Author: yasir

A landmark initiative aimed at supporting the continued development of Islamic banking and finance in Pakistan was marked with the inauguration of the Irfan Siddiqui Center for Advancement of Islamic Finance at the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA). The Center has been established to commemorate Mr. Irfan Siddiqui, widely recognized as a pioneer and leading architect of modern, full-fledged Islamic banking in Pakistan, in recognition of his visionary leadership, institution-building role, and exemplary contributions to the sector. Under his stewardship, Islamic banking evolved from a niche concept to a mainstream component of the country’s financial system, supported by strengthened…

Engro has marked a historic milestone in Pakistan’s landscape with the execution of a Rs 133 billion transaction entirely through 100% Islamic financing, to grow its telecom infrastructure vertical. This funding has enabled the addition of Deodar (and its 10,000+ telecom towers) to Engro’s portfolio. This underscores Engro’s commitment to driving digital transformation while supporting Pakistan’s determination to fully transition to an Islamic banking system. A celebratory event brought together all participants of the transaction, including the presidents of banks, legal and financial advisors, Engro’s teams, and the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, Mr. Jameel Ahmed. He commended…

Punjab Central Business District Development Authourity (PCBDDA) also known as Central Business District Punjab (CBD Punjab), has significantly accelerated construction work on CBD Walk, a premium retail destination being developed on CBD Route 47, further reinforcing Lahore’s emergence as a modern commercial hub. The project comprises 32 retail units of four marlas each, designed to offer a fine retail experience with contemporary urban aesthetics. CBD Punjab is progressing ahead of its planned schedule, reflecting strong project management, effective coordination and full mobilization of resources at site. Major construction milestones have already been achieved, including excavation, earth compaction, lean concrete, steel…

ABHI and Zignaly, the global crypto investment and asset-management platform, announced a landmark partnership to introduce Zignaly’s first Real-World Asset (RWA) private credit offering in United Arab of Emirates. This milestone enables global stablecoin investors to earn short-duration, asset-backed yield generated directly from ABHI’s SME receivables portfolio with minimum ticket sizes as low as $10, according to the press released issued by ABHI. The product creates a direct bridge between on-chain liquidity and real economic activity. Through this product, ABHI will finance short-term SME receivables using stablecoin capital sourced via Zignaly’s 650k+ users who will gain exposure to yield…

Meezan Bank, Pakistan’s leading Islamic bank and one of the largest banks in the country in collaboration with Haball, has announced a major expansion of the Wisaaq digital supply chain financing platform through the launch of a new Murabaha-based financing facility with Dawlance, Pakistan’s leading home appliance manufacturer. This innovative initiative enables Dawlance’s distributors to access instant, digital, and Shariah-compliant financing for inventory procurement directly from Dawlance. The facility is designed to strengthen distributor liquidity streamline supply chain operations, and support sustainable business growth across the country. Wisaaq transforms the financing journey for distributors by eliminating manual reconciliation and lengthy…

Coca-Cola Pakistan has partnered for the Waste Wise Management Bins with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Punjab and the Environment Protection and Climate Change Department to support Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s province-wide “Waste Wise Management Process”, an initiative aimed at promoting waste segregation at source across Punjab. Under this collaboration, Coca-Cola is supporting the Waste Wise Certification program, through which ten model schools will each receive five color-coded bin systems (paper, glass, organic, metal, and plastic), enabling efficient segregation, improved recycling, and environmentally responsible disposal along environmental education boards to teach students how to separate waste at source. “Coca-Cola…

The Magnum Ice Cream Company Pakistan Limited (Magnum Pakistan) has officially been incorporated in Pakistan, marking a new era for the country’s frozen dessert and ice cream industry. This launch follows Magnum Ice Cream Company’s global spin-off from the Unilever Group earlier this year, creating the world’s largest ice cream company. Magnum Pakistan is leading the country’s frozen dessert and ice cream category and is a household name loved by millions of consumers. While the Ice Cream Division has been serving Pakistani consumers since the last 3 decades, the separation from Unilever Pakistan will allow for better focus and dedication…

Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) has unveiled a landmark exhibition that brings back to public consciousness the lost treasures of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s legendary toshakhāna (royal treasury). Titled “Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Toshakhāna: The Material Splendour of 19th Century Punjab,” the exhibition re-examines Punjab’s royal material heritage through rigorous research, digital reconstruction, and immersive storytelling, offering audiences a rare window into the cultural and aesthetic life of the Lahore Darbār. Opened on December 12, 2025, and running through December 19, 2025, at the Mushtaq Ahmad Gurmani School of Humanities and Social Sciences (MGSHSS), LUMS, the exhibition traces the history and…

Pakistan continues to grapple with hazardous air pollution, ranking as the world’s third-most polluted country according to IQAir data with average PM2.5 concentrations of 73.7 μg/m³, far exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. In urban centers such as Lahore, winter smog regularly pushes PM2.5 levels beyond 145 μg/m³, a reality that guided much of the discussion at the Climate Action Dialogue hosted by BYD Pakistan – Mega Motor Company (MMC) in Lahore this week.Research by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE, 2024) identifies the transport sector as a major contributor to Pakistan’s emissions challenge, accounting for over 43% of…

PTCL Business Solutions hosted Connect 2025, its flagship corporate event, bringing together customers, partners, and industry leaders to present its expanding enterprise portfolio, upcoming product pipeline, and continued focus on strengthening Pakistan’s digital infrastructure. Held at a Movenpick Karachi, Connect 2025 attracted senior executives and decision-makers from across Pakistan’s corporate sector. The day-long event featured interactive solution demonstrations, networking sessions, and in-depth presentations on PTCL’s cloud services, data centres, cybersecurity offerings, international connectivity solutions, and managed digital platforms currently serving enterprises nationwide. President & Group CEO, PTCL & Ufone 4G, Hatem Bamatraf, said, “PTCL Business Solutions Connect 2025 reflects our…