Pakistan’s 1st QR Cable Verification Service for Commercial and Industrial Clients
Fast Cables Launches “Fast Tasdeeq Plus”

on 23/06/2023

FAST, a leading manufacturer of REAL Quality Cables & LED Lights, has announced the launch of its innovative cable verification service for commercial and industrial clients. Fast Tasdeeq Plus, is the 1st ever QR code-based cable verification service in Pakistan that allows corporate customers to verify the authenticity of their Fast Cables products easily and quickly. The Fast Tasdeeq Plus service will be a game changer in the electrical cable and wire industry in Pakistan as it will now provide commercial and industrial clients with the assurance and peace of mind that they are using genuine REAL QUALITY products. By offering customers a reliable way to verify the authenticity of its products, Fast Cables is setting a new benchmark for quality and customer service.
Fast Tasdeeq Plus works by allowing customers to scan the unique QR code pasted on the cable through the Fast App. The App then verifies the code and provides real-time information on the product’s authenticity. The Fast Tasdeeq Plus service is available to all industrial and commercial clients of Fast Cables. To use the service, clients simply need to download the Fast App, which is available for free on both iOS and Android platforms. Once the app is installed, clients can scan the code on the cable to verify its genuineness.
The launch of Fast Tasdeeq Plus is a significant milestone for Fast Cables, as it demonstrates the Company’s commitment to ensuring that its customers receive only genuine and REAL QUALITY products. By providing a reliable and efficient verification service, Fast Cables is taking a proactive approach to prevent the distribution of counterfeit products in the market.
Speaking about the launch of Fast Tasdeeq Plus, Mr. Kamal Mian, Managing Director of FAST, said: “We are proud to introduce this revolutionary verification service to our commercial and industrial clients. At Fast Cables, we believe in delivering only the highest quality products to our customers, and Fast Tasdeeq Plus is a testament of our commitment to that belief.”
For more information about Fast Tasdeeq Plus and Fast Cables’ other products and services, please visit the company’s website at www.fast-cables.com. — PR

Learn, qualify, and get a job! Bridge program founders commit to candidates IT Industry Academia Bridge Program launched, will be spread over 16 universities in Sindh

on 23/06/2023

The IT Industry Academia Bridge Program designed to train 3000 undergraduates in 16 public sector universities in Sindh was launched at Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University (SBBU), Lyari Karachi last week.
The ceremony held at the university’s main campus was presided over by Tanzila Umi Habiba, Special Assistant to the chief minister for Information, Science, and Technology. ‘With the execution of this program, my dream has come true, it was close to my heart from the very beginning’, she said.
We shall facilitate young people who want to lead the province in IT and other technologies, Tanzila assured. We have brought an expensive program to your university and now it is up to you how you benefit from it, she addressed the students.
The lead partner of the IS&T Department, Managing Director of Hazza Institute of Technology, Azhar Iqbal told the gathering that they had picked up the best lot of trainers from the IT industry across Pakistan. Because they wanted the successful trainees should go directly for job placements.
Almost 70 IT companies are with us, he claims assuring qualified trainees that they would be placed for jobs directly.
Vice Chancellor SBBU Dr. Amjad Siraj Memon welcomed the guests as hosts and appreciated the program, hoping the government would provide the requisite IT infrastructure to make the program a success. Dr. Memon said there was a big gap between industry and academia adding that despite the students being trained but still the probability of employability remained a question because they did not have industry exposure.
We have started paid internships at our university so that they ensure to be at their workplace as well as at the university. Now our IT Department is one of the leading departments in the university, Memon claims.
The training program which is executed in collaboration with Hazza Institute of Technology (HIT) includes IT training of the students of 6th to 8th semesters in 8 subjects that include MERN Stack, Web Engineering Basic LAMP/WAMP stack, Cloud Solution Architecture, SAQ (Selenium and Test Complete), Mobile App Development, MERN stack (Express, Mongo, and Node), Web Engineering Advance and Mobile App Development (React and Native).
Besides training students in various districts of Sindh, 200 faculty members and staff would also be trained.
Dr. Arshad Masood Director, IAB shared the overview of the program to a jam-packed university auditorium before MD Datacom Limited Syed Zulfikar Ali who talked about the IT Industry perspective.
Dr. Ashraf who has worked with academia for forty years said this is a very special initiative of the Sindh government. The result of industry-academia collaboration has been disappointing so far.
He talked about the utility of the bridge program saying the training designed under this program matched global demand. IT students learn low-scale skills in universities whereas we are talking about most modern skills.
This is like a semester course spread over 80 hours of which 20 percent would be utilized on theory and 80 percent on practical. Altogether, there will be 16 sessions spread over 18-week activity. The course would be embedded with regular semester programs of the universities.
He said they had selected the most experienced trainers from the industry as it was an industry-oriented program and not based on knowledge only.
Asif Ikram, the Secretary IS&T Department shared the Digital vision of Sindh saying over 60 percent population of the country is comprised of young people. We are investing in human capital which cannot be done without young people being trained.
The gathering was attended by IT professionals from the private sector and faculty members of the university besides government officers.

Is Sindh serious to takeover power sector?

on 23/06/2023

The Sindh government finally moved towards establishing the Sindh Electric Power Regulatory Authority (SEPRA) to take over the power sector in the province after its cabinet approved the birth of the entity last week.
As per the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) Act 1997, the provinces are allowed to construct power houses and grid stations and lay transmission lines for use within the province, and determine the tariff for distributing electricity within the province.
The step is widely welcomed nonetheless, with a caution that the Sindh government ought to take complete responsibility and demonstrate a level of governance, otherwise the authority is doomed to add more problems.
Also, the move is understood to have a background as the provincial government had found itself in a narrow street in the backdrop of its renewable power projects, and of them, almost all had been stuck up and failed to find a place in the center’s indicative generation capacity plan.
Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh has been expressing his anguish about Sindh’s renewable power projects being kept at bay in Islamabad. Last year, the provincial government had made up its mind about setting up SEPRA, which finally got node last week.
But the question is: would the establishment of SEPRA minimize the woes of Sindh? The government says it is aimed at improving energy quality and eliminating energy poverty in the province. Syed Murad Ali Shah, the chief minister, believes the decision is a historic step toward power generation, transmission, and distribution.
Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh reportedly told the meeting that Sindh is blessed with an entire value chain of energy resources, like coal, solar, and wind energy among other things, with cost-effective access through air, land, and sea routes.
Shaikh said that these resources can be used to generate electricity wheeled through the transmission network of the Sindh Grid Company to meet the demand of household, commercial, and industrial consumers of the province at affordable prices.
He said that this step would resolve the issue of constraints faced by the provincial power projects, especially the renewable energy projects within the national framework, in terms of non-inclusion in the Indicative Generation Capacity Expansion Plan 2021, and lack of further processing by the federal entities.
If the provincial chief executive and his ministers do the things in genuine terms that they are stating above, then the move would surely yield positive results and the people would come out of electricity poverty gradually, as Sindh has abundant proven potential for wind and solar energy.
But the track record of the Sindh government spread over a decade shows dismal performance in every sector. For example, the Sindh Transmission Despatch Company (STDC) which transports power has only 60 employees and of them only 3 to 4 are engineers. The Company looks after only one line laid from Omni Group’s power plant in Nooriabad. However, NTDC, looking after thousands of kilometer-long transmission lines, has over 1000 engineers, no matter the performance. Would the Sindh government be able to raise the level of expertise in STDC? If yes, then the conditions may improve, but again it is connected with the governance problem.
If serious efforts are afoot, the confidence of the lenders will improve, who at least in the case of the privatization of DISCOs, seemed not interested at all. As a result, the central government allowed the Sindh government to take over two DISCOs in Sindh, such as Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) and Sukkur Electric Supply Company (SEPCO). It must not be forgotten that the Punjab government has refused to take over DISCOs in Punjab. Now, a part of the circular debt will be diverted as per the wishes of the IMF. Now, the performance of Sindh’s DISCOs is no secret anymore..
However, many senior engineers say that the Sindh government should restrict SEPRA to the terms of renewables and take steps to transport renewable power locally so that it should be away from the issues of joining NTDC—the company which is already at the lower end of its performance and has very little knowledge of scenario in Sindh.

How to overcome challenge of engineers’ employment

on 23/06/2023

The role of engineers in a nation’s development cannot be overemphasized. In Pakistan, the development of the country is closely linked with the progress of its engineers. Unfortunately, the value of engineers is not recognized in Pakistan, and they are often left feeling demoralized and unappreciated.
The role of engineers in a nation’s development cannot be overemphasized. In Pakistan, the development of the country is closely linked with the progress of its engineers. Unfortunately, the value of engineers is not recognized in Pakistan, and they are often left feeling demoralized and unappreciated.
The lack of opportunities for engineers in Pakistan has led to a talent drain, with many of the country’s most competent engineers seeking opportunities abroad. This is a worrying trend that needs to be addressed if Pakistan is to achieve real progress and development.
One of the reasons for the lack of opportunities for engineers in Pakistan is the fact that non-engineers are often appointed to technical positions. This is a unique phenomenon that is not seen in many other countries. In Pakistan, non-technical individuals are appointed as project directors, and engineers are made to work under them. This not only undermines the value of engineers but also hinders the progress of the country.
One such example is Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited (PTCL), which provides telecom services throughout Pakistan. However, it is concerning that many non-technical individuals, including Agriculture graduates and MBAs, are appointed as heads of projects within the company, which can lead to them making decisions on technical matters and potentially ruling over engineers without having the necessary technical expertise to do so.
The government of Pakistan must take steps to address this issue and provide opportunities for engineers to contribute to the development of the country. This can be achieved by appointing qualified engineers to technical positions and as heads of the technical departments and ensuring that their contributions are recognized and appreciated.
Furthermore, the government should invest in the education and training of engineers to ensure that they are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to contribute to the development of the country. This can be achieved by providing scholarships and funding for engineering programs and research.
Here are some specific steps that the government of Pakistan can take to provide more opportunities for engineers:
Increase investment in infrastructure: The government can invest in infrastructure development projects that require the expertise of engineers. This will not only create job opportunities for engineers but also contribute to the overall development of the country.
Encourage entrepreneurship: The government can encourage entrepreneurship among engineers by providing funding and support for startups. This will enable engineers to start their businesses and create job opportunities for themselves and others.
Promote research and development: The government can provide funding and support for research and development in engineering fields. This will enable engineers to carry out innovative research and develop new technologies that can contribute to the development of the country.
Improve the education system: The government can improve the education system by providing better facilities and resources for engineering education. This will ensure that engineers are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to contribute to the development of the country.
Provide incentives for companies to hire engineers: The government can provide incentives for companies to hire engineers, such as tax breaks or subsidies. This will encourage companies to hire more engineers and create job opportunities for them.
Overall, the government needs to prioritize the development of engineering in Pakistan and take concrete steps to provide more opportunities for engineers. By doing so, the country can benefit from the expertise and contributions of its engineers and achieve real progress and development.
The government can encourage entrepreneurship among engineers in the following ways:
Creating incubators and accelerators: The government can create incubators and accelerators specifically for engineering startups. These facilities can provide entrepreneurs with mentorship, networking opportunities, and access to resources such as labs and equipment.
Simplifying regulatory processes: The government can simplify regulatory processes for engineering startups, such as business registration and licensing. This will make it easier and less expensive for engineers to start their own businesses.
Offering tax incentives: The government can offer tax incentives to engineering startups, such as tax breaks or exemptions. This will reduce the financial burden on startups and encourage more engineers to start their own businesses.
Providing training and support: The government can provide training and support for engineering startups, such as business management and marketing training. This will help engineers develop the skills they need to run successful businesses.
In this way, the government can create more job opportunities, foster innovation, and contribute to the development of the country.
In conclusion, the development of Pakistan is closely linked with the progress of its engineers. The government must take steps to provide more opportunities for engineers and ensure that their contributions are recognized and appreciated. By doing so, Pakistan can achieve real progress and development, and prevent the talent drain that is currently occurring.

Google launches first ‘App Growth Lab’ in Pakistan

on 23/06/2023

Following the launch of the Gaming Growth Lab in Pakistan last year, Google has announced the launch of the first-ever App Growth Lab in Pakistan.
The latter is a four-month program designed to identify high-potential app developers, studios, and companies that are looking to accelerate and grow their businesses, said a news release. The launch represents Google’s commitment to helping grow Pakistan’s app industry locally and globally. With intensive education and support phases, the program will allow app developers to learn from Google experts in areas such as Ads, AdMob, Firebase, gTech, and Play as well as industry leaders.
Farhan S. Qureshi, Google’s Regional Director for Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, said, “Today, we are proud to announce the launch of App Growth Lab to support up-and-coming local developers and help them expand their offerings to an international audience. The project demonstrates Google’s dedication to supporting the sustainable growth of the developer ecosystem in the country. Through our ongoing efforts, we hope to support Pakistani developers in their pursuit of creating great applications for the world. The App Growth Lab program is based on four core pillars.”
Saad Hameed, CEO of Game District, shared, “The Gaming Growth Lab Pakistan 2022 was indeed one of the most insightful programs that we have attended so far in Game District. We have learned a lot of information covering all the domains of the mobile gaming industry, from basics to advance. We have optimized our games’ performance by implementing all the intuitive knowledge that we learned from this program.” The program will commence in June and run for four months. Interested organizations, app, and development studios may apply till May 22.