ACCA joins hands with Concordia Colleges
LAHORE (PR): ACCA recently joined hands with Concordia Colleges a project of Beaconhouse Group, which has the largest privately owned school networks in the world with operations in nine countries. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at the Group’s head office on June 13, 2015, signifying the start of a collaborative venture which is expected to transform the learning landscape for ACCA in Pakistan.
This partnership with Concordia Colleges is an initiative, underpinning ACCA’s efforts to partner with leading academic institutions in Pakistan which will contribute to the improvement of the accountancy profession.
Through campuses of Concordia Colleges (an initiative of The Beaconhouse Group), ACCA will implement a new scheme of study designed specifically for Concordia Colleges to deliver quality tuition and provide a healthy campus environment to students. This would ensure that the venture delivers what is promised with regards to quality tuition provisioning. The purpose is to provide seamless quality tuition to students while meeting the demands of the ever changing technology-based learning environment. The most exciting element of this partnership is the provisioning of premium campus facilities with a focus on co-curricular and skill enhancement activities.

PTCL signs agreement with Samba Bank
KARACHI (PR): Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has signed an agreement with Samba Bank Limited - owned subsidiary of Samba Financial Group - for provision of Data Center Services.
The agreement was inked by Kamal Ahmed, CDSO PTCL and Shahid Sattar, President & CEO, Samba Bank at a ceremony held in Karachi.
This strategic partnership shall enable Samba Bank in disaster recovery and business continuity, reduce internal network operations cost, provide geographical redundancy and add greater resilience to its network.
Under the agreement, PTCL will provide data center services to Samba Bank for its production and disaster recovery sites. Samba Bank’s Disaster Recovery covers the Bank’s extensive branch banking operations.
The service provided by PTCL, will be deployed within PTCL’s Data Center in Karachi and Lahore for ease of maintenance of the IT equipment racks.
Kamal Ahmed, Chief Digital Services Officer (CDSO), PTCL said at the signing ceremony, “We are pleased to extend our Data Center Services to Samba Bank. PTCL’s dynamic end-to-end ICT solutions are geared towards providing reliable network services, 24/7 operation support and scalability for network expansion for both public and private organisations.”

Tameer Bank connects Sabzi Mandi
KARACHI (PR): Pakistan’s first scheduled and largest private sector microfinance bank, Tameer, formally inaugurated it new location at Larkana Sabzi Mandi in Sindh. This sabzi mandi will be operating at extended hours from 9 AM till 12 AM, 6 days a week to facilitate the local market, who have a need for late night banking. A special night banking counter has been created for the purpose of connecting with other Tameer Bank 24 x 7 / late night banking locations and 1-link partner banks operating in various sabzi mandi’s throughout Pakistan. Commenting on the occasion, Nadeem Hussain, CEO of Tameer said: “I am delighted to see Tameer extending outreach to this important segment of our economy.
I am confident that Tameer’s presence in Sabzi Mandi’s and our value added services will have a positive impact in this area and further facilitate the business industry.”
This is Tameer’s 6th sabzi mandi branch after Karachi, Hyderabad, Multan, Lahore and Gujranwala.

Collaboration on digital economic growth
LAHORE (PR): Public-private partnerships will be required to bring to life Pakistan’s recently-launched National Financial Inclusion Strategy 2015-2020 and drive digital economic growth, one of the world’s leading technology companies announced on Monday.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority recently launched the National Financial Inclusion Strategy 2015-20 to bring half of the country’s population online over the next five years.
With Pakistan currently posting only 11 percent Internet user penetration and 0.5 percent mobile broadband penetration, according to the United Nations’ International Telecommunications Union, mobile broadband will support e-services in Pakistan in the healthcare, education, commerce, and government services sectors.
While Pakistan ranks a low No. 129 of 144 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index 2014-2015, Pakistan Vision 2025 calls for the country to develop its information and communication technology to drive innovation, the knowledge-based economy, and boost global economic competitiveness.
“Pakistan’s impressive National Financial Inclusion Strategy provides the strong vision for providing broadband infrastructure across the country, but the next step of digital economic transformation will require public-private partnerships to help organizations to innovate and simplify their processes,” said Irfan Khan, Chief Technology Officer of Global Customer Operations at SAP.

Pacra maintains Bank AL Habib ratings
KARACHI (PR): The Pakistan Credit Rating Agency (PACRA) has maintained long-term and short-term entity ratings of Bank AL Habib Limited (BAHL) at “AA+” (Double A Plus) and “A1+” (A One Plus), respectively. The rating of one privately placed, unsecured subordinated TFC issue of PKR 3,000m has been maintained at “AA” (Double A). These ratings denote a very low expectation of credit risk emanating from a very strong capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, a press release said.
The ratings reflect BAHL’s strong performance, exceptional asset quality, and healthy financial profile, emanating from a strong equity base. The ratings draw comfort from the bank’s experienced management team, prudent risk management policies, and deep rooted relationship with its clients - borrowers as well as depositors. The ratings incorporate the bank’s ability to capitalize on its branch network, expansion of deposit base via product innovation, and diversification of advances portfolio by establishing relations with business entities in various sectors.

PTB head visits Green Leaf

LAHORE (PR): The Chairman Pakistan Tobacco Board visited Green Leaf threshing Unit of M/S Phillip Morris Pakistan Ltd on June 16, 2015. Irshad Khan Head of Leaf PMPK welcomed the Chairman PTB and thanked for his visit and support by PTB.
Amjid from PMPK informed that PMPK has allocated Rs. 45.32m for sustainable Tobacco Production programme in the name of GAP (Good Agriculture Practices) which includes pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers on subsidised rates, reforestation etc as well as for the welfare activities of tobacco farmers detailed as under;
Usage of substandard inputs by tobacco farmers during cultivation of tobacco is one a main issue which gives harmful residual effects on tobacco.

and also suffers export of tobacco.
It was informed that PMPK has allocated sufficient funds to provide full year package to the farmers of tobacco during 2015 including these inputs on subsidized rates to discourage utilization of substandard inputs. It was further informed that PMPK has provided potash to its 900 tobacco farmers of A-category free of cost in view of to improve the quality of tobacco.