IBA and Stanford collaborate with Sindh Government

IBA Karachi and faculty from Stanford University’s Life Design Lab met with Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to discuss how design thinking can address the critical issues of the city, as per a press release. From easing the traffic crisis to improving public safety and creating accessible open spaces for families, the discussions revolved around delivering swift, meaningful, and sustainable solutions.

Over the next three years, the IBA and Stanford teams will work closely with the Sindh government to establish a new culture of problem-solving, training ministers, bureaucrats, and students to think differently and act decisively. Mr Shah has tasked these committees with ensuring that no challenge — be it urban planning, environmental sustainability, or public welfare — is met with outdated approaches.

Bank Alfalah donates to dolphin preservation

Bank Alfalah has partnered with World Wildlife Fund Pakistan, committing Rs8.5 million to safeguard the endangered Indus River blind dolphins, as per a press release.

The partnership will engage local communities by establishing five Community-based organisations, training 35 fishers, establishing 10 nature clubs, and empowering 700 students to become conservation champions, ensuring a brighter future for this unique species.

Indus River dolphins, locally known as “Bhulan”, face an alarming decline and are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Its population has declined to a mere 20pc of its historical range due to a confluence of threats such as habitat loss, entanglement in fishing nets, and pollution.

Commenting on the partnership, Madiha Javed Qureshi, Head of Corporate Communication at Bank Alfalah, said, “We are proud to collaborate with the World Wildlife Fund on this one-of-a-kind initiative, which highlights a unique species of dolphins which only has a habitat in the Indus River. Through this partnership, we will engage local communities in safeguarding dolphin habitats, raising awareness, and ultimately helping to grow their population, preserving a natural treasure that holds special significance for Pakistan.”

4th PMYSDP meeting for youths’ skills

The fourth meeting of the Programme Steering Committee for the Prime Minister Youth Skill Development Programme 2023-26 convened at the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission headquarters in Islamabad as per a press release.

During the meeting, a roadmap for the revised program was presented to the committee for approval, which included ambitious plans to train 60,000 youths across 11 key sectors — including training in banking and finance, which is expected to create job opportunities for students with a commerce background — focusing on creating employment opportunities within Pakistan and internationally.

The meeting was co-chaired by the Federal Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training, Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, and the Chairperson of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan. Federal Secretary, Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, was also in attendance.

In a separate event on the same day, NAVTTC and the National Radio Telecommunication Corporation signed an agreement for the development of a Training Lifecycle Manage­ment System. The system is a key component of NAVTTC’s E-Learning roadmap and is designed to provide real-time access to data on student progress, institutional performance, trainer efficiency, and course outcomes.

Islamic finance’s promising outlook

AlHuda Centre of Islamic Banking and Economics (CIBE) has projected a promising outlook for the Islamic finance industry in 2025, with assets anticipated to surpass $5 trillion, as per a press release.

Market factors such as rising demand for financial inclusion, sustainable financing, and innovation in Islamic financial products have created a favourable environment for accelerated growth in this segment.

Muhammad Zubair, CEO of AlHuda CIBE, emphasised the bright future of the industry, stating, “Islamic finance has entered a transformative phase, driven by innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability. The $5tr milestone in 2025 reflects the sector’s critical role in fostering global economic resilience and financial inclusion.

“Key contributors include the strong growth of Islamic banking in the Gulf Cooperation Council, the expansion of the sukuk market, and the rise of Islamic fintech, which is shaping the digital and ethical future of finance.”

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, January 6th, 2025