products that can be scaled to hundreds of millions.

    Awan explained that the Wapistani programme aims to make the move to Pakistan easier for Pakistanis who are returning to the country.

    Indus Valley Capital plans to bring back 200 Wapistanis within the next 2 years through this programme.

    Wapistani will help returning Pakistani in three main areas:

    1- Career: This program will help returning Pakistanis in making the right career decisions through personalized intros and connections with top startups looking for senior or specialized talent.

    2- Concierge: There will be dedicated resources to help returning Pakistanis with important life choices related to housing, children’s schooling and medical care.

    3- Community: This programme will build a network of Wapistanis, who are moving back to the country at the same time.

    Indus Valley Capital is targeting people in tech, who plan on moving back in the next 6 months.

  • ‘ePay Punjab collects record Rs1.8 billion revenue in July 2020’

    ‘ePay Punjab collects record Rs1.8 billion revenue in July 2020’

    Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) has said that ePay smartphone application launched by the Punjab government has processed 525,339 transactions, worth record Rs1.82 billion in the form of taxes during the month of July of the current fiscal year (FY) 20-21.

    The system was launched last year in October after the collaborative efforts between PITB and the provincial Finance Department. The ePay initiative has provided a hassle-free method of paying taxes and making other payments.

    The government of Punjab has been focusing on IT-enabled solutions where citizens can avail facilities using the online platforms for payments. eBay Punjab is one such platform.

    ePay Punjab is the first digital platform for Public to Government (P2G) and Business to Government (B2G) transactions in Pakistan.

    Using the app, dues can be paid through the following payment channels: mobile banking, internet banking, ATM, and OTC (Over the Counter) banking transaction.

    • The following tax can be paid through the smartphone application
    • Excise and Taxation
    • Token Tax for Vehicle
    • Motor Vehicle Registration
    • Vehicle Transfer
    • Property Tax
    • Professional Tax
    • Cotton fee
    • Board of Revenue (BOR)
    • e-Stamping
    • Mutation fee
    • Fard fee
    • Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA)
    • Sales Tax on Services
    • Punjab Infrastructural Development Cess
    • Industries, Business Registration fee
    • Transport Department of Punjab Route Permit
    • Punjab Police and Traffic Challan.

    It is also offering a 25 per cent cut on token tax this year if paid through the app.

  • VISA, NayaPay Partner to revolutionise digital payment system in Pakistan

    VISA, NayaPay Partner to revolutionise digital payment system in Pakistan

    NayaPay, an Electronic Money Institution (EMI), has collaborated with Visa, a leading global payment solution. Now they have access to Visa’s growing partner and global payments network, technology, and resources to accelerate innovation in digital payments in Pakistan.

    NayaPay will enable users to open electronic (E)-Money accounts within a few minutes and make hassle-free digital payments to each other and to businesses.

    NayaPay consumers and merchants can use their NayaPay Visa debit card to perform online and in-store transactions with millions of retailers worldwide as well as withdraw cash conveniently at any ATM location.

    NayaPay customers can also scan Visa merchant QR codes to make payments directly through their app.

    NayaPay will also facilitate cross-border money transfers for freelancers and other Pakistan-based businesses working with international clients, and households receiving remittances from their families abroad.

    Users will be able to accept funds instantly and directly into their NayaPay wallets from over a billion Visa cards across the globe.

    Danish Lakhani, CEO NayaPay, said: “We are delighted to have found a partner in Visa that shares our goals of making financial services simpler, more convenient and accessible to Pakistani users – the needs of whom have been overlooked for far too long. Over the past few months, we have been integrating Visa’s offerings to reinforce our issuing and acquiring capabilities and to deliver on our promise of becoming a part of citizens’ daily lives.”

    “We are committed to helping fintech achieve their potential – enabling big ideas to flourish and supporting them through the reach, scale, and security of the Visa network,” said Kamil Khan, Country Manager, Pakistan, Visa.

    “By joining Visa’s Fintech Fast Track program, exciting fintech like NayaPay gain unprecedented access to Visa experts, technology, and resources,” said Otto Williams, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, Fintech and Ventures, CEMEA at Visa.

  • VIDEO: PM says Rana Sanaullah is a ‘murderer out of the gutter’

    VIDEO: PM says Rana Sanaullah is a ‘murderer out of the gutter’

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has accused Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Rana Sanaullah of “murdering at least 18 people” and called him a “criminal out of the gutter”.

    The remarks were made by the premier as he last week addressed YouTubers from across the country at an event called “Digital Pakistan”. It was the first in series of interactive sessions to be held between government officials and digital publishers as well as content creators to work on developing a positive image of the country.

    “Our fight is against people like Rana Sanaullah, who is a criminal from the gutter. People from his own party say he has killed 18 people, which too is debatable… he must’ve murdered more [people] than that,” PM Imran said as he spoke of social media’s role in today’s politics.

    WATCH VIDEO:

    Earlier, he said that PML-N trolls had left no stone unturned in slandering Bushra Bibi even though she had nothing to do with politics. “Maryam Nawaz, on the other hand, runs a social media cell of her own. But we never did any such thing against [the late] Kusloom Nawaz.”

  • PTI-MQM alliance hanging in balance because of Google’s Tania Aidrus: report

    PTI-MQM alliance hanging in balance because of Google’s Tania Aidrus: report

    Future of the coalition government in centre hangs in balance ever since the resignation of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui as the federal minister for information technology and telecommunication, which reportedly came because of former Google executive, Tania Aidrus.

    The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led federal government on Sunday suffered a severe blow as Siddiqui of MQM-P — an ally of the PTI — announced his decision to leave the federal cabinet over “unfulfilled promises” on part of the ruling party.

    Amid speculations over the fate of the ruling party that is in power owing to the support of its allies, reports have claimed that Siddiqui’s resignation came because he “was extremely unhappy with his ministry due to continuous intervention by Aidrus”.

    Aidrus had resigned from Google for Pakistan and is currently heading Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s Digital Vision programme in the country.

    According to The News, while PTI has strongly rejected the allegations leveled against Aidrus, and sources in the ruling party have said that she is acting within the rules and regulations; people close to Siddiqui have said he felt like a stranger in his ministry while Aidrus had started holding meetings with the premier and heads of other institutions directly.

    “Besides that, she also issued directions to institutions responsible for running the affairs of the ministry and Federal Secretary Shoaib Siddiqui had complained about it to the minister several times in this regard.”

  • ‘Don’t panic, exciting times ahead’, PM Imran promises relief, again

    ‘Don’t panic, exciting times ahead’, PM Imran promises relief, again

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has again asked the nation not to panic, as exciting times promising end to poverty and price hike were just around the corner, The News International reported.

    According to the details, PM while launching ‘Digital Pakistan’ — a government initiative aimed at introducing the latest technology for public welfare — said that the country will experience a quantum leap ahead, adding that his government will not rest until the elimination of price hike.

    “E-governance is necessary to curb corruption, which is rampant across the country at all levels. This initiative will ease the lives of citizens. Our government will put all out efforts to promote Digital Pakistan. The future of Pakistan is very exciting,” PM Imran said.

    The primier said that the campaign will “unleash the youth’s potential” in the country, adding that developments in the digital arena were taking place at a fast pace, and in future everything would be done through a mobile phone.

    Imran Khan said, “The vision sets Pakistan’s digital ambition and has been designed both for the public and private sector to work towards a digitally progressive and inclusive Pakistan”. He added, with the introduction of ‘Digital Pakistan Vision’, the full potential of contribution of the youth and the women to the economy will be unleashed.

    The premier while regretting that he had not launched this project at the very beginning when his government was formed, said “I should have given attention to a Digital Pakistanearlier. This is the most important thing for Pakistan right now, especially its youth. The whole world is moving forward digitally and we have been left behind”.

  • ‘I already love her,’ say Twitterati about former Google exec leading ‘Digital Pakistan’ campaign

    ‘I already love her,’ say Twitterati about former Google exec leading ‘Digital Pakistan’ campaign

    A senior Pakistani executive of Google, Tania Aidrus quit her position at the tech giant to lead Prime Minister Imran Khan’s ‘Digital Pakistan’ initiative. Her decision to serve the country has won the hearts of Pakistanis who took to Twitter to thank her for her efforts.

    https://twitter.com/NeelumMunirKhan/status/1202569193964654592?s=20

    According to reports, Tania arrived in Pakistan from Singapore to offer her services to the country’s digitalisation programme.

    Tania was the Chief of Staff and Head of Strategic Initiatives on the Next Billion Users (NBU) team at Google which is focused on building new products and services that are aimed at addressing the emerging trends and needs of users in growth markets.

    Prior to this, Tania was a leader in the Global Business Organisation at Google in the US and then in Singapore where she was the Country Manager for South Asia Frontier Markets at Google focused on expanding the Internet ecosystem, increasing product adoption amongst consumers and businesses and accelerating innovation.

    Before being part of Google, Tania co-founded a mobile health diagnosis company called ClickDiagnostics which was focused on connecting rural patients in emerging markets to doctors globally. She also spent a portion of her career consulting for Fortune 500 companies and the US Government at Booz Allen Hamilton.

    Tania holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management and a BSc from Brandeis University.

    PM Imran Khan inaugurated the ‘Digital Pakistan’ campaign on Thursday. The campaign was executed by the Ministry of Information Technology (MoIT), who were tasked with digitising all correspondence between the government offices. They were given only three months to complete the task.

    According to a statement, Digital Pakistan is a comprehensive plan which will help the country in competing in the digital market globally and will also create jobs and ease for the people of Pakistan.

    Earlier in September, senior PTI leader Jahangir Tareen had announced the government had engaged a senior former Google executive to help revamp its payment system and set into motion the digitisation initiative.

    He said the government had persuaded the Google executive, who was in Singapore, to lead the project from Pakistan, after a lot of effort and headhunting.

    “She is leaving Google. In fact, she has left it and she is moving to Pakistan and will lead the digitisation initiative,” Tareen had said.