PkPositive News Of May-12

Report on “Women in Pakistan IT Industry” Unveiled : ProPakistani

Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) today unveiled its research report on working women in Pakistan IT industry, in a press conference held in Karachi.

In the context of HR policies and practices, a majority of women were satisfied with their work environment.

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Pakistan short film on drone attacks gets international award: The News Tribe

A short film by two students of a Pakistani on United States drone attacks in Pakistan and its societal affects has won an international film making award.

The film was awarded with Best Audience Award at National Film Festival For Talented Youth Washington, US.

Filmmakers Muhammad Danish, writer and director, and Atiqullah, producer of the short film, are students at Iqra University, the leading private Pakistani management institute.

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Citi Pakistan wins ‘Best CSR Programme’ award: Good NewsPK

Citi Pakistan has been awarded the ‘Best Community Programme’ award for its pioneering work in microfinance and vocational training at the International CSR Awards 2012.

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Afridi makes list of 100 top professionals: Ary Digital

Former captain of national cricket team and one of the top all-rounders of the world, Shahid Afridi’s name has been included in British International Biographical Centre’s list of 100 Top Professionals of 2012.

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Pakistan student wins International Student Paper Award 2012: The News Tribe

A Pakistani student has won International Student Paper of Year Award 2012 by Project Management Institute, world’s leading project management institute.

Muhammad Ehsan Khan, PgMP, PMP, is a project management practitioner and consultant who has been associated with this growing profession for more than a decade.

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Pakistani Students Gets 4th Positions At Intel Science Fair: Learning PK

Two Pakistani teenagers to get fourth place and cash $500 award at the Grand Awards Ceremony of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair on Friday in Pittsburgh.

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Hamid General Homoeo honored: Times Of Pakistan

Dr. Willmar Schwabe Germany, the world’s largest and most reputable manufacturer of Homoeopathic medicines has accorded the certification of Largest Importer of Schwabe single remedies worldwide to Dr. Hamid General Homoeo, Karachi, in recognition of their outstanding merit on selling single remedies of Dr. Willmar Schwabe Germany.

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Intel ISEF 2012: Peshawar girl wins science accolade: Express Tribune

The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2012 was held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States. Three Pakistani teenagers Shiza Gulab, Mahnoor Hassan and Bushra Shahed attained fourth position for their project titled ‘Energy Square for Cattle.’

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Pakistani Students Develop GUI Platform for Configuration of Cisco Routers: ProPakistani

Four Pakistani students from Sir Syed University Karachi have developed a user-friendly, easily manageable software with graphical user interface to configure/control a variety of large-scale cisco routers, which are usually controlled/configured through command line.

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Eight Pakistanis to get posthumous awards as UN recognizes peacekeepers’work: APP

UNITED NATIONS, May 23 (APP)  – The United Nations is set to honour at a solemn ceremony on Tuesday, May 29, the sacrifices of 112 peacekeepers, including 8 Pakistanis, who paid the ultimate price in serving the cause of peace in hot spots around the world last year.

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Pakistani girls shine at Intel, science and engineering fair: Dawn

Three Pakistani students were awarded US$ 500 for their innovative project entitled “Energy Square for Cattle” at Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2012, a program of Society for Science & the Public.

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LUMS prominent in “100 Business Leaders of Pakistan”: The News Tribe

The university Pro-Chancellor Syed Babar Ali, Rector Abdul Razak Dawood, and Vice Chancellor Dr. Adil Najam are all featured in the list of 100; the first two as amongst the most prominent corporate leaders in Pakistan, and the third as a leading educational leader.

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CJP receives Int.Jurist Award: Saach.TV

London: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has been awarded the prestigious International Jurists Award 2012.

CJP Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry received the award from Lord Phillips, President of the Supreme Court of the UK, for his “unique and tremendous contribution in the field of administration of justice and for the tireless and fearless endeavors towards administration of justice in Pakistan against all odds.”

Pakistani girl to be torch-bearer at London Olympics

Zainab Imran

KARACHI: When young Zainab Imran puts on her running shoes on June 28, she will be doing it for her country and her people. The 16-year-old Karachi girl, a student of Nasra Trust School, Malir, will be carrying the Olympic torch as it makes its way to London.

Zainab, who has only recently done her Matric, is one of 21 people selected as torch-bearers from Azerbaijan, Brazil, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Jordan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Palau, South Africa, Tanzania, Turkey, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda and Zambia through the International Inspiration programme.

The programme looks to use the power of sport to enrich the lives of tens of millions of children, young people and grown-ups, too, of all abilities in schools and communities across the world, particularly in developing countries, by offering them the opportunity to access and participate in high-quality and inclusive sport, physical education and play.

“There are young as well as older people [who have been] selected as torch-bearers through the programme and I’m the only one from Pakistan,” teenaged Zainab, who will be flying off to Nottingham on Sunday, excitedly told Dawn. “The oldest person selected as torch-bearer through the programme is a 53-year-old,” she added.

Each International Inspiration torch-bearer was selected either for their dedication and commitment to inspire children and young people in their communities through the power of sport or for the personal challenges they have overcome in their lives.

Zainab, who was nominated by the Nasra Trust School after she demonstrated strong leadership qualities, is also a member of the Young Leader of International Inspiration Club. She has taken Young Sport Leadership training and is also very active to cascade this training in her local community.

The spirited all-rounder enjoys playing netball for her school team. She has also done volunteer work as coordinator for the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT), she said. “Then I regularly take part in Dawn’s Spelling Bee competitions, although I’ve yet to win it,” she chuckled. “But I got a position in the Pak-Turk Math Olympiad. I was 20th,” she said with pride.

About her selection, the young leader informed that she had to go through an entire process. “My school, as you may know, is one of British Council’s partner schools also taking part in the International Inspiration programme. So we, the students of Nasra Trust School, were given questionnaires to fill out. From there I was shortlisted for interviews, and I guess my interview must have gone pretty well because I got selected,” she remarked. The school partnerships are managed by the British Council, which has extensive experience of linking schools internationally, working in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, which utilises its expertise in developing teachers and young leaders through sport.

Asked if she has trained well for the Olympic relay, Zainab laughed, saying: “Well, I think so. Although I am not as yet sure what distance and exact route I’ll be taking. That will be disclosed to me after I reach Nottingham.”

But what she is sure of is that she will be running in an area in Nottingham, which has a big Pakistani community, who will be cheering her all the way. She would be needing that, too, as she is travelling alone to the UK, and that, also, for the very first time.

News Details: Dawn News

World Telecom Day Celebrated in Pakistan

Pakistan, along with the whole world, celebrated Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) on 17 May.

Theme for this year’s WTISD was: “Women and Girls in ICT”.

Telecom day is commemorated under the banner of ITU – United Nation’s body for information and communication technology – and celebrations stretch all over the world.

The purpose of World Telecom Day is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide.

There went several events in Pakistan, particularly in capital, to commemorate the day. The most significant of which was organized by Ministry of Information Technology at Pak China Center where Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani was the chief guest.

PM on the occasion announced a fund of Rs. 300 million for girls studying Information Technology (IT). He also announced the establishment of an IT center for women in Islamabad. This center will be named in honor of computer prodigy Arfa Karim, who became the youngest Microsoft Certified Professional in 2004 and remained so until 2008.

Prime Minister on the occasion also announced the creation of a venture capital of Rs. 1 billion, which he believes will encourage innovation, entrepreneurship research and development in the IT industry.

The government, he added, has established more than 1,000 educational and community broadband centers across the country, including some of the remotest areas.

Prime Minister, during the event, also inaugurated Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) celebration of achieving Pakistan’s first one million Broadband customers.

IT and Telecom Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, also present on the occasion said, “I believe that we can harness the power of information technology by focusing on improving the capacity of women, especially in underdeveloped and rural areas.”

Secretary IT & Telecom, Farooq Ahmed Awan also shared his thoughts at the event. Mr. Awan briefed the attendees about ongoing projects and said that the sector has shown marvelous achievements during the last four years.

He claimed that currently there are 1700 IT companies operating in Pakistan which is a symbol of customer service providers’ trust on the policies and services of the ministry and its allied departments.

Chairman PTA, Dr. Muhammad Yaseen also issued a statement on Telecom Day saying that almost 92 percent of population in the country has access to telecom services.

He said there are still many areas in the country where despite the prevalence of favorable telecom regime the fruits of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) are not accessible to many especially the women.

Societies cannot develop without equal contribution by all segments, he said and added this year, 2012, the theme of World Telecom and Information Society Day (WTISD) “Women and Girls in ICT” is prove to the fact how critical it is to empower women to be a progressive nation.

In connection with World Telecom day celebrations, this year Secretary General ITU, Dr. Hamadoun Toure was in Pakistan for around a week. He visited various IT companies, PTA headquarters, and Ministry of Information Technology.

Pak Datacom also organized a event at Marriott Hotel to honor Secretary General ITU. The event highlighted the communal vision of ITU and Pakistan’s IT sector i.e. “Committed to Connecting Pakistan”.

News Details: ProPakistani

School in Karachi named after Malala Yousufzai

Karachi: Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazharul Haq on Monday formally named Government Girls School Mission Road after Malala Yousuf Zai, a nominee of International Children Peace Prize.

During a ceremony to officially name the school after Yousufzai, a young girl of Swat who braved hardship and Taliban atrocities to go to school,  Pir Mazhar hand over a cheque of Rs5 lacks to Malal Yousufzai. Deputy Speaker Sindh Assembly Shehla Raza, Sindh Information Minister of Sindh Shazia Muree and other were also present on the occasion.

On the occasion, Malala said that she will continue working for promotion of girls’ education.

News Details: The News Tribe

Earlier, National Peace Award for Malala Yousufzai

Pakistani: Josephine

Lahore: Meet Josephine, a 34-year-old divorced mother of two. She runs an orphanage outside Lahore, where she gives shelter to children and has become a saviour to those bonded by labour.

“I visit brick kiln factories, where single parents and the elders of orphans make these little ones work to pay the debt they have taken,” says Josephine.

Her task is not an easy one, as she has to convince the guardians that they are better off with her. “I am currently pursuing a mother of five to give her children to me because her husband died and now she has to work day and night along with her children to pay his debt.” Brick kiln owners are the main hurdle and have threatened her. “They say if I can pay their loan, I can take the children, otherwise they will work till the loan is paid.”

In Pakistan, although illegal, slavery in brick kiln factories is common knowledge and it originates from a vicious circle of debt which sucks in labourers. Josephine has surveyed these factories for a year and has been able to convince almost 20 families to give their children to her.

She only helps the Christian minority currently because she feels they are more marginalised. “Most of the workers at these places are of Christian faith, and that is why I contact the local pastor of the area and take him along too, to get easy access.”

Trained to be a nun but not allowed by her parents to leave the country, Josephine now uses what she has learnt to mother the orphans. She has rented an upper portion of a house, 20 kilometers outside Lahore, for Rs5,000 per month, where she lives with her own two offspring plus another 10 boys and 7 girls.

“I do not have any funding source. I teach at a local private school, and with whatever money I get, I try to give these children their lives back.” Along with this, she receives help from her brothers and the school principal where she is employed, but things are still hard. “Thankfully the principal has acknowledged my efforts, and has waived off fee for these children.”

Surprisingly, ever since she started the orphanage, she has been asked by a number of parents to take their children away. “People are so poor in these villages that they want to get rid of the children even they are not in debt.” But she rejects them saying that she doesn’t want those who are orphans to feel different while living with such children who have parents.

The children in Josephine’s care were not allowed to go to school due to their slavery status, Now they have learnt how to read and write.

More Details:  Express Tribune

Pakistani woman conferred “International Women of Courage” award

Washington: Pakistani woman activist from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has been conferred with the International Women of Courage award by the US.

Shad Begum was presented the award by US First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a ceremony on Thursday, which was also attended by Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Sherry Rehman.

Shad Begum is a courageous human rights activist and leader who has changed the political context for women in the extremely conservative district of Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

As founder and executive director of Association for Behavior and Knowledge Transformation (ABKT), Ms. Shad provides political training, microcredit, primary education, and health services to women in the most conservative areas of Pakistan.

Ms. Shad not only empowered the women of Dir to vote and run for office, she herself ran and won local seats in the 2001 and 2005 elections against local conservatives who tried to ban female participation. Despite threats, Ms. Shad continues to work out of Peshawar to improve the lives of women in the communities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

News Details: The News Tribe

Pakistani: Mrs Kubra Amjad

“Hey, look ­— an aunty is driving a van!” This is what a young boy hollers as he calls his friends to see the unfamiliar sight in front of him.

He isn’t the only one to have reacted in this fashion, and people ranging from parents to bus drivers have been astounded upon seeing Mrs Kubra Amjad drive her school van. Driving since 2007, she says that she and her van have elicited this reaction many a times. “Once a group of youngsters were driving past my van, they stopped in the middle of the road, got out of their car and gave me a thumbs up, saying, ‘Way to go aunty! Keep it up!’ That was a really proud moment for me,” she says with a smile.

Her life was smooth sailing, even without her making any contribution to the household finances, until her husband died of a sudden heart attack. Her life changed dramatically after that. Widowed and without much money, she had to struggle to support herself.

Initially, her family came to her aid and took her in. She accepted their support till the time she came to terms with the mishap that had befallen her. When she was emotionally stable enough to take charge of things, she decided she would go back home and fend for herself. Her family tried to persuade her not to leave and live alone, offering to take care of everything. But she insisted that she had to find her own way to make ends meet. “I am very blessed to have such a wonderful family, but that was not the life I wanted for myself. I didn’t want to lose my identity and become a burden on anyone,” she explains.

Although trained as an Association Montessori Internationale  teacher, she couldn’t pursue her line of work due to her chronic back problem which wouldn’t allow her to stand for too long. Instead, she thought about using her van to earn a respectable living for herself, by driving students to school.

In her favour, the parents of young children felt much more comfortable sending their little ones under the supervision of an educated lady rather than regular drivers. She started off with just one passenger, a girl from her neighbourhood, and gradually the number rose to 25.

When she shared this new business proposition with her family, they discouraged her, saying she should either accept their financial help or else take up teaching since driving a van was neither lady-like nor socially acceptable. Giggling at the memory, she relates what she told them: “For a halal income, even if I have to become a vegetable vendor, I will do it. I know there’s nothing wrong in what I am doing and being around the kids gives me immense joy.”

Despite the cynicism of those around her, she says this profession didn’t really present any serious challenge. Of course, she faced her set of difficulties, but at the same time she received a massive amount of appreciation from the parents of the children she picks and drops. Speaking of her difficulties, she mentions a certain van driver who couldn’t accept her in this line of work, and was always picking fights and trying to get her children to leave her van. But the support she got from others encouraged her to carry on.

“There have been times when a parent has said harsh words to me and it does hurt a lot, especially if I am not at fault. But that’s a part of my job,” she adds, consoling herself. Moreover, she feels extremely grateful when the traffic police, whom everyone in Karachi seems to complain about, greet her and respect her by going out of their way to help her if the need arises.

If there’s one thing Kubra is clear about, it’s that women should try to earn their own income no matter how meagre it may be. “Plan wisely, utilise your skills to mould your own identity, and be self-reliant. Whether it is a job or a business, choose one that gives you respect and happiness. You might not be encouraged by others in the beginning, but if you stay resolute, you will eventually earn acceptance,” she advises.

“A helping hand can go away as soon as it came, and then you are left worse off than before,” she says. With a steady hand on the steering wheel, it’s clear that Kubra is one lady who knows which road she wants to be on, and isn’t afraid of a few bumps in the way.

Details: ETribune