PSO announces historic financial results - performing while transforming

ISLAMABAD, AUG 24: In a fast changing, pandemic, lockdown world, Pakistan State Oil (PSO) beat all odds. A record breaking performance that demonstrates PSOs resilience and strength as it continues to transform and evolve into an agile organization.

PSO announced a record breaking gross revenue of PKR 1.4 trillion and highest ever profit after tax of PKR 29.1 billion for the financial year 2020-21 (FY21) after a loss after tax of PKR 6.5 billion in the preceding year. The net profit translated into a healthy earning per share of PKR 62.07 vs. loss per share of PKR 13.77 in FY20.

The announcement came after PSO’s Board of Management (BoM) reviewed the performance of the company together with its subsidiary Pakistan Refinery Limited (PRL) for the financial year 2020-21, ended on June 30, 2021, during the meeting held on August 23, 2021 in Islamabad.

Based on the outstanding financial and operational performance of the company, the Board of Management has announced a final dividend of PKR 10/- per share (100%) which is in addition to the interim cash dividend of PKR 5/- per share (50%) for financial year 2020-21. The dividend for the financial year stands at PKR 15/- per share (150%).

PRL, a subsidiary of PSO, also reported a profit after tax of PKR 0.94 billion during the year compared to a loss of PKR 7.6 billion in the previous year. On a consolidated basis, the group achieved a profit after tax of PKR 29.6 billion in FY21 compared to loss after tax of PKR 14.8 billion in FY20.

The Board noted that these results have demonstrated PSO's agility and strength across its diverse portfolio despite the challenging economic scenario and recurrent waves of the pandemic. PSO is leading the market by a large margin, delivering a phenomenal performance over and above the industry average.

The company exhibited an outstanding growth of 21.9% in liquid fuels over last year with volumes reaching 9.2 million tons, attaining a market share of 46.3% in FY21 compared to 44.3% in FY20. PSO also achieved its highest ever volume of 7.6 million tons in the white oil segment despite the shrinking jet fuel and kerosene oil industry, with a market share of 45.2% in FY21 vs. 44% in FY20 i.e. a growth of 120 basis points (bps).

PSO set an all-time high record in Motor Gasoline (MoGas) achieving volumes of 3.5 million tons, an increase of 21.2% from FY20, translating into market share of 41.3% vs. 38.7% last year - an increase of 260 bps. The company made a strong closing in Hi-Cetane Diesel as well, achieving a volumetric growth of 21.1% vs. industry growth of 17.5%, translating into volumes of 3.7 million tons in FY21.

The volumes contributed in regaining market share, bringing it to 47.2% vs. 45.8% in the preceding year i.e. an increase of 140 bps. PSO attained a volumetric growth of 53.2% in black oil with volumes of 1.7 million tons and a market share of 51.7% vs. 46% in FY20.

In line with GOP’s clean and green initiative, PSO was the first OMC to upgrade the country’s fuel standard from Euro 2 to Euro 5. The launch of Hi-Octane 97 Euro 5, Premier Euro 5 and Hi-Cetane Diesel Euro 5 proved to be game changers in the industry, bolstering customer’s confidence in PSO’s products. Building on its value creation model, the company prioritized high margin products i.e. High-Octane 97 Euro 5 and lubricants adding significant revenues with a volumetric growth of 177.6% and 11.3% respectively compared to last year. PSO’s first EV charging facility – Electro was also launched in Islamabad.

This performance is also a strong indicator of the change and transformation going on within PSO. With a focus on innovation and technology, PSO continued to enhance its digital capabilities to drive growth and enhance efficiency.

The company made significant strides on its journey of digital transformation with the launch of Pakistan’s first digitally integrated oil storage & dispatch terminal in Karachi. PSO also became the first public sector entity to launch e-procurement through SAP Ariba.

Other automation initiatives included the launch of PSO Sahulat - an online order management system for dealers, Automated Queue Management System for tank-lorries and internal applications for fund management and employees leave management.

The company fast tracked infrastructural projects to gain operational efficiency. 174,000 tons of new and rehabilitated storages were added which significantly increase the number of day’s cover of petroleum products.

Pipeline links have been completed to connect operational locations with White Oil Pipeline to make product movement safer and more efficient. 71 new vision retail outlets were also added to the company’s footprint.

Living up to its promise of keeping the wheels of the nation’s economy in motion and ensuring a seamless supply of fuel, the company imported 4.9 million tons of white oil products, an all-time high since the inception of the company. PSO has also played a pivotal role in the LNG sector.

The company entered into another agreement with Qatar Petroleum under G2G arrangement to supply an additional 3 million tons of LNG for a period of 10 years. This contract shall add additional volumes to an already executed 15-year long term sales purchase agreement (SPA), making PSO the largest supplier of LNG in the country with a supply base of 6.75 million tons per annum.

With the burden of circular debt still large, to improve its balance sheet further, PSO recovered PKR 25.8 billion from the Power Sector along with late payment surcharge income. Reduction in finance cost by Rs. 3.2 billion. (24%) further complemented the profitability of the company.

As a responsible corporate citizen, PSO, through its PSO CSR Trust extended support of PKR 102 million in the fields of healthcare, education, community-building, environment and disaster relief nationwide. The company also launched a massive nationwide campaign to spread awareness about the vaccination and inoculate citizens in all corners of the country by setting up approx. 500 vaccination centers and mobilizing 100 mobile vaccination vans.

The management expressed sincere gratitude to all stakeholders including customers, the Government of Pakistan, specifically Ministry of Energy, PSO’s Board of Management, employees and shareholders for their continued support.

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Google bans 8 dangerous apps from Play Store; DELETE them from your phone now, check list

Google has banned as many as 8 dangerous apps from its Play Store including BitFunds, Bitcoin Miner, Bitcoin, Bitcoin (BTC) and more. You must delete them from your smartphone too; check the full list.

Cryptocurrency mining has been garnering everyone's interest especially over the span of the last couple of months. However, hackers are using this public interest in cryptocurrencies to trick innocent netizens into installing malicious apps on their smartphones containing dangerous malware and adware.

The good thing is that these malicious actors have been identified and Google has removed them. In fact, as many as 8 dangerous apps have been removed from Google Play Store that were masquerading as cryptocurrency mining apps - users were lured by promises of earning big profits by investing money in a cloud-mining operations.

Security firm Trend Micro reports that upon analysis it found that these eight malicious apps were tricking victims into watching ads, paying for subscription services that have an average monthly fee of $15 ( ₹1,115 approx.), and paying for increased mining capabilities without getting anything in return. The company reported its findings to Google Play, following which they were promptly removed by the company.

The point is that Google may have removed them from Play Store, but these apps may well have already been downloaded on your phone. So, what you need to do is check out your phone for them and delete quickly.

Here’s a list of the 8 malicious apps that Google has removed from the Play Store:

-- BitFunds – Crypto Cloud Mining

-- Bitcoin Miner – Cloud Mining

-- Bitcoin (BTC) – Pool Mining Cloud Wallet

-- Crypto Holic – Bitcoin Cloud Mining

-- Daily Bitcoin Rewards – Cloud Based Mining System

-- Bitcoin 2021

-- MineBit Pro - Crypto Cloud Mining & btc miner

-- Ethereum (ETH) - Pool Mining Cloud

The research site says that two of these apps are paid apps that users need to purchase. While users had to pay $12.99 ( ₹966 approx.) to download Crypto Holic – Bitcoin Cloud Mining, they needed to pay $5.99 ( ₹445 approx.) to download Daily Bitcoin Rewards – Cloud Based Mining System.

Furthermore, Trend Micro said that more than 120 fake cryptocurrency mining apps are still available online. “These apps, which do not have cryptocurrency mining capabilities and deceive users into watching in-app ads, have affected more than 4,500 users globally from July 2020 to July 2021,” the company wrote in a blog.

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COURTESY HT TECH

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The True Spirit of Charity

An act of kindness is indeed a joy forever! If we dig deep into this saying, we realize that kindness and generosity have the power to change the world - which is how such acts can be engraved into the hearts of people, which is why such acts live forever and are also a constant source of satisfaction and pleasure for the benefactor for the times to come.

The best way to show kindness is through simple acts of generosity. People will forget what you said but they will never forget what you did to make a difference in their life. Our religion is a great advocate of charity.

Charity has multitude of benefits for a community. When you donate money for charity organizations within your county, you are helping to create a community that is strong and self-sustaining. It is not strange to have financially weak members in a community and this is not only restricted to the third world countries only, however, when people of a community help each other, they help to make their community stronger and united.

It is heartening that Pakistanis recognized as one of the most charitable nations of the world as it donates over 1% of its GDP in charity, upholding the spirit of charity in various forms like Zakat, Sadqa and Fitrana. However, according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) 2018-19 reveal that 16% of Pakistan’s population is experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity with the incidence of being twice as high in rural areas than urban areas: 20% and 9.2% respectively.

There are many reputable government and non-profit charity organizations that have been providing services to needy for many years now and over the recent years, there has been a significant increase in this trend. World renowned and famous organizations like the Edhi Foundation, Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital and Chippa Welfare Association along with many other philanthropist organizations are working tirelessly for the needy. 

These altruistic organizations don’t wish to publicize and flaunt their charity work as they know that our religion always reminds us to be humble about our acts of charity, as any act of charity must not be embarrassing to the recipients. Another such organization, Yuseaid Foundation has also emerged as a community-oriented and public-spirited charity organization which works selflessly towards various objectives, as their target is not just restricted to only helping the poor. 

From eliminating hunger, eradicating child labour to raising a voice against unequal distribution of wealth and providing opportunities to the youth in Pakistan, their mission is not restricted to a specific field; rather they work in diverse fields as they believe to take the lead when they see the need! Such dynamic charity organizations indeed are a role model for the entire nation as they provide encouragement to those who want to participate in acts of kindness and generosity without the aim to gain popularity.

As we have embarked on our journey into 2021, we are looking forward to a more promising year ahead.In 2020, factors like high food prices, locust outbreaks, climate events such as rains, flooding, droughts, and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic all exacerbated the number of people who face food insecurity and other social and financial challenges. 

Hence, there is a need to institutionalize individual efforts into more structured and organized efforts, under the umbrella of renowned and selfless charity organizations.

Faith in the Almighty and love for humanity – the strongholds of our religion will always be a guiding force in our endeavor to make Pakistan a place where no one sleeps hungry, where no child is denied his right to education, where every citizen gets equal opportunity in every walk of life because a generous and helpful community is indeed a socially and economically strong community.

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Tokyo Paralympics begins in Japan: Ambassador MATSUDA extends good wishes for Pak Athletes

ISLAMABAD, AUG 23: After an impressive Tokyo Olympics finished on August 8th, the Tokyo Paralympics begins tomorrow! Overall theme for both the Olympics and Paralympics is “MOVING FORWARD” and the theme for the opening ceremony for the Paralympics is “WE HAVE WINGS”.

MATSUDA Kuninori, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, wishing success to the two Pakistani athletes, Mr. Haider Ali and Ms. Anila Baig, participating in the Tokyo Paralympics said “Congratulations to the athletes, coaches, supporting staff and the families of Pakistan’s Paralympic Team for their resilience to compete in the Games especially during the time of challenging COVID-19 situation. I am sure that the Pakistani Paralympians will do their best for their country.”

While expressing his good wishes and solidarity on the occasion of Tokyo Paralympics, the President of Pakistan's Milestone Society for Special Persons, Muhammad Shafiq ur Rehman, also congratulated the Pakistani athletes for their dedication and hard work for the Tokyo Paralympic Games. He mentioned that “Due to the COVID- 19 situation, Pakistan team could not participate with a large contingent but still we are praying and hoping for the two Pakistani athletes to perform well and win medals for the country.

Mr. Shafiq, in his message on the occasion, also extended his gratitude to the Japanese people with disabilities who had donated wheelchairs to Milestone Society for Special Persons in 2002. That donation from our Japanese friends helped us to start sports activities for persons with disabilities here in Pakistan and also introduced wheelchair cricket as a new game in the world.

"Our heart is full of respect and love for our Japanese friends. We have a spiritual relation which is getting strengthened every time new sun rises. Long live Pakistan Japan brotherhood” said the President of Milestone Society for Special Persons.

" We have received very precious support by the Embassy of Japan and developed the first center with full accessibility of international standard in Lahore Pakistan. We are also very thankful to the Embassy of Japan to ensure the accessibility for the wheelchair users at their premises.”

"Our Japanese friends always supported us with great knowledge and resources" he further said.

It is pertinent to mention here that Tokyo becomes the first city which hosts Paralympics twice in the history.

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Hekmatyar asks India not to meddle in Afghan affairs

ISLAMABAD, AUG 23: Former Afghan prime minister and Hizb-i-Islami (HI) chief Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has appreciated Pakistan’s efforts for peaceful settlement of the Afghan conflict and asked India not to fight Kashmir war from Afghan soil.

“New Delhi should focus on its internal issues instead of issuing statements regarding the future of Afghanistan,” said Hekmatyar while talking to media in Kabul.

He said New Delhi should respect sovereignty of Afghanistan. He was appreciative of the efforts of Prime Minister Imran Khan as well for his stance on a peaceful and negotiated settlement of the Afghan issue. 

Hekmatyar expressed the hope that soon there would be a government in Kabul, which would be acceptable to the Afghan people and the international community.

Also on Sunday, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmed Khan called on the Hizb-i-Islami chief at his Kabul office.

They discussed the ongoing talks between the Taliban and political groups for the formation of a new government in Afghanistan.

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COURTESY DAWN NEWS

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Nadra launches online CNIC renewal system

ISLAMABAD, AUG 22: The Nat­ional Database and Regis­tration Authority (Nadra) has launched a new system of online verification of family tree and renewal of computerised national identity cards (CNICs).

Under the system, Pakis­tani citizens will be able to receive and verify the details of their family members via SMS on their mobile phones by sending an SMS mentioning their CNIC number and its issuance date to 8009. In response, the sender will receive details of his/her family members.

“If any information is incorrect or the name of a stranger or unrelated person is included in the family, write 1 and send the SMS to inform Nadra, or go to any Nadra Registration Centre to unregister that name,” the authority’s chairman Tariq Malik said in a statement on Saturday. 

If the information is correct, write 2 and send the SMS to confirm the information. To avail the verification and renewal service, it is necessary to register the SMS with Nadra from the same mobile number which was provided at the Nadra Registration Centre while seeking the ID card or “B” form.

“If your mobile number is not registered with Nadra, you can visit any Nadra centre for registration or change of mobile number, and this facility is provided free of cost at all Nadra Registration Centres,” the statement said.

Nadra has introduced the IT-based solution for online renewal of CNICs to prevent human interaction during the social distancing era as part of Covid-19 precautionary measures.

Under the system, “a Pakistani can verify that no stranger or unrelated person is registered in their family, if there is any improper entry, they should report it [to] Nadra at the earliest,” said the authority’s statement.

Nadra has launched an awareness campaign titled “Your family is safe, Pakistan is safe”.

The system would also help the authority check foreigners illegally living in Pakistan, the statement added.

This issue was discussed recently during a visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to Nadra headquarters where he discussed with Nadra authorities reports from the security establishment that foreigners illegally living in Pakistan too possessed CNICs and that needed to be checked.

Mr Malik told the PM that innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence would be used to make Nadra database free of any kind of false entries and to detect fake identity cards.

The PM was also briefed on the roadmap of the Nadra in relation to the Digital Pakistan initiative.

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COURTESY DAWN NEWS

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Baradar in Kabul as talks under way to form govt

• Karzai, Abdullah meet political, religious leaders

• Haqqani claims Massoud has ‘declared allegiance’
• Taliban official says members are accountable for actions

KABUL, AUG 22: Afghan Tali­ban’s top political leader Mul­lah Abdul Ghani Bara­dar has arrived in the Afg­han capital from Kandahar, while the key stakeholders on Saturday continued to make consultations with different political groups and leaders including women rep­resentatives as well as anti-Taliban famed comma­nders of Panjshir province to build a consensus for the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan.

Baradar, who co-founded the group and also took part in peace talks in Doha, would meet jihadi leaders, elders and politicians for an inclusive government set-up in the coming days, a senior Taliban official told AFP.

During the day, ex-president Hamid Karzai and cha­irman of high council for national reconciliation Abd­u­l­lah Abdullah were seen leading the efforts for peace, stability and national reconciliation. Talks bet­ween different stakeholders were held at Abdullah’s residence in Kabul, days after both the Afghan leaders had met a senior Taliban official in Kandahar.

In a series of tweets, Abdullah on Saturday said: “Along with HE @KarzaiH, in last few days we met with Afghan leaders & politicians. We discussed the current situation, & ways of helping to provide the right security for the people of Afghanistan, especially for the citizens of Kabul.” He also disclosed that they met some members of the Afghan parliament, and women activists at his residence.

Sharing photos of the meetings, Abdullah said: “We met with the elders, religious scholars, representatives & commanders of Panjshir Province in my residence in Kabul. We discussed the current developments in the country, & ways of supporting peace & stability.”

Also, he said he along with Karzai met Abdul Rahman Mansour, the acting governor of Taliban for Kabul, and discussed the security of the citizens of Kabul. “We added that in order to return to normality in the capital Kabul, it is imperative that citizens of the capital feel safe & secure. Mr Mansour assured us that he would do everything possible for the security of the people of Kabul,” the statement added.

A Taliban official told Reuters their members were accountable for their actions, vowing that reported atrocities and reprisals by any of its members would be investigated.

Just a day ago on the occasion of Afghanistan’s independence day, ex-president Karzai in a tweet stated it was time to “unite all Afghans for the betterment of the war-torn Afghanistan and for the education, development and prosperity” of the country while expressing hope for lasting peace and prosperity.

Also, Abdullah welcomed Khalil Al Rahman Haqqani-led Taliban delegation at his residence and the two sides held a detailed discussion, while in the presence of ex-president Karzai talks were also held with Fazal Hadi Muslimyar and several other elders.

On Saturday, pro-Taliban social media accounts posted a video of Khalil Haqqani announcing that Ahmad Massoud — the son of Afghanistan’s most famed anti-Taliban fighter Ahmad Shah Massoud — had “declared allegiance” to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. However, no statement has come from Massoud about the development.

The Taliban’s Haqqani group leader also met Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a former bitter rival during the brutal civil war of the early 1990s but still influential in Afghan politics.

It has been just a week since the Taliban completed a lighting fast takeover of the country, finally walking into Kabul last Sunday without firing a shot.

Since then, individual Afghans and international aid and advocacy groups have reported harsh retaliation against protests and roundups of those who formerly held government positions, criticised the Taliban or worked with Americans.

In the UK, many protesters rallied against the Taliban takeover and showed with those opposed to the new regime in Kabul. They marched behind a banner reading “Talib has not changed” while others held signs bearing slogans such as “stop the oppression of Afghan women”.

“We have heard of some cases of atrocities and crimes against civilians,” said a Taliban official while speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity. “If Talibs (members) are doing these law and order problems, they will be investigated. We can understand the panic, stress and anxiety. People think we will not be accountable, but that will not be the case,” he said, adding that the Taliban planned to ready a new model for governing Afghanistan within the next few weeks.

In his meeting with Khalil Haqqani, Abdullah said he supported an independent and unified Afghanistan based on justice and fairness. However, he said history showed that in the absence of social justice, providing security and strengthening national unity was impossible. Mr Haqqani assured him and others attending the meeting that the Taliban would work hard to provide the right security for the citizens of Kabul and asked for the help and support of political leaders and elders of the country in this regard.

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COURTESY DAWN NEWS

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Sphinx of Pakistan

 

Munaza Kazmi

The Makran Coastal Highway which links Karachi with the port town of Gwadar was opened in the year 2004. The new road finally allowed tourists an easy access to the Hingol National Park, that is one of the natural wonders of Pakistan, with its rocky terrain, mountain caves, and beautiful beaches, 240 kmsaway from Karachi, and home to the huge anomalous rock formation known as the 'Baluchistan Sphinx'.

The Baluchistan Sphinx, not nearly as famous as the Great Sphinx of Giza, however probably to be even earlier version than its Egyptian counterpart, when all of its surroundings are placed in context with the sculpted form which sits proudly above it all. 

Bibhu Dev MisraIndian author and researcher believes the Baluchistan Sphinx is a huge architectural complex created by an advanced ancient civilization and in many ways resembles the Egyptian Sphinx. Describing the Sphinx itself he wrote: 

A cursory glance at the impressive sculpture shows the Sphinx to have a well-defined jawline, and clearly discernible facial features such as eyes, nose, and mouth, which are placed in seemingly perfect proportion to each other.  

Just like the Sphinx at Giza, the Pakistani formation appears to include a head-dress similar to the Nemes head-dress worn by the ancient Pharaohs, with its striped markings on a cloth which covers the crown and the back of the head of its wearer. 

The flaps hanging down near the ears are also clearly visible on the Baluchistan Sphinx, whilst the horizontal groove resembling the pharaonic headband can be seen adorning the forehead. The legs and paws of the mythical beast are also clearly defined. Dev Misra writes: 

One can easily make out the contours of the reclining forelegs of the Sphinx, which terminate in very well-defined paws. It is difficult to see how nature could have carved out a statue that resembles a well-known mythical animal to such an astonishingly accurate degree. 

Among the Egyptians, sphinxes were placed at the entrance of temples to guard their mysteries. Hence, in close proximity to the Baluchistan Sphinx is another important structure. From a distance, it looks like a Hindu Temple (like those of South India), with the Mandapa (entrance hall) and the Vimana (temple spire). The top part of the Vimana appears to be missing. The sphinx is reclining in front of the temple, appearing to act as a protector of the sacred site.

Sphinx is never only belonging to Giza, as if we look closely to the ancient world sculptures, we would find out this composite mythological being is present in many traditions, art and mythology. Let’s say, in Greece the colossal statue of the Sphinx of Naxos stood on a towering ionic column, at the sacred Oracle of Delphi, acting as a protector of the site. In Indian art and sculptures, sphinxes (Purusha Mruga) were sculpted all over the temple premises including the entrance gates, halls, near the central shrine etc.

Sphinxes also feature in the Buddhist architecture of South-east Asia. In Myanmar, they are called Manusiha. They are depicted in a cat-like crouching posture at the corners of Buddhist stupas. They wear a tapering crown and ornamental ear-flaps and have feathered wings attached to their front limbs.

So, all across the ancient world, the sphinx acted as a protector of sacred places. Therefore, The Sphinx of Baluchistan also appears to be guarding the temple-like structure near it. This suggests that the site was laid out in accordance with the principles of sacred architecture.

Also, a closer look at The Sphinx Temple shows clear evidence of pillars carved on the boundary wall. The temple entrance is visible behind a large pile-up of sediments or termite mounds. 

An elevated, sculpted, structure to the left of the entrance could be a subsidiary shrine. Overall, there can be little doubt that this a massive, man-made, rock-cut, monument of immense age, could have been built thousands of years ago during the Indus Civilization to guard the sacred site.

With more investigative work and analysis, this remote site in Pakistan may reveal itself as another example of a forgotten civilization which flourished long before ancient Egypt or even GobekliTepein Turkey. 

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Munaza Kazmi holds MPhil in Management Sciences (Bahria University Islamabad, 2020). She’s a travel writer, an author, & co-author of scientific contributions in national & international publications. Her main areas of research include tourism & quality management.

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First-ever Turkmen Olympic medallist gifted car, apartment, cash

ASHGABAT, AUG 21: Turkmenistan’s first-ever Olympic medallist, weightlifter Polina Guryeva, was gifted an apartment, a car and $50,000 in cash for her exploits at a ceremony in the Central Asian country’s capital Ashgabat on Saturday.

Guryeva, 21, won silver for Turkmenistan at this summer’s Games in Tokyo in the women’s 59 kg weightlifting competition. It was the ex-Soviet country’s only medal at the Games and the first in its history.

Turkmen shooter Marat Niyazov previously won a silver medal representing the Soviet Union at the 1960 Games in Rome.

The celebrations of Guryeva’s victory were led by Honoured Coach of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdymukhamedov, the 39-year-old son of the country’s hardline leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

At the ceremony in Ashgabat, the younger Berdymukhamedov handed Guryeva, who is ethnic Russian, three white-lacquered wooden boxes.

One contained keys to a three-room apartment in the capital city, the second held keys to a white Lexus SUV and the third $50,000 in cash.

“I cordially congratulate you on this significant event, testifying to the growth of the authority of independent Turkmenistan in the international sporting space,” Berdymukhamedov told Guryeva.

He said her victory “increased the world fame, prestige and authority of the sovereign homeland and the Turkmen people.”

“I dedicate this medal to our president and the Turkmen people in honour of the 30th anniversary of the independence of Turkmenistan,” Guryeva said.

Turkmenistan, a gas-rich nation of around six million people famous for its outlandish displays, gained independence from former master Moscow in 1991.

The secretive country is regularly cited by rights groups as one of the world’s worst abusers of civic, religious and press freedoms.

The younger Berdymukhamedov has received a number of promotions this year making him the second most powerful figure in the country after his father and fuelling speculation he will eventually replace the elder as leader of the autocratic country.

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COURTESY Anews

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METRO celebrates Independence Day with green Pakistan campaign

LAHORE, AUG 21: As part of its Independence Day celebrations, METRO Pakistan, being a socially responsible corporate organization, joined the Government of Pakistan’s Green Pakistan initiative, the largest tree plantation campaign, by distributing tree saplings to its customers, in collaboration with The Trust School Lahore.

METRO Pakistan believes that such initial steps will grow into larger actions to help the nation’s environmental issues. METRO Pakistan has already carried out similar drives to make Pakistan green in the past.

In addition, METRO participated in the Independence Day Women Sports Festival organized by the Lahore College for Women University with the office of the Deputy Commissioner Lahore, and distributed gifts bags among the participants. 

The players showcased their best skills in various sports including Cricket, Basketball, Volleyball, Handball, and Badminton. The event was widely supported and attended by, among others, national players, the Provincial Ministers, and the Lahore administration.

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Huawei committed to Spread digital economy in the Arab world

Executive’s comments shared with audiences at 5th China-Arab States Expo

ISLAMABAD, AUG 30: Speaking at the 5th China-Arab States Expo being held this week, Huawei’s Rotating Chairman Mr. Guo Ping has highlighted the decisive role that information and communications technology (ICT) can play as a driver of the Arab world’s socio-economic development, expanding the region’s digital economy.

“The increased presence of digital infrastructure is positively impacting the Arab world,” confirmed Guo. The executive noted that the MENA region is projected by the GSMA to spend USD70 billion in rolling out telecom infrastructure between 2019 and 2025 .

 Meanwhile, embracing technologies such as 5G, AI, cloud, and other fast-developing areas has helped economies in the GCC alone to return to a projected aggregate growth rate of 2.2% in 2021, according to the World Bank . 

“Connectivity and computing are becoming deeply integrated with all industries and are creating new value. The development of advanced ICT solutions is already proving to be an enabler of economic recovery following the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

New digital applications are also helping to reduce carbon emissions in a variety of industries as per Arab nations’ wider developmental plans. Digital technologies have now become the cornerstone of the intelligent world—and the driver behind its future development in the region,” noted Guo.

In particular, countries in the Arab world have been among the early global adopters of 5G infrastructure. The GCC region especially has been leading the deployment of 5G, as well as other technologies, that will make the Fourth Industrial Revolution possible. 

According to Guo, adoption of those technologies has significantly changed sectors like education, healthcare, and transportation. These industries are gradually moving towards greater intelligence.

“To this end, Huawei is committed to knowledge exchange with partners across the Arab world, leveraging the latest technologies to contribute to their ambitious national visions. 

I sincerely hope that industry partners and policymakers in the region can collaborate in their efforts to accelerate the deployment of digital infrastructure. Together, we can build a more intelligent, interconnected, and low-carbon world,” Guo concluded.

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