Maritime Affairs Minister visits KPT office

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, visited the Karachi Port Trust head office after taking charge, as per a press release. Upon his arrival, Chairman KPT Syedain Raza Zaidi warmly received him. Mr Sheikh presided over an introductory meeting attended by Federal Secretary Iram Anjum Khan, KPT Trustee Asif Nisar Vohra, and other high KPT officials.

During the meeting, Mr Sheikh outlined his vision to elevate KPT and other ports to meet international standards. He further reiterated his commitment to promptly and decisively resolve the longstanding issues faced by KPT.

Mr Zaidi also expressed optimism about the collaborative efforts to enhance the port’s efficiency and address key challenges. He provided an overview of KPT’s advancements in modernisation and enhancement efforts.

TDAP’s webinar on shrimp exports

The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), in collaboration with key aquaculture industry stakeholders, hosted a webinar titled ‘Developing Shrimp Export Potential in Pakistan’, as per a press release.

Mozzam Khan, former Director General of the Marine Fisheries Department and former CEO of the Fisheries Development Board, delivered a presentation on the environment required for the growth of shrimp exports.

Deputy Director of Marine Fisheries Department Haseeb Awan underscored the significant opportunities available for stakeholders to tap into the global shrimp market, given Pakistan’s abundant marine resources and strategic geographical location.

Faisal Iftikhar, former CEO of the Fisheries Development Board, also provided valuable insights into the prospects of shrimp farming and export opportunities. The webinar served as a platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and networking among industry experts, policymakers, and stakeholders.

UBL & TapSys lauch SoftPOS

United Bank Limited (UBL), in collaboration with technology innovator TapSys, launched SoftPOS, which transforms smartphones and tablets into payment terminals, according to a press release. This offers businesses versatility, convenience, and security.

SoftPOS by UBL is a comprehensive solution compatible with a wide range of Android devices, eliminating the need for additional hardware investments.

Tughral A. T. Ali, Head of Digital Money and Financial Inclusion at UBL, noted, “This initiative marks a significant milestone in our mission to drive digital payment adoption and empower local enterprises.” Karim Jindani, CEO of TapSys, expressed excitement about expanding digital acceptance

in Pakistan, stating, “SoftPOS will enable merchants in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities to onboard and accept card transactions digitally.”

Karandaaz and BOP collaboration

The Bank of Punjab (BOP) and Karandaaz Pakistan join forces in a strategic alliance to revolutionise Pakistan’s Agriculture Sector under Karandaaz’s inaugural Digital Financing for Agriculture (DFA) Challenge 2023, states a press release.

Waqas ul Hassan, CEO of Karandaaz Pakistan, expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “The collaboration between Karandaaz Pakistan and Bank of Punjab represents a significant opportunity for demonstrating an increase in the productivity of the agricultural value chains through digital inclusion of small farmers.”

Moreover, Mr Masud opined that the collaboration aims to overcome farmers’ financial hurdles. It aims to improve productivity and address the challenge of loan securitisation by offering collateral-free financing.

Bank Alfalah & Indus Hospital sign MoU

Bank Alfalah signs a Memorandum of Understanding with Indus Hospital & Health Network (IHHN) for Humanitarian Response to support the establishment of a Primary Care Health Facility in the flood-affected District Thatta at Makli, as per a press release.

Under the leadership of Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak Al Nahayan, Chairman of Bank Alfalah, the Bank has embarked on a strategy to redevelop communities, pledging to contribute Rs25m. This partnership is part of a phase 2 plan to address long-term healthcare issues.

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, April 8th, 2024