Working class role lauded
LAHORE (PR): All Pakistan Workers Confederation has urged the ILO to play its role for safeguarding the fundamental rights of the Pakistani working class against exploitation and public interest.
This wish was expressed by a APWC delegation during meeting with outgoing ILO director Franceso D’ Ovidio on Tuesday. The delegation included veteran trade union leader Khurshid Ahmed, APWC general secretary and other representatives of the confederation.
Frances thanked the workers and employers and government organizations for extending support to the principles of ILO for establishing peace based upon social justice and defending and promoting ILO principles in democratic society despite may challenges.
He commended the role of the working class of Pakistan to promote unity in their ranks to defend and promote fundamental rights enshrined in ILO Contentions and promote democratic order and defeat the divisive forces and wished them every success in their just struggle.

ACCA president pledges to inspire young people
LAHORE (PR): The new president of ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and the first Malaysian to be elected to the role, Alexandra Chin has pledged to inspire young finance professionals during her year in office.
Alexandra, who holds the prestigious honorary title ‘Datuk’ in Malaysia, has been in public practice since 1981 and has her own practice in Sabah, Malaysia. She is the fourth woman to be elected ACCA President.
Alexandra qualified as an ACCA member in 1986 and she has been a member of ACCA’s Council since 2005. Before being elected to Council, Alexandra was an International Assembly Member representing Malaysia from 2003 to 2005. She was also President of ACCA Sabah from 1999 to 2005.
Alexandra has been Chairman of ACCA’s Qualifications Committee and will chair ACCA’s Nominating committee during her year as President.
Besides ACCA, Alexandra, who is married to Datuk Peter Thien, has also been actively involved in various professional bodies and community organisations in Sabah. These include the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (Sabah Branch) and the Chartered Tax Institute of Malaysia (CTIM) Sabah Branch. She has served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Sabah Park and as a Board Member of Sabah Sports Board.
Alexandra is a Board member of the Sabah Tourism Board. She was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 2009 and is also a member of the Commonwealth Magistrates’ and Judges Association.
Following her election, Alexandra Chin said: “My main aim for my Presidential year is to inspire younger people in the way that ACCA has inspired me.
“As the first Malaysian and only the fourth female President of ACCA I also want to focus on diversity, particularly in relation to open access and opportunities for thousands of people around the world.
“Having worked in practice since 1986, and having had my own accounting practice in Sabah since 2006, I am also very interested in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and the issues which affect them. SMEs are critical since they form the backbone of all the world’s economies and finance professionals have a huge role to play in supporting and advising them.”
ACCA’s new Deputy President is Brian McEnery, a partner in BDO Ireland and a specialist in corporate restructuring and healthcare consulting, while Leo Lee, a former director of Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC), has become global Vice President.

ICAP elects office bearers

KARACHI (PR): The Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) has elected its new office bearers for the year 2015-16 in its 268th meeting. Hafiz Mohammad Yousaf has been unanimously elected as president while Nadeem Yousuf Adil and Hidayat Ali as vice president-South and vice president-North respectively.
Hafiz Mohammad Yousaf is a fellow member of ICAP and also holds the qualifications of CA from Canada and CPA, CGMA, CMC, CMA and CIA from USA. With thirty years of experience, he is on the boards of Punjab Pension, Provident Funds established by the Provincial Government and Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan where he is also chairing its oversight committee. He has been a part of many important initiatives at ICAP and has served in various important local and international committees as member and Chairman.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan (ICAP) is a professional body of Chartered Accountants in Pakistan and symbolizes accountants engaged in public practice, business and industry, and the public and private sectors. The Institute presently has over 7,000 members and more than 30,000 registered students.
‘Warid Easy Menu’ for
prepaid, Glow subscribers
LAHORE (PR): Following the successful launch of Pakistan’s first complete Postpaid USSD menu, Warid Telecom has now launched a similar service for its Prepaid and Glow customers, namely Warid Easy Menu. This new development will allow customers to access a host of services quickly and conveniently, without having to call the helpline.
Customers will simply dial *321# from their cell phones and the Easy Menu will appear on their screens, giving them the option to explore numerous services including account details, tariff change, prepaid offers, internet and SMS bundles. Subscribers will only be charged once for activation while the navigation is free of cost.
Warid Telecom has always excelled in providing its customers easy and affordable access to the latest technology. With the launch of the Easy Menu, both prepaid and post-paid customers now have the ability to access frequently required services with the swipe of a finger.
This new service shows Warid’s dedication towards providing all of their subscribers with flexibility, convenience and control over their mobile connections, adding up to a better customer experience.

NCMPR hosts event
KARACHI (PR): National Centre for Maritime Policy Research (NCMPR) of Bahria University has celebrated World Maritime Day at Karachi Campus. By taking advantage of this important day for creating public awareness, NCMPR organized a Maritime discourse on the theme “Maritime Trade and Economy of Pakistan.”
Senator KamranMicheal, Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping, graced the occasion as chief guest. Arif Elahi, Chairman PNSC, and Moazzam Khan, Technical Advisor, WWF-Pakistan, contributed as key note speakers.
Prominent dignitaries from trade and industry, stakeholders from maritime sector, naval officers, intellectuals, researchers and students were present during this significant gathering.

‘Islamic car financing revving up car sales’
LAHORE (PR): Carmudi recently published a white-paper that encompasses current and future state of the flourishing car financing market in Pakistan, and how consumer attitudes towards credit have transformed in recent years, especially with the growing trend of Islamic banking and Finance. The report is based on studies of data and reports by government institutions, authorities and interviews with financial institutions, car dealers, and banking experts throughout Pakistan.
Growing Islamic banking and particularly Islamic auto finance remained the main focus of the study. According to the report in Pakistan conventional banking has facilitated car financing, generally. And auto financing has positively contributed in the new as well as used car business. Whereas Islamic banking also enables auto finance for consumers who strictly follow the Islamic principles of riba free business and lending either. Though Islamic banking counts only 1% of global banking business but also Islamic banking is rapid growing all over the world and especially in Pakistani market. Now a days banks like Meezan bank, Dubai Islamic Bank, Al Falah Car Ijarah and KASB Modaraba are providing riba free auto finance.
Based on the micro and macro-economic indicators, political stability, and increase in foreign investment in Pakistan, the economy is predicted to further stabilize. Further in the wake of rising per-capita income auto demand will also be high. Enabling environment, low car financing rates and Islamic financing ensures growing auto finance industry in Pakistan.