Emirates partners with Italian consulate

Emirates has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Consulate of Italy in Karachi, as per a press release, to seamlessly facilitate diplomatic travel and promote cultural and business ties between Pakistan and Italy in Karachi.

The MOU was signed by Mohammed Alhashmi, Emirates’ Vice President for Pakistan, and Fabrizio Bielli, the Consul of Italy, during a signing ceremony held at the Consulate in Karachi.

Under the agreement, Emirates will become the preferred airline for official travel by the Italian Consulate. The airline will offer exclusive benefits to diplomatic passengers, including preferential fares, cargo rates, and additional baggage allowances.

Emirates will also explore opportunities to support diplomatic and cultural events organised by the Italian Consulate, as well as promotions for business engagements in Italy related to the Italian Consulate. In return, the Italian Consulate will recommend Emirates to individuals and entities engaging with the Consulate for travel to and from Italy.

Petroleum Minister Visits Parco

The Federal Minister for Petroleum, Ali Pervaiz Malik, accompanied by the Additional Secretary (Policy), Petroleum Division, Zafar Abbas, visited the Corporate Headquarters of Pak-Arab Refinery Limited (Parco) according to a press release. The pair were received by Irteza Ali Qureshi, Managing Director, Parco, along with the company’s senior leadership team.

During the visit, Mr Malik was given a comprehensive briefing on Parco’s modular growth strategy, its fifty-year legacy of operational excellence, and its future strategic roadmap. The briefing highlighted Parco’s vital role in strengthening Pakistan’s energy infrastructure through innovation, efficiency, and sustainability.

Mr Malik acknowledged the significance of Parco’s contribution to Pakistan’s energy landscape and appreciated the company’s efforts to maintain high standards of operational excellence and strategic foresight. His visit underscores the government’s support for institutions like Parco that are playing a pivotal role in meeting the country’s growing energy demand.

Neem and TPL Life partner up

Financial platform Neem is deepening its footprint in the insurance sector, as explained in a press release, with a new strategic partnership with TPL Life, a digital-first insurance company serving over one million customers across Pakistan. This collaboration follows Neem’s recently announced partnership with TPL Life and signals the company’s continued momentum in transforming insurance through embedded financial infrastructure.

The partnership with TPL Life advances Neem’s mission to digitise the full insurance value chain — from premium collection to claim disbursement — using its low-code, scalable, compliant payments and wallet infrastructure.

Through Neem’s embedded finance stack, TPL Life will roll out a two-phase digital finance solution to elevate its customer experience and operational agility: Neem’s Payment Button integrated into TPL’s digital platforms will enable policyholders to pay premiums through cards, bank transfers, wallets, and 1Bill. TPL’s team will also gain access to real-time reporting and insights through the Neem Business Portal.

ICAP hosts CFO conference 2025

The Professional Accountants in Business Committee of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) organised CFO Conference 2025 on the theme “Quantum Leap: Agility & Competitive Edge” at a local hotel.

A major highlight of the conference was the keynote address titled ‘Leadership Metamorphosis: Recalibrating CFOs in Motion’ by Syed Hyder Ali, Chief Executive and Managing Director of Packages Group. He examined the multidimensional evolution of the CFO role, shifting from traditional financial stewardship to becoming strategic business leaders. Mr Ali emphasised the CFO’s potential to drive innovation, performance, and resilience amid today’s volatile economic climate.

The conference proceeded with several other thought-provoking panel discussion and keynote addresses from the likes of Sana Mela, Vice President Strategy at Swyft Logistics; Atyab Tahir, CEO of Hugo Bank; Salman Hafeez, Executive Director at Nishat; Azfar Ahsan, Chairman of Nutshell Group; Khu­rram Schehzad, Advisor to the Finance Minister of Pakistan and many more

In the closing address, Muhammad Awais, Vice President ICAP, expressed his sincere thanks to all participants, speakers, and organising teams. He reaffirmed ICAP’s ongoing commitment to strengthening Pakistan’s finance profession by fostering leadership, innovation, and ethical excellence.

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, June 2nd, 2025