Faysal Bank and Lums

Faysal Bank Limited has reaffirmed its longstanding partnership with the Lahore University of Management Sciences (Lums), reinforcing its shared commitment to expanding access to quality education and creating opportunities for future generations, as per a press release.

A senior delegation from Faysal Bank, led by Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mian Muhammad Younis, visited the Lums campus. The delegation included Hafiz Mohammad Yousaf, Director; Yousaf Hussain, President & CEO; and other senior officials. During the visit, the delegation also met with Lums Founding Pro-Chancellor, Syed Babar Ali.

A key highlight of the visit was the presentation of a cheque to the Lums management as a contribution towards the university’s National Outreach Programme (NOP), which enables talented students from across Pakistan to pursue quality education regardless of their financial circumstances. The occasion also marked the unveiling of a commemorative plaque recognising Faysal Bank’s generous support by naming an auditorium in the university’s academic block.

Understanding PQA reforms

A media delegation visited Port Qasim Authority (PQA) last to understand Pakistan’s maritime potential and ongoing reforms in the maritime sector, as per a press release. During the interactive briefing, the delegation was apprised of PQA’s pivotal role in facilitating national trade, handling nearly half of the country’s seaborne cargo, supporting energy security through LNG imports, and promoting sustainable port development.

The presentation also highlighted ongoing initiatives in port modernisation, digital transformation, infrastructure expansion, environmental sustainability and operational efficiency.

As part of the visit, the media team undertook a guided boat tour of Port Qasim’s navigational channel and operational areas, where they received detailed briefings on marine operations, cargo-handling facilities, and port management systems.

The visit was part of a national outreach initiative to highlight ongoing reforms in Pakistan’s maritime sector, including port modernisation, customs digitalisation, revival of the ship recycling industry and the blue economy.

Sovereign AI infrastructure

Data Vault Pakistan has signed a three-year contract with the National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) to deliver Sovereign AI Services for the federal government, marking a milestone in Pakistan’s journey toward secure, sovereign, and nationally controlled artificial intelligence infrastructure, as per a press release.

Under the contract, Data Vault Pakistan will deploy enterprise-grade NVIDIA AI infrastructure, including the latest H200, B200, and A100 GPU platforms, enabling NTC to offer GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS), Models-as-a-Service (MaaS), and enterprise AI capabilities from its highly secure, government-managed data centres.

The platform will provide secure compute, advanced AI infrastructure, and access to leading AI models, enabling government institutions to accelerate AI adoption while ensuring that critical government data remains protected within Pakistan and under Pakistani jurisdiction.

The partnership establishes NTC as Pakistan’s premier government platform for sovereign AI, enabling federal institutions to securely leverage artificial intelligence while maintaining complete control over critical data, compute, and digital infrastructure.

Zindigi’s digital award

Zindigi , powered by JS Bank, has been recognised as Pakistan’s Best Digital Bank at the prestigious Euromoney Awards for Excellence.

The globally acclaimed awards honour financial institutions that are setting new benchmarks in innovation, digital transformation, and customer experience while shaping the future of banking, according to a press release.

Since its launch, Zindigi has continuously pushed the boundaries of digital banking by introducing market-first innovations and building an ecosystem that makes banking simpler, smarter, and more accessible.

From empowering freelancers and entrepreneurs to accelerating Pakistan’s transition towards a digitally inclusive economy, Zindigi has remained committed to creating meaningful financial solutions that improve everyday lives.

Speaking on the achievement, Noman Azhar, Chief Officer, Zindigi by JS Bank, said: “Awards are never the destination, they are milestones that remind us we are moving in the right direction. Pakistan’s Best Digital Bank is a proud moment, not only for Zindigi, but for Pakistan’s growing digital financial ecosystem.”

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, July 20th, 2026