Huawei Honor 6X Digital Competition begins on ‘facebook’

An informative ‘Digital Competition’ has been started on the official ‘facebook’ page of Huawei Pakistan, to raise awareness and promote the powerful features of the Huawei Honor 6X smartphone. The page also features a video of the famous TV star and Huawei’s brand-ambassador - SheheryarMunawar.

As Huawei continues its tradition of regularly introducing attractive deals for promoting its smart-devices, this ‘Digital Competition’ has been launched to engage the customers and inspire them to gain more information about the Honor 6X device. The same ‘facebook’ page also features Huawei’s newly released teaser-advertisement, where the heart-throb - SheheryarMunawar is seen asking the fans; if they know enough about the new Honor 6X.

In this video-advertisement, SheheryarMunawar invites the fans to write three key features of the Honor 6X device in the comment section of the facebook page. This contest will conclude with 3 lucky winners, who will be given a fantastic opportunity to win a Free Honor 6X device.

Sheheryar has appeared in several Huawei endorsements and was the star attraction of Huawei’s newest TVC campaign for the 6X.Recently, Sheheryar also did a fan meet-up in the fortress square mall Lahore, where he interacted with fans, took selfies with them and spoke about the innovative features of the Honor 6X. This coveted device comes packed with extraordinary features, starting from its revolutionary dual-lens camera, with a wide aperture, 0.3 second focus and low-light, crisp photography. It performs at a remarkable speed due to its 2.1 GHz Octa-core processor, 32GB ROM and 3GB RAM.

The device is powered by a large ​3340 mAH battery and a handy finger-print sensor. It is available at selected retail outlets all over the country, for an attractive price of Rs. 28,499/-, in vibrant colors like; silver, grey, and rose gold. To get more updates about the ongoing offers and to participate in the contest, you can follow the Facebook and Instagram pages of Huawei Pakistan.

Huawei sponsors ‘Lahore Qalandars’ cricket team in ‘Pakistan Super League’

The global technology leader – Huawei has announced that it will be sponsoring the competent ‘Lahore Qalandars’ cricket team, in the exciting 2nd season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), currently being held in the UAE and Pakistan. In 2017, once again, the leading teams from the main cities of Pakistan are competing in the PSL. These include; Lahore Qalandars, Peshawar Zalmi, Islamabad United, Quetta Gladiators and Karachi Kings.

The Marketing Director of Huawei Salman Javed, in Pakistan stated that: "Huawei is a vibrant brand that has always encouraged cultural activities in Pakistan, in a multitude of ways. From promoting quality music to nurturing creative fashion – Huawei has always indulged in every forms of Art. Taking its socio-cultural initiatives, one step further, This year, we have ventured into a new arena – Sports, to sponsor and nurture a formidable team - Lahore Qalandars, that promises to add immense excitement to the second season of the PSL cricket contest."

The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is a professional franchise Twenty20 men’s cricket league, operated by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). In 2017, it consists of five franchises nominally representing the main cities of Pakistan. Established in 2016, the tournament, features many leading cricket stars from numerous countries, whereby it has already gain great popularity.

The Lahore Qalandars squad 2017 comprises of 20 players (7 foreigners and 13 local players). The team represents the city of Lahore and is owned by Qatar Oils Lubricants Company. Among the key players of this team are: Brendon McCullum (Captain), Sunil Narine, Umar Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Jason Roy, Yasir Shah, James Franklin, Mohammad Rizwan, Cameron Delport, Azhar Ali, Aamer Yamin, Zafar Gohar, Fakhar Zaman, Bilawal Bhatti, Ghulam Mudassir and Usman Qadir.

This socio cultural initiative reflects Huawei’s commitment to constantly bring positive competitive energy to light. The company wants to inspire the youth to compete with passion and put in their best abilities to gain honors and accolades for themselves and the country.

Huawei Consumer Business Group expects steady growth for the fifth consecutive year of 2016

Huawei Consumer Business Group (CBG) revealed its expected 2016 annual performance figures indicating a 42 per cent increase when compared to 2015. With anticipated sales revenue of USD $26 billion Huawei CBG is showing steady growth for the fifth consecutive year. Additionally, smartphone shipments reached 139 million units presenting a year-on-year growth of 29 percent. According to IDC, the increasing rate of global smartphone shipments was only 0.6% in 2016, which means Huawei has outperformed the overall market.[1]

Mr. Richard Yu, Chief Operating Officer of Huawei CBG commented on the results saying, “Despite tough market conditions Huawei CBG is still growing at industry-leading speed. We believe our success is a direct result of our consumer and innovation-centric approach, as well as our ongoing commitment to building a premium brand. As we reinforce our global channels and ensure consistent, high-quality service, we make our devices accessible and reliable for all Huawei users.”

When speaking on Huawei’s plans for the coming year, Yu said: “In 2017, we plan to strengthen our supply chain, channels, R&D efforts, our after-sales services. We will also work to fortify any other areas and to streamline our operations, improve the efficiency of our decision-making, drive our internationalization strategy and proactively develop future capacity.”

In 2016, Huawei CBG focused on developing meaningful innovations and made breakthroughs in the areas of operating systems (EMUI based on Android), dual-lens camera technology, artificial intelligence and more. Huawei unveiled EMUI 5.0 – their latest operating system software that is deeply integrated with the Kirin chipset and contains 20 Huawei patented technologies.

2016 also saw the introduction of Huawei’s first dual-lens camera technology featured on a flagship device. These were designed in conjunction with industry expert Leica Camera AG and by the end of the year Huawei had developed two generations of dual-camera technology. This not only set the industry ablaze and established new benchmarks for image quality but also, it made the Huawei P9 and Mate 9 very popular amongst consumers.

In September 2016, Huawei also founded the Max Berek Innovation Lab alongside Leica Camera AG. This center will see joint research and development efforts in the fields of optical systems, imaging algorithms, virtual and augmented reality.

With these technological advancements, Huawei’s flagship products such as the P9 and Mate 9 have achieved global recognition. Huawei P9 and P9 Plus global shipments exceeded 10 million units, making them the first Huawei flagship handsets to break 10 million sales.

In 2017, Huawei CBG will continue to put consumer needs first and will develop a consumer-facing system focused on channels, retail, brand, marketing and services, to strengthen its business base and streamline its operations and customer service. In the meantime, Huawei is committed to making further breakthroughs in innovation that will help consumers have a more intelligent, connected lifestyle.

RapidCompute Becomes First Local Cloud Provider to Achieve PCIDSS3.2 Certification

For the first time in Pakistan, RapidCompute – a division of Cybernet, has made it possible for businesses to create their own Cardholder Data Environment (CDE) that can store, transmit or process cardholder data securely on the Cloud. 

Now, when organizations utilize RapidCompute for any of its services, they are partnering with one of the best enterprises in the industry. The company is the first and only cloud-hosting provider in the country to achieve PCIDSS 3.2, as well as ISO27001:2013 certified service provider status. This is the most rigorous status in the industry and thus empowers Pakistani organizations, especially from the FinTech space, to finally reap the immense flexibility and efficiency of a local cloud provider.

From customers to merchants and financial institutions, the security of cardholder data affects everybody. Meeting vigilant security standards is essential for keeping a company’s sensitive financial information safe. The PCIDSS is a global organization that maintains, evolves and promotes Payment Card Industry standards for the safety of cardholder data across the globe. It is the chief  information security standard regulated by the worlds’ leading credit card companies that include American Express, Discover, JCB, MasterCard and Visa. It is designed to prevent fraud through increased control of credit card data. 

According to the Division Head, Mr. Zaeem Arshad, “RapidCompute’s infrastructure is not the top concern we have. Our data centers are already built on the highest design standards. This allows the company to focus on valuable industry certifications like the ISO 27001:2013, Cloud Security Alliance and now PCIDSS to ensure that our processes, procedures and all facets of services are up to international security and availability benchmarks. Local companies now have a cloud vendor that can fulfill their demand of storing and managing data on a secure, reliable and compliant platform.”

According to Mr. Danish Lakhani - CEO of Cybernet; “This solution can help meet the demand for a higher level of financial security in the country. We understand the immense responsibility of hosting mission-critical data on our cloud. In an age of increasingly sophisticated system attacks, the PCIDSS certification is an organization’s best protection against network security threats and data breaches.”

Mr. Zaeem Arshad also added that by moving to the RapidCompute cloud, organizations can eliminate the associated efforts and costs of getting their own PCIDSS certification. “Our four multi-regional, locally hosted, state-of-the-art data centers also let customers choose exactly where they can place their data. These PCIDSS certified data centers provide our clients with secure, dependable hosting environments and the best-in-class customer support services.

We believe that everyone should reap the benefits of hosting with a trustworthy, local cloud provider. Because of certifications like these, RapidCompute now boasts an impressive diverse base of clients including those from FMCGs, Startups, Pharmaceuticals, Education, Financial Institutions and Government institutions. ” 

To mark the completion of the certification, an official signing ceremony took place between RapidCompute and the Australian-based certification firm Risk Associates.  Dr. Aftab Rizvi, CEO of the firm congratulated the RapidCompute team for acquiring the integral certification; he said “Security is fast becoming the top concern among organizations worldwide. We’re glad RapidCompute has achieved the milestone of becoming the first PCIDSS certified Cloud vendor. The company has demonstrated their commitment to keeping their customers’ data secure at the highest level by complying with the latest security standards and certifications.”

PNSC gets ‘AA’ Entity Ratings from PACRA with a Stable Outlook

The Pakistan Credit Rating Agency (PACRA) has granted an Entity Ratings of Long Term ‘AA’ to Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) in February, 2017. This rating has been raised from PNSC’s previous Entity Ratings of Long Term ‘AA-’in 2016. 

The Short Term Ratings given to PNSC this year was ‘A1+’, while its 2016 Short Term Ratings was also A1+. PNSC’s Outlook has also remained constant at ‘Stable’. The action advised for PNSC in 2017 is ‘Upgrade’, while last year the advised action was to ‘Maintain’.

As per PACRA’s report, the ratings reflect PNSC’s strong ownership – majority owned by Government of Pakistan and its strategic significance as the country’s flag carrier. On a stand-alone basis, PNSC’s business profile has gained significant strength in recent years and exhibited by continuous improvement in business margins on account of efficient fleet utilization, better pricing strategy and cost management measures taken by the management.

Sen. Mir Hazil Khan Bizenjo, Minister for Ports & Shipping remarked, “It is noteworthy that the PNSC is cruising ahead with distinction having achieved the ‘AA’ ratings at the start of 2017. PNSC being a Public Sector company has displayed resilience by adopting robust measures and stringent controls and as a consequence PNSC’s business profile has gained significant strength in recent years.”

Mr. Arif Elahi, Chairman, PNSC, said, “The PACRA Entity Ratings of Long-Term ‘AA’ upgrading PNSC to having a stable outlook is significant and a milestone in the history of the national carrier. I am delighted to report that a concerted team effort, effective management practices and decisions based on best global practices in a most challenging environment have enabled us to achieve this result; congratulations to the entire staff of PNSC.”

The ratings are dependent on the Corporation’s ability to generate envisaged cash-flows post-expansion. Meanwhile, proactive management of financial profile, while improving coverage’s remains important. Credit rating reflects forward-looking opinion on credit worthiness of underlying entity or instrument; more specifically it covers relative ability to honor financial obligations. The primary factor being captured on the rating scale is relative likelihood of default.

Minister Petroleum Khaqan Abbasi to open Energy Forum 2017

The Minister for Petroleum & Natural Resources, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, will inaugurate the 9^TH Pakistan Energy Forum 2017 being held on February 23 at 9.30 a.m. at the Marriott Hotel Islamabad. The theme of the conference is “Approaching New Frontiers in Energy Efficiency” and will dilate on critical current trends in the energy sector.

The keynotes will be addressed by Mr. Umer Masood, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Water & Power and eminent economist, Mr. Sakib Sherani, CEO, Macro Economic Sights.

The opening session on Strategic & Regulatory Paradigm for Energy Sufficiency will be chaired by Chairman WAPDA General (Retd) Muzammil Hussain, and will feature Mr. Scott M. Miller, Energy Officer, US Embassy Islamabad; Mr. Arshad Maqsood Malik, Chief (Energy) Planning Commission of Pakistan, and Mr. Muhammad Raziuddin, CEO, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Oil & Gas Company.

The second session on Integrating Public & Private Investment to Ensure Equitable Energy Mix will be chaired by Mr. Werner E. Liepach, Country Director, Asian Development Bank (Pakistan Resident Mission) and addressed by Mr. Rashid Hussain Kazi, MD, Thar Coal Energy Board, Govt. of Sindh; Sardar Shaukat Aziz Popalzai, President, Balochistan Economic Forum and Mr. Asim Tirmizi, Project Director (Liquefied Gases) Sui Southern Gas Company.

The third session on Technology for Ecology, Optimizing Alternative Energy Sources will be chaired by Prof. Dr. Arshad Ali, NUST School of Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences and speakers include, Mr. Amjad A. Awan, CEO, Alternate Energy Development Board; Syed Imran Shah, Manager Business Development, Fauji Fertilizer Company, and Mr. Mujtaba Haider Khan, CEO, Reon Energy.

Delegates from the federal and provincial ministries, regulatory bodies, think-tanks, academia, foreign missions and the media will be joining the day-long conference held annually by SHAMROCK Conferences International. For agenda and further details, please visit: www.shamrockconferences.net

EcoStar appoints Fahad Mustafa for awareness campaign of deceptive TV screen-sizes

EcoStar is the leading innovator in LED Televisions and smart TV technologies. This nationwide brand has now engaged the famous TV actor and show-host - Fahad Mustafa for launching an awareness campaign for the deceptive TV screen-sizes being sold in the market. In this new TV advertisement, Fahad Mustafa will make the consumers cautious, by revealing the facts about this malpractice observed in LEDTVs market.

Being a responsible enterprise that believes in transparency - EcoStar is issuing these public-service messages on media, to advise the buyers to actually measure and confirm the LED screen size, before purchasing any Television. For example; some TVs claiming to be 40 inches in size, are actually 1 to 2 inches smaller. This deceptive practice is more common in 40 inch, 43”, 50” and 60 inch LED televisions. So, EcoStar requests the consumers to make sure they are getting the accurate size of LED screen that they have paid for. Due to this initiative, thousands of customers will be able to avoid any deception and ensure that they are purchasing a reliable television.

Followed by this TV ad, EcoStar will also launch a digital-media campaign to make the audience aware of the under-sized LEDs being sold in market.

EcoStar also wants every buyer to be aware of the correct way to measure the LED screens. The customers should take an inch-tape and measure the LED TV screen diagonally; from the top left corner to the bottom right corner of the screen. This will give them the accurate size of the screen.