NESPAK, PMA organize Lahore Transport Week

on 06/08/2024

LAHORE: NESPAK, in collaboration with the Punjab Mass Transit Authority (PMA), is organizing Lahore Transport Week from July 22 to July 31, 2024, under the theme “City on the Move: Now Dreams Take Flight” at NESPAK House, Lahore. This week-long event features consultative sessions and seminars aimed at uniting stakeholders, government departments, and agencies to synergize their efforts under the Committee of Integrated Urban Transport Planning (C-IUTP), established by the government on March 15, 2024.
The event will culminate in a symposium to integrate the findings and recommendations of the experts. Attendees will include government officials, academia, media, citizens, local and international development partners, and other stakeholders.
On the first day, Punjab Minister for Transport & Mass Transit, Mr. Bilal Akbar Khan, was the guest of honor. Other notable speakers included Dr. Ahmed Javed Qazi, Secretary Transport & Mass Transit, Mr. Kanwar Anwaar Ali Khan, Managing Director PMA, Mr. Muhammad Zargham Eshaq Khan, MD NESPAK, Mr. Umar Masood, CEO Urban Unit, Zaid Maqsood, Commissioner Lahore, Ms. Amara Athar, Chief Traffic Officer, and Mr. Shaheryar Chishty, owner of Daewoo Express. National and international experts in urban transport planning also shared their insights on Lahore’s public transport challenges.
The first day’s theme was “Uncovering City’s Insights,” where experts reviewed Lahore’s transport challenges. Mr. Muhammad Zargham Eshaq Khan, MD NESPAK, welcomed the guests and emphasized the need for a strategic approach to public transport issues. Other speakers highlighted the current challenges, including traffic congestion, infrastructural stresses, and inadequacy of public transport. They stressed the importance of joint efforts by all relevant departments for effective solutions and the comprehensive development of Lahore’s master plan. Discussions also covered the evaluation and updating of the Integrated Bus Operations (IBO) network in Lahore. Key topics included urban sprawl, traffic congestion, and environmental sustainability through innovative transport solutions.

Microsoft mulls restricting third-party access to Windows kernel after Crowd Strike outage

on 06/08/2024

Following the “worst IT outage in history” caused by a faulty CrowdStrike update that affected 8.5 million PCs, Microsoft is advocating for changes to enhance Windows’ resilience and is considering restricting security vendors’ access to the Windows kernel.
The Redmond tech giant says in a new incident response post that ways to prevent future similar outages are for vendors to minimize the use of kernel mode and for customers to fully use the integrated Windows security features.
The outage was triggered by a faulty update to CrowdStrike’s CSagent.sys driver, which led to memory access violations and system boot loops. Microsoft’s analysis confirms CrowdStrike’s findings, saying that that kernel-mode drivers while providing crucial system visibility and tamper resistance, can cause significant issues if errors occur.
The company is also considering restricting third-party access to the Windows kernel, which is the core of the operating system, to prevent similar issues in the future. A similar attempt was made during Windows Vista days back in 2006, but it fell through due to criticism from cybersecurity vendors and EU regulators.
In another blog post, Microsoft also urges resiliency in the Windows ecosystem.
Microsoft has mobilized over 5,000 support engineers and is sharing updates on their Windows release health dashboard. They advise businesses to have solid plans for continuity and incident response, back up data regularly, quickly restore devices, use safe update practices, and consider cloud management solutions.
The company also says that it plans to implement advanced security measures like Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) and zero-trust approaches. Most affected PCs are now operational, and Microsoft aims to improve system resilience going forward.
On the morning of July 17th, 2024, the tech world woke up to chaos. What started as a routine update from CrowdStrike, one of the biggest names in cybersecurity, quickly spiraled into a significant Windows outage. The ripple effects of this incident were felt across the globe, affecting millions of users and businesses. CrowdStrike, renowned for its cutting-edge endpoint detection and response (EDR) and extended detection and response (XDR) solutions, had made a grave error. They sent out an update without proper patch testing, a technical blunder that exposed the vulnerabilities in their processes. This untested update made its way into production, and the results were catastrophic. Immediately, systems began to fail. From IT giants in Silicon Valley to commercial airlines in Europe, and banks in Asia, the impact was widespread. The outage highlighted the fragility of our interconnected digital infrastructure and the critical importance of rigorous testing protocols. The world was left grappling with the fallout, and the question on everyone’s mind was: How could this happen?
CrowdStrike, listed on the NASDAQ with a significant market presence, experienced a sharp decline in its share value following the outage. According to Nasdaq, CrowdStrike’s shares fell by 15% in the immediate aftermath, reflecting the market’s reaction to the disruption caused by the faulty update. The answer lay in a series of oversights. Despite CrowdStrike’s strong market position and reputation, there were glaring gaps in their governance and risk analysis practices.

A Fresh Perspective on PEC Elections 2024

on 06/08/2024

The PEC Elections 2024 are shaping up to be a complex and dynamic contest. The diverse backgrounds of candidates, shifting expectations of the council’s role, and evolving campaign strategies all contribute to a landscape that is likely to produce an outcome with significant implications for the engineering profession in Pakistan. As the election approaches, stakeholders will need to navigate these evolving dynamics carefully to achieve their objectives and influence the future direction of the PEC.
Just two weeks before the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) Elections 2024, almost all groups of engineers have finalized their panels and kicked off their election campaigns—the exercise that normally would have begun much earlier in the past. Only one group, led by a constructor, was observed hosting meetings mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province much earlier, while all others were busy either in parleys with prospective allies or engaged in internal discussions
Interestingly enough, the composition of panels announced by the groups reveals a different story unfolding in the engineering education sector in Pakistan. Over 70 percent of the candidates from the major contesting groups come from academia, whose institutions are ironically experiencing a decline due to a consistent decrease in admissions of engineering students. Equally intriguing is the fact that none of the supreme leaders of these groups come from academia—the category that typically secures them the top position in the council.
With armies of academicians in their ranks, The Engineers Pakistan (TEP), the NEA-PEG Alliance, the Engr. Najeeb-led Development Group, the Pakistan Engineers Forum (PEF), and the United Engineers Pakistan (UEP) are all in the fray. However, none seem to be functioning perfectly as of yet. For instance, TEP has struggled to find a suitable candidate for the post of vice chairman in Sindh; the NEA-PEG campaign in Sindh has yet to gain momentum; PEF, running alone for the second time, has failed to form an alliance despite active engagement with the Waseem-led PEG; and TEP and Najeeb have been unable to secure support from Qadir Shah for the second time.
Additionally, there are deeper issues that cannot be overlooked in this election. One significant issue is the differing perceptions of the ideal PEC. Some groups view the council more as a welfare organization for engineers rather than a regulatory body. Leaders of TEP and PEF believe that resuming their previous initiatives is the only way to set the council on the right path. In contrast, NEA’s ally and current leader, Engr. Waseem Nazir, advocates for macro-level reforms of the council. This perspective is not shared by Qadir Shah and Mukhtiar Shah, who, under Engr. Najeeb Haroon’s leadership, claim superior performance, asserting that no one has performed better than Haroon.
Under this scenario, the election campaigns of the five groups are expected to attract a larger number of engineers to the polling stations this time. An additional factor might be TEP’s extra effort in Punjab, with Jawed Salim Qureshi being the top candidate after a one-term gap. However, the current situation suggests that fewer engineers from the corporate sector are actively engaged, and the contest is likely to be between engineers from public sector organizations and academia.
Another significant factor is that many universities, which typically supported a single group in past elections, are now divided. This division could impact the election results this time.
Interestingly, the two leading groups—TEP and NEA—have struggled to address internal issues in Sindh. TEP has had difficulty forming its panel in the province, and its failure to find a strong candidate for the vice-chairman position is telling. In the NEA-PEG Alliance, Qadir Shah’s team has not succeeded in crafting a comprehensive campaign and is relying on traditional methods to attract voters. In contrast, their ally, Engr. Waseem Nazir, has run a distinctly different campaign in Punjab.

The Role of Technology Management in Digital Transformation

on 05/08/2024

In the age of digital transformation, technology management is essential because it helps companies strategically integrate technology to spur innovation and meet goals. Through the use of digital technologies, digital transformation entails a fundamental reimagining of consumer experiences, corporate culture, and business processes. The key to coordinating this shift is effective technology management, which guarantees a cogent and flexible response to change by coordinating technology investments with organizational objectives. The strategic integration of technology with corporate strategy is fundamental to the digital transformation process. Understanding the organization’s objectives and determining how digital technologies may support and enhance these goals are key components of technology management. To achieve this alignment, one must have a thorough awareness of the organization’s unique needs and challenges in addition to the state of technology. Effective technology management guarantees that digital projects are essential parts of a larger business plan rather than standalone projects.
In the context of digital transformation, integrating emerging technologies is essential to technology management. Blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and machine learning are a few examples of transformational technologies. A key component of efficient technology management is determining how various technologies relate to and affect the operations and competitiveness of the company. In order to stay forward in the ever-changing digital landscape, it necessitates an introspective approach to exploration and execution. The creation of a solid digital infrastructure is a critical component of technology management in digital transformation. This covers the implementation of cybersecurity safeguards, data analysis platforms, and adaptable reliable cloud computing solutions. The digital infrastructure serves as the cornerstone for the digital capabilities of the company, facilitating data-driven decision-making, scalability, and agility. The infrastructure is kept up to date with industry best practices and the organization’s changing needs thanks to technology management.
Organizational culture typically has to change as a result of digital transformation, with an emphasis on customer-centricity, agility, and teamwork. Through supporting the use of tools for collaboration, encouraging ongoing learning and upskilling, and cultivating an innovative and experimental mindset, technology management contributes to this cultural shift. Organizations must undergo this cultural shift in order to adjust to the quick-paced, ever-changing digital business environment. In the digital age, data is a vital resource, and technology management is essential to maximizing its potential for corporate gain. This entails building data analytics capabilities, putting in place strong data governance structures, and making sure data privacy laws are followed. Organizations may use data to gain actionable insights that inform decision-making and personalize consumer experiences when technology is managed effectively.
Customer-centric design and user experience (UX) are critical in the framework of digital transformation. The implementation of technologies and practices that improve user experience—like adaptive layout, accessibility features, and user interface design—is supervised by technology management. Ensuring digital solutions are not only practical and effective but also user-friendly and entertaining for end users is the aim. In the midst of digital transformation, agile approaches and DevOps techniques are essential elements of technology management. These methods place a strong emphasis on quick reaction to changing needs, iterative development, and cooperation between the development and operations teams. Technology management makes that the company implements and refines these approaches to improve the speed, adaptability, and effectiveness of delivering digital solutions. The cybersecurity environment is getting more complicated as businesses embrace digital transformation. The responsibility of safeguarding digital assets, consumer data, and vital systems falls on technology management. To do this, the company must have strong cybersecurity procedures in place, regularly review its risks, and cultivate a cybersecurity-aware culture. In order to reduce cyber threats and guarantee the durability of digital systems, proactive technology management is crucial.
In the digital environment, where enterprises frequently use a combination of in-house and third-party solutions, compatibility and integration are crucial factors to take into account. The goal of technology management is to choose and use technologies that work in unison with current systems, promote interoperability, and build a cohesive digital environment. This method improves productivity, cuts down on duplication, and makes it easier to implement a coherent digital strategy. An essential component of efficient technology management in the digital transformation process is ongoing monitoring and optimization. This entails the routine evaluation of user input, key performance metrics, and technological performance. Technology management makes sure that the company is flexible and responsive to changing business requirements, technical breakthroughs, and shifts in the competitive environment by keeping an eye on the effects of digital projects.
Beyond the deployment stage, technology management plays a crucial role in digital transformation through continual innovation and strategic considerations. It entails keeping up with emerging technology, assessing its value to the company, and making plans for its future development. Technology management sustains the organization’s agility, resilience, and long-term performance in the digital age by means of ongoing technological foresight and strategic planning. The secret to effective digital transformation programs is technology management. The process entails coordinating technology with business strategy, incorporating cutting-edge technologies, building a strong digital infrastructure, encouraging creativity, maximizing user experiences, guaranteeing cybersecurity, encouraging interoperability, and persistently observing and adjusting to changes. Effective technology management acts as a compass for enterprises navigating the challenges of digital transformation, pointing them in the direction of greater agility, creativity, and competitive in the digital economy.

CSR launches Regbar Construction Solutions in Pakistan

on 05/08/2024

In a private event held at the Institution of Engineers Pakistan (IEP) building on July 4, 2024, in Karachi, Pakistan, Construction Solutions Resources (CSR) proudly launched Regbar Construction Solutions in Pakistan, in collaboration with its Turkish partners. This initiative marks a significant step towards introducing advanced construction technologies tailored to enhance Pakistan’s infrastructure landscape.
The event featured distinguished speakers including Engr. Sohail Bashir, Chairman of IEP Karachi, and Dr. Sarosh Lodi, Vice Chancellor of NED University of Engineering & Technology shared insights on the importance of adopting innovative technologies in the construction sector.
Managing Partners from Regbar introduced a range of specialized products including Reinforcement Couplers, Anchorage Solutions, and Rock Bolts during the event. The interactive Q&A session elaborated on the product applications in local projects to enhance the quality and efficiency of construction endeavors.
Amir Ul Islam, CEO of CSR, concluded the event with a vote of thanks, emphasizing CSR’s commitment to advancing Pakistan’s construction industry through sustainable growth and technological innovation, focusing on implementing best practices to elevate construction standards nationwide.
About CSR: Construction Solutions Resources (CSR) is dedicated to enhancing Pakistan’s construction sector through innovative solutions and strategic partnerships. Established with a vision to promote sustainable development, CSR focuses on implementing best practices to elevate construction standards nationwide.