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BUSINESS Sunday, 28 April, 2013
US-Pak Business Council urged for soft policy on Pakistani mangoes export
ISLAMABAD: US-Pakistan Business Council should play its role in convincing the US trade mission and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to formulate a soft policy regarding import of Pakistani mangoes, said Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Harvest Tradings Ahmad Jawad on Saturday. He said that a US mission would visit Pakistan to give impetus to trade and investment relations between the two countries and it was hoped that it would achieve the desired results. Ahmed Jawad said that it is the right time to start with “mango diplomacy” for the upcoming season, starting from next month which would surely help us to engage the private sector of both sides, as currently mango export to US is almost halted. He urged APHIS, a subsidiary of USDA to lay down the same policy as they have done for Indian products. INP
Fear, not appeals, shuts down businesses in Karachi, say traders KARACHI
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ISMAIL DILAWAR
HE traders and industrialists of the violence-hit financial hub of Pakistan on Saturday said the ‘fear factor’, not ‘passionate appeals’ by political parties, forced them to shut their businesses whenever strike calls are given in the city. According to FPCCI Vice President Shaheen Ilyas Sarwana, a one-day strike in Karachi costs the country at least Rs 7 billion on account of local trade and business and around Rs 12 to Rs 13 billion under the head of foreign trade, mainly imports. Saturday was the third consecutive day when unannounced strike calls from the electioneering but terrorism-hit Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP) kept socioeconomic activities in the city paralyzed. Some traders like Asif Maruf of Zeba Textiles have, however, appreciated the ANP’s decision to observe a day of mourning on Saturday without calling for a strike. Sensing gravity of the situation the traders and industrialists gathered at the Federation House to ask political parties for the rationale behind observing daylong strikes after the tragic victimisation of their workers and supporters in terrorist attacks. “Is this a show of strength, nuisance or what,” said Dr Mirza Ikhtiyar Baig, aformer adviser to the prime minister on textile. “How can these political parties jus-
tify such strikes? Are these linked to the eternal forgiveness of those martyred?” the industrialist asked, urging the business community to at least announce their boycott of all pro-strikes parties in the forthcoming election. Demanding the government of a markup subsidy to compensate the businessmen for days of forced closures, Baig said the businessmen should not support those parties involved in forced closure of businesses, torching vehicles and giving strike calls on May 11. Criticising the government for failing to establish its writ on a handful of miscreants, Baig wondered why traders representatives like Atiq Mir, chairman All Karachi Tajir Ittehad (AKTI), so promptly announce their support to the politicallymotivated strike calls. “Everybody present here would agree that we close businesses out of fear and not on the appeals of political parties,” Mir was quick to clarify. “Be it the PPP, MQM or ANP, the attitude of every party is known to all. Those calling for strike also exert severe pressure,” the AKTI chairman said. Therefore, Mir suggested, the traders and businessmen should form a “pressure group” of their own that not only would deal with such politically-motivated pressures but also make an unwary government resolve the fraternity’s problems. “It is a time-tested fact that our problems are only resolved when we agitate and stage sits-in,” claimed Mir, stressing
that extortion, targeted killings, kidnapATIQ MIR ping for ransom, terrorism, frequent CHAIRMAN ALL KARACHI TAJIR ITTEHAD strikes, rallies and protests were the lingering issues the city was facing. “We cannot sit idle. Make a pressure group to force the government to resolve our problems,” Mir said amidst ear-splitEverybody ting desk-thumping by participants of would agree that we the meeting. businesses out of close FPCCI Presi“The busident Zubair fear and not on the ness commuA h m e d appeals of political nity does not Malik said want to see unlike his parties. Be it the PPP, the elections predecesMQM or ANP, the postponed so sors, he what is would enattitude of every party is wrong in givsure that the known to all. Those ing the city’s government control to the takes the traders calling for strike army for three of Karachi serialso exert severe weeks,” said SM ously. Muneer, chairman of Rizwana Shahid, pressure the Din Group. acting chairperson of HandSenator Abdul Haseeb Khan icraft Association, claiming to be the voice of the country’s 52 percent women said the dollar-hungry Pakistan had no population, joined her male counterparts in choice but to go for polls on May 11. He reiterating their demand for army’s deploy- said the cash-strapped country direly needed foreign exchange to avoid a posment in Karachi before the election. RESOLUTION FOR ARMY sible Balance of Payment default. The DEPLOYMENT: The meeting adopted a participants of the meeting urged the govhurriedly-prepared resolution calling for ernment to slash its “unnecessary expenhanding over Karachi’s control to the ditures” and invest in power generation to army for three weeks before the election, resolve the economy-crippling energy crisis in the country, especially in Punjab. which are only 13 days away.
APCNGA demands 5-day gas supply to CNG sector
SNGPL to enhance gas supply duration for industries: GM ISLAMABAD: Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry, general manager Sui Northern Gas Company Limited, on Saturday said the SNGPL is working to enhance gas supply duration for industries from three days to four days a week. Chaudhry said this during a visit to the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He said the industry should be given priority in supplying gas to promote economic activities and creating jobs. However, the policy of encouraging CNG sector in the country has made it difficult for us to supply consistent gas to industries. He said stay orders by CNG stations from courts against gas load shedding were creating problems for SNGPL.He said industrial and commercial consumers were the most profitable subscribers of SNGPL. However, it was the responsibility of the government to reset its priorities for supply of gas to different categories of consumers keeping in view the supreme national interest. NNI
RAWALPINDI: Girls look at handicrafts displayed at a three-day ‘My Rawalpindi’ expo organised by the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. INP
Khalis Food Market: a refreshing change for Lahoris LAHORE PRESS RELEASE
With the elections drawing to a daunting close, the entire nation seems to be engulfed in a frenzy of heated politics. With all leisure activities deferred till further notice, one bold initiative brings a refreshing change for the citizens of Lahore; The Khalis Food Market. The first of its kind, this farmers market brings us fresh, local and wholesome produce and food directly from the farmers themselves. Our local Sabzi Mandi is the closest version of a farmer’s market concept found abroad. Unfortunately the sellers at a Sabzi Mandi cannot vouch to be farm fresh and ‘healthy’, as the reality is the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other factors such as contaminated drain water on these products cannot be ignored. Recent reports have uncovered that some crops around the region of Lahore are fed with chem-
ical waste water from nearby industries. As a result of this, the local produce available in the market is poisoned with lead, mercury, arsenics etc. This poses a serious hazard for anyone consuming such vegetables and fruits. For this reason a very serious debate has arisen over this serious issue and concepts like environment friendly, green and organic have become part of the vernacular. Encouragingly, several cottage industries and social entrepreneurs have sprung up, with the help of social networking mediums that sell local, home grown produce and food items. However, we are talking about a very small percentage of a very large population that has access to those that produce and wholesome foods. Presently very little information regarding the availability of organic and whole foods reaches those consumers interested in buying such products on a regular basis. In fact the potential end user is practically oblivious to whether there are healthier and high qual-
ity alternative food options available at all in Lahore. The Khalis Food Market, a brainchild of Asma Shah and Rizwan Naeem aims to provide an exciting platform for fresh, organic and quality cottage industry food in an urban setting. Talking about the prime initiative of the event, Rizwan commented, “With the increase in health risks associated with the use of GMOs, pesticides and other contaminants, we devised that like-minded people, who are or want to be aware of health risks associated with such produce should be given a medium to interact. Our aim is to bridge the gap between the buyer and the seller. Though we agree it is not an altogether new concept as it is being followed globally. What differentiates us is that our focus is creating awareness about the health risks and what we can do to overcome them. We believe in going back to the basics of agriculture and food production and securing a better lifestyle altogether, thus the name Khalis.”
ISLAMABAD: The All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) on Saturday asked the government to review its gas load shedding schedule and ensure uninterrupted supply of natural gas to the CNG sector for five days a week. “CNG is the only business in the world which remains closed for 18 days a month while it works partially in the rest of the days due to unprecedented load shedding, pushing us to the brink,” said Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha, chairman Supreme Council APCNGA. He said that APCNGA has repeatedly given practical recommendations to the caretaker government to resolve the energy issue but unfortunately not a single proposal was accepted. The proposals, he said, would have added 1,500MW to the system and made gas available for additional 24 hours a week to the CNG and fertiliser sectors and the general industry. Paracha said that following the suit of former government, the interim government has been taking unilateral decisions which will result in destruction of the CNG sector. He alleged that the CNG, fertilizer and general industry was being destroyed to promote influential owners of captive power plants which will not be tolerated. NNI
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ToGeTherNeSS iS The FUTUre For SMArTPhoNeS
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Jung Hyun PARK
T was 40 years ago that the world’s first mobile telephone call was made in New York. Mobile telephones in the 1970’s and 1980’s were huge pieces of equipment. That first call was made on a chunk of plastic that was nine inches tall with thirty circuit boards, it took ten hours to charge up and had a talk time of thirty-five minutes. Who could have possibly imagined that a device that was originally designed as a telephone would evolve to become a life companion. During those forty years, mobile phones have undergone rapid and constant change – the evolution of the mobile saw many milestones seemingly come from nowhere: the text message, group chats, voice notes. Then came the groundbreaking ability to share an image in real time: to take a photo with your phone and immediately send it as a ‘multimedia’ message, to somebody on the other side of the world. Anticipating key trends such as the instinctive desire to share what one can see and feel is what enables manufacturers to stay ahead of the game.
For the world’s leading mobile telephone company like Samsung, there is a heavy responsibility to continue to deliver innovative technologies that bring people closer to the things that matter in life – to make living a richer, easier and fuller experience. This is the direction of travel for the Smartphone. The purchase of a Smartphone is no longer about its ability to make a call, send a photo or upload a document. Smartphones are now a way of life, a personal assistant, a constant companion that has the ability to make every part of life easier. The challenge is to offer Smartphone customers a platform that makes human interaction central to everyday life. Understanding the human need to share, to reach out and engage positively with other people is central to the future development of the Smartphone industry. Until now, the Smartphone has been a passive device – waiting for us to lift it, hold it and press it. Samsung has signaled an end to this relationship. The technology inside this Smartphone is so advanced that the device can be manipulated either by voice or by a simple wave of the hand. The future (for now at least) is in the gesture. ‘Air Ges-
ture’ means that the GALAXY S4 can be manipulated without even touching the screen - so if it is raining or too cold to take your gloves off, the Smartphone can be controlled by simply waving your hand over it. ‘Samsung Smart Pause’ enables you to control the screen with your eyes. Whilst watching a video, it is possible to ‘press pause’ by
looking away – the movie starts again as soon as you look back. The GALAXY S4 also features a ‘Group Play’ function – users can enjoy music, photos, documents and games with those around them without even requiring a wi-fi AP or cellular signal. This innovation enables users to connect directly with others to share, play and co-create content and entertainment instantly. These are the features that Smartphone users demand. These innovations are a major milestone on the Smartphone road map, but it is not the final destination. The ability to wander down the road and speak to a relative at home many miles away was nothing short
of miraculous in 1995, but it rapidly became commonplace. Gesture-based interaction will also soon become the accepted reality. So too will the reliance on our smartphones to provide important lifestyle solutions. They are already our companions. Samsung sold more Smartphones than any other company in the world in Q4 of 2012. It did this by understanding that the Smartphone is more than just a telephone, more than a media player and much more than a digital camera. Samsung has focused heavily on developing technologies that foster interaction with others. Moreover, the world of the Smartphone is now moving towards a focus on community – connecting people with their communities, their loved ones and the wider society. The direction of travel in the Smartphone market is towards togetherness. Producing a best-in-class piece of hardware that is beautifully crafted and equipped with software that helps people to live a richer, simpler and fuller life is the ultimate goal. Using a Smartphone is now second nature to hundreds of millions of people. Using it is now increasingly effortless, graceful and supportive of a better living experience. The writer is Managing Director of Samsung Electronics Pakistan
CORPORATE CORNER ZoNG thanks Pakistan on completion of five-year operations
and among the top 2 employers in the telecom sector of the country. The company has not only managed to grab a fair share of the market but has also invested billions of dollars in Pakistan. By growing its operations, ZONG is also creating employment opportunities for the talented people of Pakistan. The Company has generated more than 1700 direct and over 40,000 indirect jobs in the country. It is the only operator who started a pilot project to run BTS on Bio-Gas. PRESS RELEASE
Unilever Pakistan launches ‘Cornetto Music icons’ ISLAMABAD: ZONG, the fastest growing network of Pakistan, said thank you to its customers, franchises, vendors, media, government and all stakeholders after completing 5 years of its operations in the country. ZONG, a brand of China Mobile Pakistan, being the last entrant in Pakistan telecom market came in with state-of-the-art equipment that enabled them to provide unmatchable services to its subscribers. ZONG which has become the digital partner of this nation in a short span of time celebrates Sub Keh Do Day every year. However this year the telecom giant decided to say something itself and said thank you to the people of Pakistan for their trust and confidence in the brand. China Mobile Pakistan started its operations in April 2008 and in a short span of time, it has become the most progressive player in the market. This aggressive stance is reflected in the rapidly increasing subscriber base and the revenue achievements. Speaking about ZONG’s journey in the country, CEO of ZONG Mr. Fan YunJun said, “We are delighted to have achieved this milestone. Today there are over 19 million loyal ZONG customers and its coverage extends throughout Pakistan. Our services, our commitment to the customers, our approach towards innovation in technology, our dedication to this country, and our philosophy of being a responsible corporate citizen – all these things are evident in our daily operations, services and future plans. Although we face a lot of challenges and difficulties, we shall always proactively and consistently treat challenge as a valuable opportunity for improvement and rise high above the others.” ZONG celebrated its 5th anniversary with great zeal and excitement. Cake cutting ceremonies were organized in all offices of China Mobile Pakistan across all regions. Apart from this ZONG officials participated in various renowned evening shows where loyal customers along with the officials shared their views about ZONG and its services with the viewers. ZONG being part of the number 1 telecom operator in the world offers number 1 CSI call center in Pakistan. ZONG’s CSI is among the top 3 in the country. The company is listed among the top 5 best employers in Pakistan
KARACHI: In collaboration with some of the most renowned artists of the Pakistan music industry, Cornetto, the most popular frozen dessert brand amongst the Pakistani youth, is bringing a fresh music platform, the Cornetto Music Icons. Cornetto Music Icons will begin airing on April 28, with one episode every week. The show aims to pick the
best of the wellspring of the new vocal talent from the Pakistani youth and mould them into future icons through a 10 episode TV show on the ARY Network and PTV starting end April 2013. With the selection phase about to come to a close, Cornetto Music Icons is now poised to bring to you the platform to spot the next great voices of this generation. A whole slew of artists will be involved in the project comprising of big names such as Ali Azmat, Strings, emerging stars such as Meesha Shafi and Zoey Viccaji, and a legend of Pakistani pop, Alamgir. These artists will be the primary mentors, with mentoring musicians such as Salman Ahmed, Aamir Zaki, Omran Shafique, Shallum and Faisal Baig lending their talent to bring further diversity to the music. The shepherd for the show is of course Shahi, as the music maestro and talent selector, accompanied by Ahmed Ali Butt and Cybil Chowdry as the hosts of the star-studded extravaganza that is Cornetto Music Icons. Shahzad Hasan (Shahi), an original member of the legendary and iconic band Vital Signs; one of the earliest acts responsible for introducing and establishing the Pakistani Pop music industry, will lend his rich experience and partner with Cornetto on this project as the music producer and talent selector.Shahi has produced hundreds of hits and created innumerable stars, and is now for the first time pairing up with a Brand to bring together a show that showcases the journey of music production, accompanied by a stellar group of the biggest names the Pakistani Music Industry has to offer. Shahi commented “It’s been a dream of mine to work on a project that’s not only about creating music, but also about creating new talent. Cornetto Music Icons has given me and Pakistan a platform
KARACHI: President English Speaking Union of Pakistan Aziz Memon presents a plaque to Dr Cyrill Nunn, Ambassador of Germany, on his visit to English Speaking Union of Pakistan. Vice President & British Deputy High Commissioner Francis Campbell, German Consul General Dr. Tilo Klinner, Senior Vice President Abdul Kader Jaffer, Secretary General Majyd Aziz and Treasurer Tariq Rangoonwala are also seen in the picture. PR
to revive the Pakistani music industry.” Umar Farrukh, Marketing Manager for Wall’s Pakistan commented “Cornetto Music Icons is a unique and unprecedented music project to take Cornetto’s association with music to the next level. It is an effort to celebrate the undiscovered yet profoundly rich talent of Pakistani youth and to give them a platform to make it big while strengthening the bond with the music industry.” PRESS RELEASE
FPL store launched at Dolmen Clifton Mall
KARACHI: A pioneer in Multi Designer Store in Pakistan, Fashion Pakistan Lounge (FPL) opened its doors in early 2010,when a new array of designers emerged in the fashion industry, they required a platform to display their designs, hence FPL provided them a readymade set up to stock/display their collections even with limited resources. A few months back FPL launched itself in Karachi, Dolmen Mall - Clifton, the overwhelming response by Karachi clientele gave us a boost to officially launch ourselves with much bigger array of designers now on board with us from Karachi. FPL caters to high end and mainstream market in Karachi, from a daily working women wear to semiformal and formal wear. The price bracket starts from as low as Rs.3000. Also providing the customers/clients a wide variety of options in prêt wear, RTW and couture, by doing this FPL have created healthy competition among the designers to improve their design quality. In a short span of time, Fashion Pakistan Lounge has been successful by taking on board more than 70 designers in Lahore as well as in its Karachi store. Therefore providing them good clientele and business. Some of the top names that stock with FPL are, Maheen Khan, Nilofer Shahid, Shaiyanne Malik, Sanam Chaudhri, Wardha Saleem, KOEL, Sadaf Malaterre, The Pink Tree by Mohsin Sayeed and many more. The fashion presentation constituted of 16 outfits from designers stocking at FPL – these designers include, Monia Farooqui, Shaiyanne Malik, Supria Rehman, Samar Mehdi, Timmas, Sanam choudry, Teen by Hina Butt, Rosy’s, Najia Malik, Ayesha Malik, Munza Hameed, Saba Asad, Kolachits, Hina Khan, Shaffaq Mazzami,Nina Avj. PRESS RELEASE