Author: yasir

Alibaba Cloud, in collaboration with Alkhidmat Foundation, organized an AI Hackathon for the first time in Pakistan held at the National Aerospace Science and Technology Park (NASTP) Karachi recently. As many as 430 shortlisted teams presented and demonstrated their AI-powered solutions out of 16,000 applications before expert jury panels representing technology, banking, healthcare, industry and academia. The competition focuses on developing working AI products rather than merely presenting ideas, with participants receiving structured training, mentorship and access to AI development tools. Speaking on the initiative, Shahid Iqbal, Chief Executive Officer of Bano Qabil Pakistan, said the hackathon represented an important…

BingX, the world’s leading multi-asset trading platform, today launched U.S. stock trading through an integration with Alpaca, a global provider of brokerage infrastructure and APIs. The new offering gives eligible users access to more than 7,000 U.S. stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), expanding the range of traditional financial assets available on BingX and advancing its multi-asset strategy. Through Alpaca’s brokerage infrastructure, eligible BingX users can access U.S. stocks and ETFs directly through the platform, using their existing crypto assets to fund trades without the need for fiat deposits or a separate brokerage account managed directly by the user. Unlike tokenized instruments…

The Board of Directors of SE Fruits and Vegetable Limited has decided to withdraw the Company’s current Initial Public Offering application and submit a fresh application after incorporating additional disclosures into the prospectus. The additional disclosures will provide further information regarding the transition of the underlying business from a partnership organisation, operating since 1998, to the newly incorporated Public Limited Company in 2026. The Board considers the resubmission to be in the interests of transparency, regulatory compliance, investor protection and informed investment decision-making. The withdrawal is a procedural step and does not represent an abandonment of the Company’s IPO plans.…

The Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI), the leading global standard-setting body for Islamic banking and finance, today concluded its 24th Annual Shari’ah Boards Conference, held with the support of the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) and a number of sponsoring institutions on 11 and 12 October at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The conference brought together around 1,000 Shari’ah scholars, regulators and Islamic finance experts from around the world in person, while more than 4000 participants followed the proceedings online. The conference is one of the longest-established and most influential gatherings across…

Phone slogans usually don’t mean much. “Beauty and Beast” is different, because it tells youexactly what TECNO is going for. It is the theme for the POVA Curve 2 5G, the phone leadingPOVA’s return to Pakistan on October 15. And it is aimed squarely at a choice local buyersknow too well: the phone that looks good, or the phone that lasts.The Beauty: Slim, Curved and Hard to IgnoreStart with the looks. The POVA Curve 2 5G goes slim and curved, with flowing lines and aclean, modern finish. TECNO is positioning it as the slimmest phone in its segment, which isa…

Khushhali Microfinance Bank Limited (KMBL), Pakistan’s pioneering microfinance bank, received the “Best Turnaround Microfinance Bank” and “Best Housing Finance MFB” awards at the Pakistan Microfinance Network’s 10th Annual Microfinance Conference (AMC-X). The Pakistan Microfinance Network (PMN) organised the AMC-X conference, in collaboration with UNIDO under the EU-funded PAIDAR programme. The honours reflect KMBL’s momentum in driving financial recovery—marked by reduced risk, stronger institutional fundamentals, and expanded support for affordable financial services including housing finance, Microenterprise and Agriculture Financing. “These two awards reflect the commitment and focused efforts of every member of the KMBL team,” said Aameer Karachiwalla, President & CEO.…

itel Energy showcased its latest solar energy and storage solutions at the 22nd Solar Pakistan Expo, held from October 9–11 at Expo Centre Karachi, highlighting its new-generation batteries, partnership with REPT BATTERO, and expansion into commercial and industrial (C&I) energy storage. A key highlight was the launch of its Gen-2 residential battery range, developed in collaboration with REPT BATTERO. Available in 2.5kW and 5kW capacities, the batteries feature Grade-A cells, intelligent battery management, enhanced safety, and support for up to 16 units connected in parallel. The company also highlighted its Sparta IP66 and IP54 hybrid inverters, designed for reliable performance…

Lucky Investments Limited (“Lucky Investments”) announces the launch of Lucky Islamic Capital Protected Fund Plan I (LICPFP I), a Shariah-compliant capital protected investment plan designed to provide investors with competitive returns while ensuring principal protection through a dynamic asset allocation strategy. The Fund seeks to balance growth potential and capital protection by dynamically allocating investments between Shariah-compliant listed equity securities and Shariah-compliant money market/fixed-income instruments. This approach is designed to provide investors with an opportunity to participate in equity market growth while maintaining a focus on protecting their invested principal over the investment plan’s duration. With a two-year duration and…

Governor House Sindh: United Bank Limited (UBL) Rural Bank and Universal Agri Tractor Company (UATC), part of the G.M. Group, have entered into a strategic alliance aimed at accelerating farm mechanization, expanding access to agricultural financing and empowering Pakistan’s farming community. The agreement was formally signed at Governor House Sindh on October 5, 2026, in the presence of Syed Muhammad Nehal Hashmi, Governor of Sindh, alongside senior government officials, business leaders, senior executives and industry stakeholders. Representing UBL Rural Bank at the ceremony was Mr. Abdul Sattar Narejo, Head Rural Bank, while Mr. Zain Wahab, Managing Partner of UATC, and Mr. Wahab GM, Owner of UATC, represented…

Engro Fertilizers is honoured to support the Punjab Transport Authority, Government of Punjab, in raising awareness about mandatory vehicle emission testing – an important step towards improving air quality and creating healthier communities across the province. The initiative aims to monitor and reduce harmful vehicle emissions by encouraging vehicle owners to have their vehicles tested and certified. As sustainability is a shared responsibility, the campaign seeks to build greater public awareness of the role everyone can play in contributing to cleaner air. In the first phase, all vehicles with Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) are required to undergo emission testing and…