Mahaana Wealth Pioneers Pakistan's First Digital Shariah Compliant Money Market Fund under SEC's Digital AMC Framework

First Fund Launched Under the Digital AMC Framework of SEC Pakistan by Mahaana Wealth.

 

Mahaana launches Shariah Compliant Money Market Fund for retail investors. Every step of the process has been automated, making it fast, secure, and hassle-free for investors. Empowering the investors with privacy and security control over their assets.

PK – 27 April 2023 - The recent economic situation in Pakistan has put a large population to face job insecurities and economic hardships for various reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic, floods, and economic downturns. Families without a steady income are particularly vulnerable during these challenging times. With the absence of a citizen-friendly and efficient safety net in Pakistan, the citizens are left with no option to plan and secure their economic future.

Realizing the economic hardships the country and its citizens are going through, Mahaana Wealth has launched Pakistan’s first fixed income Islamic fund under the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan's (SECP) Digital Asset Management Company (AMC) framework. The launch of this fund marks a major milestone in Pakistan's financial landscape, as the first digital asset management company goes live in the country. The fund will be offered to a limited number of clients till commercial launch is allowed by SECP.

Muhammad Shamoon Tariq,
Founder, and Chief Executive Officer,
Mahaana Wealth Management

This Shariah-compliant Money Market fund offers a secure and stable investment option that aims to provide investors with a potential profit rate of up to 20%, which is significantly higher than the profit rates currently offered by Islamic banks in Pakistan, hovering around 8-10%. CIO, Mahaana Wealth, Mubashir Zuberi, said “We strive to provide higher savings & investments return to retail investors, which were previously available only to the high-net-worth individuals.”

Keeping in mind the socio-economic limitations compounded with non-technical knowledge, people shy away from investing in Pakistan. By making the entire onboarding and back-office operations fully digitized, without the need for any human intervention, Mahaana has made every step of the process automated, making it fast, secure, and hassle-free for investors, but above all with low costs. This will not only ensure complete privacy but also confidence building for the customer to have more control over their assets and also their financial future.

Mahaana Wealth has partnered with IT Minds, a leading provider of technology solutions in Pakistan and a subsidiary of CDC Pakistan, to deliver a comprehensive and streamlined solution for its back-office operations.

Commenting on the launch, Mahaana Wealth CEO, Muhammad Shamoon Tariq, said, "Our vision is to create a seamless digital investment experience that is both accessible and affordable for all Pakistanis. We believe that everyone should have access to the same investment opportunities, regardless of their location, income, or financial knowledge. With this launch, we aim to revolutionize the asset management industry in Pakistan by offering a comprehensive, automated, and user-friendly platform to investors." He added, “I would also like to commend SECP’s role as a front-end regulator, which is continuously working in improving the regulations and frameworks for promoting the Asset Management industry in Pakistan”.

Investing in fixed-income funds enables individuals to create a financial buffer for themselves and their families, ensuring that they have a source of income to fall back on during tough times. By establishing this social safety net, individuals can protect their loved ones from the consequences of job loss or economic challenges, ultimately providing a more secure and stable financial future.

As per the Economic Survey of Pakistan 4.51 million people from the labour force could not get jobs in the FY 2021. Prior to Covid-19, the working population was 55.7 million. During the pandemic, this number declined to 35.04 million which indicates that 20.71 million people either lost their jobs or were not able to work due to COVID-19 impact.

The textile industry representatives have also warned that about 7 million workers have been fired as Pakistan's textile exports dwindle, putting the sector on the edge of collapse due to the global economic recession. Also, a large portion of the cotton crop was destroyed by the devastating floods last year. The floods resulted in the death of more than 1,700 people and affected 33 million more, impacting the socioeconomic stability of families across the country.

Fixed-income funds can serve as a vital financial tool for creating a social safety net for individuals and their loved ones, especially in the face of uncertainty. This steady stream of income can help families cover essential expenses during periods of unemployment or financial instability. By allocating a portion of their savings into Shariah-compliant fixed-income funds, individuals can work towards building a financial cushion that provides a sense of security and resilience in times of economic hardship.

Mahaana is a licensed Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) and a Digital AMC, regulated by SECP. The company is allowed to offer investment management services in Pakistan. With an office in Karachi and Islamabad, Mahaana aims to revolutionize the wealth management industry by offering a comprehensive, automated, and user-friendly platform to retail investors. Mahaana’s mission is to create a seamless digital investment experience that is both accessible and affordable for all Pakistanis. With a team of experienced professionals and credible sponsors, the company strives to offer trusted and transparent wealth management in Pakistan.

Fahd Haroon, Minister of State and Special Assistant to Prime Minister of Pakistan Discusses Public Communication & Digital Engagement for Allied Healthcare Workers' Training at Cordoba Care Institute of Health Management.

Healthcare and digital skills development for training quality allied healthcare resources and engagement via digital platforms for knowledge enhancement of healthcare professionals are crucial for improving the provision of healthcare services across Pakistan.

Karachi, PK - 19th April 2023 - Mr. Fahd Haroon, Minister of State and Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Public Communication and Digital Platforms, attended an Iftar dinner organized by Cordoba Care Institute of Health Management in Karachi. The dinner was attended by leading medical professionals, educationists, members of civil society organizations, and top corporate and media representatives.

Fahd Haroon Discusses Public Communication and Digital Platforms for Healthcare Workers' Training with Malik Ahmad Jalal, CEO and Founder of Cordoba Care Institute in Karachi.

During the event, Mr. Fahd Haroon spoke about the importance of public communication and tech skills development via digital platforms in healthcare, especially with reference to the need for human resource training for quality healthcare professionals. He emphasized that these professionals are required in Pakistan to uplift the local healthcare system and have great potential export demand in the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, and Africa.

Pakistan's Health Workforce

He highlighted that the Government of Pakistan is working on making healthcare services available through digital platforms and means and that in this regard the public communication ecosystem will play an important role in creating awareness and behavior change for the usage of digital healthcare services for the greater good and well-being of society.

Mr. Fahd Haroon also emphasized the significance of international digital platforms in offering substantial learning and knowledge resources for healthcare professionals, providing an ideal mode for disseminating effective healthcare training. He focused on the importance of healthcare professionals keeping themselves updated with the latest trends and developments in healthcare and medicine through not only physical but also tech platforms. Moreover, he highlighted the crucial role of public communication in identifying and addressing the health challenges faced by citizens in their respective communities.

Mr. Malik Ahmad Jalal, CEO & Founder of the Cordoba Care Institute of Health Management (CCI), said, "We are honored to have Mr. Haroon join us to celebrate the achievements of Cordoba Care Institute in the field of healthcare training. CCI strives to provide quality healthcare services through training and capacity building of the healthcare professionals, particularly from underserved communities”.

Pakistan National Health Infrastructure

He said, “Pakistan faces an acute shortage of 600,000 medical technicians or 1/9th of our need as per the World Health Organization standards. Cordoba Care Institute’s mission is to improve public health through practical and soft skills focused training of nursing and allied healthcare professionals.” He said, “CCI actively works on job placement, and career counseling and has an over 90% job placement rate of its graduates, who secure salaries between PKR 23,000 to PKR 33,000 per month for their technical competence and soft skills training.” He further added, “We believe that digital healthcare and skills development initiatives are critical for improving the quality of healthcare services in Pakistan and beyond as they serve to showcase our homegrown talent and skills."

Fahd Haroon, Minister of State and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Public Communication and Digital Platforms with Malik Ahmad Jalal, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of the Cordoba Care Institute along with his Team in Karachi.

It is essential to note that Pakistan is prioritizing the strengthening of the health sector, especially after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country is making progress on SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing). Pakistan's healthcare system is facing a dearth of healthcare professionals, particularly in the fields of nursing and allied healthcare. Although the Lady Health Workers (LHW) program has been revitalized through adequate training, support, and a revised service structure, which has improved effective coverage of skilled birth attendants, pre, and post-pregnancy care, and neonatal care, the need for trained professionals is still needed in the peri-urban and rural areas of Pakistan.

Pakistan has been making efforts to achieve health-relevant SDGs. However, progress has been slow due to a lack of resources, infrastructure, and skilled human resources. The government has made skills development initiatives a priority to ensure that the demand for public health service delivery is met with quality and quantity both.

There is a need for the government and private sector to collaborate to improve healthcare services and ensure that quality healthcare is accessible to all. The use of digital platforms and public communication can play a vital role in creating awareness of the need for quality allied health resources and improving behavior-change of patients and care providers. The Cordoba Care Institute provides quality demand-driven curriculum taught with innovative methodologies to achieve these goals.

Pakistan Army’s Role in Conflict Resolution

 

Pakistan Army’s Role in Conflict Resolution

Pakistan Army under the command of General Bajwa played a crucial role in strengthening Pakistani ties with countries across globe through military diplomacy.

In the face of evolving contests and uncertainties in the region, the role played by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa to tackle the rising challenges remained exemplary in managing the hardcore professional tasks as well as helping Pakistan navigate choppy waters during the last six years.

Pakistan Army under the command of General Bajwa played a crucial role in strengthening Pakistani ties with countries across the globe through military diplomacy and played a monumental role in convincing Saudi Arabia and China to rollover of their loans.

General Qamar Javed Bajwa
Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff

Under his leadership, Karkey Karadeniz Electrik Uterim (a Turkish company) dispute settlement was one of the examples of Pakistan Army efforts for the economic welfare of the country. The Turkish company namely Karkey Karadeniz Electrik Uterim (Karkey) was found involved in corruption, a core committee comprised of civil and military leadership led to the uncovering of evidence of corruption in Turkey, Switzerland, Lebanon, Panama, and Dubai (the UAE).

This evidence was presented to the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Tribunal by the Core Committee. Pakistan Army amicably resolved the Karkey dispute and saved Pakistan USD 1.2 billion in penalties imposed by ICSID. If the dispute had not been settled and Pakistan would have paid the amount, Pakistan’s GDP would have shrunk by nearly 2pc and Pakistan would have defaulted on its international obligations.

Due to the Army’s countless efforts under the leadership of COAS, Pakistan was saved from the $11 billion penalty in the Reko Diq case and reconstituted a project aimed at excavating huge gold and copper reserves from the site in Balochistan. The Reko Diq agreement was a result of COAS’ personnel efforts as he convinced all parties for a National Consensus.

The Reko Diq agreement has been reached after several rounds of negotiations over the past three years. Reko Diq will potentially be the largest gold & copper mine in the world. It will liberate Pakistan from crippling debt & usher in a new era of development & prosperity. Reko Diq will prove to be a game changer for Pakistan at the Federal, Provincial Governments and the people of Balochistan. It shall not only restore an investment-friendly image of Pakistan but will also accrue major economic benefits, development of indigenous mineral exploration capability, and result in a momentous socio-economic boost for the people of Balochistan.

General Bajwa should also be accredited for launching the public version of the country’s first-ever National Security Policy, which positions geoeconomics as a major part of the country’s national security outline. The military’s increasing focus on stabilizing the economy demonstrates that the institution realizes that comprehensive sovereignty and security cannot be achieved in the absenteeism of economic constancy.

During the pandemic, while the entire world was shattered by the looming crisis, Pakistan’s military took lead to strategize and put to effect a novel idea for the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). The Military’s organizational and administrative skill was put to good use, and a state-of-the-art quick but enduring solution surfaced. It not only contributed to the distribution of food and medical equipment to the poor but also carried out large-scale awareness campaigns about Covid-19. Due to such effective and synergized efforts, Pakistan has not only tackled Covid-19 aftermaths very efficiently but also averted an impending economic tragedy.

Extreme Commerce Launches 150+ Skills on the Video Boot Camp - New Skills Required in the New Era.

New Skills Required in the New Era –
World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report.

Learning new skills through online knowledge platform is an opportunity for freelancers and technology enthusiasts to capture global business prospects. Extreme Commerce launches Pakistan’s digital platform with 150+ skills.

The World Economic Forum in its Future of Jobs Report identifies new skillsets required in the post pandemic economic recovery for Pakistan. Digital Skills are the key to harness market appropriate opportunities.

Developing and enhancing human skills and capabilities through education, learning and meaningful work are key drivers of economic success, of individual well-being and societal cohesion. The global shift to a future of work is defined by an ever-expanding cohort of new technologies, by new sectors and markets, by global economic systems that are more interconnected than in any other point in history, and by information that travels fast and spreads wide. Yet the past decade of technological advancement has also brought about the looming possibility of mass job displacement, untenable skills shortages and a competing claim to the unique nature of human intelligence now challenged by artificial intelligence. The coming decade will require purposeful leadership to arrive at a future of work that fulfils human potential and creates broadly shared prosperity.

Extreme Commerce, Pakistan’s foremost institution working to grow in the arena of E-commerce and digital skills, while creating a learning platform for the “Jobs of Tomorrow”, Extreme Commerce has created interactive learning tools for the new generation of Entrepreneurs and Freelancers. As Pakistan’s foremost EdTech with a focus on e-commerce and digital skills, it aims to bring innovation and quality along with tech, altogether under the same roof and ultimately make Pakistan the hub for Tech practitioners.

Pakistan has been ranked as the 4th fastest growing markets in the world for freelancers, Pakistan is among the top five countries in the world when it comes to freelancing and generates a significant calculated amount of $0.5 billion entirely from freelancing.

Pakistan’s e-commerce industry grew tremendously during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is amongst the fastest growth globally. The progressively evolving entrepreneurs in the ecommerce industry are breaking the barriers of feudal mindset. The Future of Jobs Report by the World Economic Forum also signifies that new knowledge capital around jobs on Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence and Deep Data Mining and Analysis are key to foster economic progress.

Extreme Commerce pursues to be the fulcrum of opportunity and potential via providing extension in income streams by making sales on international and national E-commerce platforms like Amazon, eBay, Shopify, Fiverr, Upwork, etc. with an aim to infuse $1 billion for each annum into the local economy.

To meet the global skills gap with Pakistani experts, Extreme Commerce has expanded its digital learning platform with (Video Boot Camp) VBC 150+. The organization has introduced more e-commerce and freelancing learning opportunities, with its Video Boot Camp revamped and enhanced to 50 additional courses to master the new challenges and opportunities.

Video Boot Camp 100 had an extensive range of e-commerce skills that enabled students to obtain sellable skills. But now the additional 150+ courses are designed to provide team building skills, soft skills, marketing, managerial and communication skills. With 50 additional courses comprised of ecommerce and digital skills & 60+ Zameen interviews, Extreme commerce is trying to make 2021 a remarkable year for big changes in the ecommerce industry of Pakistan.

Language has always been a barrier to entry for skill development. However, the extensive line of courses has been upgraded with SIX additional languages which will now help break past language obstructions. It has opened doors for fresh freelancers by providing them a detailed course on Fiverr and Upwork.

The VBC 150+ has stood out by introducing medical freelancing which is the newest addition to VBC. This offers a range of courses for health and fitness enthusiasts, nutritionists and practicing medical students. Understanding data analysis on medical related platforms is one of the most demanding skill globally. Human wellbeing has been identified as one of the major challenges for humanity in the COVID-19 pandemic, where the medical data has opened new prospects for information technology evangelists. Creating new pathways for emerging technologies to benefit the society at large.

The new paradigm of algorithms has automated businesses and can impact the job markets greatly, however this has created opportunities for freelancers to generate new models for business development and service delivery. The VBC has introduced a revamped program of digital marketing and multimedia as well which offers a new spectrum of skills. In Digital marketing there’s Lead generation, Chatbot & Many chat kind of courses which helps and guides all Entrepreneurs, Freelancers, Digital Marketers in general.

As the Future of Jobs Report identifies the Future of Technology is more mobile and personal, Extreme Commerce has launched the Video Boot Camp on mobile App and Play stores. The New VBC mobile app is ready to roll out with 150 courses and 60 Zameen on Android and iOS. The new 150+ courses are income generating streams that are to rewrite the fate of Pakistan’s economy. This will not only boost the economy but also reduce the unemployment rate.

Extreme Commerce is Pakistan’s first EdTech start up with a sole focus on skills development and capacity building within the ecommerce and digital arena. Founded in 2017, it is the largest community of its kind in Pakistan, with well over 750,000 members to date and with over 100+ courses and income streams to choose from. We estimate that by 2025, our community will be 1 million strong, generating well over $1 billion in inward remittance for Pakistan.

Mishal Pakistan and Extreme Commerce are working jointly to improve the awareness on the skills required for the “Jobs of Tomorrow”. Mishal Pakistan is the country Partner Institute of the New Economy and Societies Platforms, World Economic Forum.

First Centre of Emerging Technologies in Private Sector to be Established with UK-Pakistan Partnership.

First Centre of Emerging Technologies in Private Sector to be Established with UK-Pakistan Partnership.

UK-Pakistan Academic Partnership to Strengthen Research and Development in Emerging Technologies - Mike Nithavrianakis, Britain’s Deputy High Commissioner and Trade Director for Pakistan 

Internet age and its usage, new technologies that are currently being developed or will be developed within the next five to ten years are referred to as emerging technologies. Extreme Commerce Magna Carta College (ECMCC) and British Computing Society/AccrediNation are jointly establishing Pakistan’s first Centre for Emerging Technologies in Pakistan. The agreement to cement this partnership was signed by both organizations today in Karachi.

The partnership was signed by the Founder and Managing Partner AccrediNation (in country partner organization for British Computing Society), Asad Aamir Ansari and Head of Institution (ECMCC), Abdul Hafeez Malik. His Excellency Mike Nithavrianakis, Britain’s Deputy High Commissioner and Trade Director for Pakistan was the Guest of Honour and witnessed the partnership signing along with leading corporates from the tech industry.
 
British Deputy High Commissioner Karachi and Trade Director for Pakistan Mike Nithavrianakis attended and congratulated the institutions involved in agreeing on this partnership, which he hopes will flourish and lead to excellence in the area of emerging technologies”.
 
The world has seen a technological revolution since the advent of the internet, Sunny Ali, Founder Extreme Commerce in his message said, Pakistan has lacked a Centre for Emerging Technologies. Although there have been efforts in the public sector. We are proud to take this lead in Pakistan to launch a private sector driven initiative. He further said, this partnership will set new benchmarks in training a new breed of human resource in the country that can provide leadership for the industry and business community alike for the emerging technologies for global challenges.
 
Asad Aamir Ansari, Founder and Managing Partner for AccrediNation said, emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence can be used in many different industries, including IT, medicine, finance, and more. These technologies are making our daily usage devices smarter, providing deeper, more valuable insight into data and making cloud-based tools more efficient. In terms of impact, these technologies have the power to change the way we deploy, engage, and make use of technology at all levels.
 
CEO MagnaCarta College Ejaz Chaudhry said ‘The IT certifications by BCS UK will increase the employability and freelance opportunities for our youth in the global arena. In today's ever-changing and competitive market, IT professionals need knowledge, expertise and practical skills that are internationally recognised and industry relevant.’
 
For a technology to be classified as emerging, it is characterized by rapid growth, impact, radical novelty, coherence, and, sometimes, uncertainty and ambiguity. These include but are not limited to Artificial intelligence (AI), Gene therapy, 3D printing, Nanotechnology, Cancer vaccines, In vitro meat, Medical field advancements, Robotics, Stem-cell therapy, Distributed ledger technology and other Technologies related to the Internet of Things (IoT). Each of these emerging technologies has the potential to create a significant competitive advantage for businesses in the near future.
 
The event was attended by business leaders, technology enthusiasts, leading entrepreneurs, civil society leaders including Raza Ahmed Sukhera, Joint Director Policy & Sector Growth at Ministry of IT and Telecom, Dr. Shahid Mahmud, Group CEO and Chairman Interactive Group of Companies.
 
AccrediNation chartered by the British Computing Society (BCS) has over a decade of experience in IT Services, Training, Transformation, Consulting and Outsourcing. The BCS is the only professional body in the United Kingdom with the ability to grant chartered status to IT professionals under its Royal Charter, granted to them by the Privy Council. Thus, having the ability to grant Chartered (Professional) status to both its Fellows and Professional members. Known as Chartered IT Professional. AccrediNation has built strong relationships with International Chambers of Commerce, British High Commissions/Embassies, Federal & Provincial Governments and Corporate Sectors across the world.

Extreme Commerce Magna Carta College (ECMCC) is Pakistan’s first entrepreneurial higher education institute that came into being as a joint venture between Extreme Commerce and Magna Carta College, Oxford’s Independent Business School. The purpose of ECMCC as a futuristic scholastic and incubation hub, is to build and disseminate a full spectrum of affordable pre- university to post-graduate competency and research-based learning, complemented by world-class, international qualifications.
 
For more information please visit: www.ecmcc.org

Extreme Commerce and Dukan.pk collaborate to empower people to achieve self-sufficiency through e-commerce and digital skills.

5 Million Micro-Entrepreneurs to Benefit from Ecommerce and Digital Skills.

Extreme Commerce and Dukan.pk collaborate to empower people to achieve self-sufficiency through e-commerce and digital skills.

It is heartening to see the emergence of local platforms like Dukan.pk to help sellers reach their customers. We are proud to partner with the leader in this space. ”

— Sunny Ali, Founder Extreme Commerce

82.20% enterprises in Pakistan are facing a cash flow shortage in the COVID-19 period. This puts a serious challenge for starting a business in Pakistan. Although Pakistan ranks at 72 among 190 countries on starting a business on the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Report 2020, the new dynamics demand a new approach for the micro, small and medium enterprises.

This gap has been filled by the two leading enterprises in Pakistan by joining hands, with a common goal of empowering the people of Pakistan to achieve self-sufficiency through e-commerce and digital skills, Dukan.pk has partnered with Extreme Commerce to help local businesses sell online. Extreme Commerce is the largest online selling community of Pakistan with approximately 700,000 members. It has trained and helped thousands of people to sell online in the ecommerce platform and generate over $100 million in sales through Amazon, eBay, and other platforms.

The partnership will look into the possibilities to capacitate businesses for online payments as well. 72.29% enterprises in Pakistan reported cash as the major payment method. 59.74% Micro Small and Medium Enterprises in Pakistan reported bank transfer method, 24.24% used personal cheque to make payments, 22.08% online payment method, 13.85% debit or credit cards, 6.49% money orders, and 4.33% used mobile payment methods. The government plans to digitize cash on delivery (CoD) payments above PKR 10000 by the year 2022, and all CoD payments will be replaced with online payments by the year 2029.

Extreme Commerce’s Founder and CEO, Sunny Ali said, “It is heartening to see the emergence of local platforms like Dukan.pk to help sellers reach their customers. We are proud to partner with the leader in this space.” He further said, “this partnership will allow anyone with a smartphone to gain e-commerce selling skills and equip them with easy-to-use technology, enabling web store creation, online payments, and delivery management.”

There are currently over 5 Million micro and small enterprises (MSMEs) in Pakistan that are eager to join the e-commerce revolution but lack the technical know-how.

Monis Rahman, founder and CEO of Dukan.pk, while reiterating his commitment to uplift small local businesses said, “Dukan’s mission is to let anyone with a smartphone sell online in under one minute. Our partnership with Extreme Commerce will help accelerate this mission by complementing our platform with high quality e-commerce training for local sellers.”

Pakistan has an approx. 3.2 million SMEs. SMEs constitute nearly 90% of all the enterprises in Pakistan; employ 80% of the non-agricultural labor force; and their share in the annual GDP is 40%, approximately. However, unlike large enterprises in the formal sector, a small and medium enterprise is constrained by financial and other resources. This inherent characteristic of an SME makes it imperative that there should be a mechanism through which it may get support in different functions of business including technical upgradation, marketing, financial and human resource training & development.

To build a knowledge platform that can enable new thinking and innovation for the SME E Commerce approach, Extreme Commerce has already signed an agreement with the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDA) as well. Extreme Commerce is also working with academic and research institutions across Pakistan and beyond.

Dukan.pk is a new revolutionary and free of cost E-Commerce App. Through this each store will get its own personalized URL. There are 9 different payment methods with hassle-free stock purchase, sales report, inventory management and order history. Led by a team of industry veterans, Dukan has been able to create over 65,000 online stores, growing 350% monthly by average. It provides local sellers with a free, easy, and effective platform to set up their web stores and sell online.

Extreme Commerce is Pakistan’s first EdTech start up with a sole focus on skills development and capacity building within the ecommerce and digital arena. Founded in 2017, it is the largest community of its kind in Pakistan, with well over 735,000 members to date and with over 100+ courses and income streams to choose from. We estimate that by 2025, our community will be 1 million strong, generating well over $1 billion in inward remittance for Pakistan.

Dr Talat Shabbir, Honoured as ‘Champion of Change’ by RINSTRA.com

RINSTRA recognizes Champion of Change, individuals and institutions, who are contributing in improving Pakistan’s image globally and ensuring change in Pakistan at the grassroots levels.

Islamabad, PK – 26 May 2021 – RINSTRA, Pakistan’s first short-form digital media platform has honoured Dr. Talat Shabbir, Director China Pakistan Study Centre with “Champion of Change” gold medal. This distinction for Dr. Talat Shabbir was in recognition for his commitment to change and improving perception and ensuring better understanding between Pakistan-China relationship. His efforts also included better understanding of the Pakistan China relationship at Policy, business and citizens’ level.

The gold medal “Champion of Change” was presented by Amir Jahangir, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of RINSTRA at a ceremony held in Islamabad. The event was jointly organized by RINSTRA and (ISSI) Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad. 

Speaking on the occasion, Amir Jahangir said, “We are pleased to recognize Dr Talat’s services towards building the strong knowledge base and enabling perception change which is more fact based for better understanding the relationship between China and Pakistan. He is a true champion of change, who has done so much with selfless service and dedication.” He further said, “this gold medal also puts the burden of responsibility on the shoulders of Dr. Talat to push his efforts an extra mile”.

Dr. Talat Shabbir Director China Pakistan Study Centre, in his acceptance speech said that, “this is a great honour and responsibility and I am humbled by this Award. China Pakistan Study Centre provides a platform for quality policy input through informed research, objective analysis and dialogue on regional and international issues affecting peace, security and development of Pakistan. I will keep working to create knowledge resources among the youth and the business community alike while providing strategic direction for policy makers.”

Diplomatic relation between Peoples Republic of China and Pakistan was established on 21 May 1951. Although people to people understanding between the two countries is exemplary hoverer cultural understanding between businesses and people can be improved. More than 60,000 Chinese expats live in Pakistan and more than 20,000 Pakistani students are studying in Chinese universities. Pakistan exports to China stood at US$1.87 Billion during 2020. Multibillion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor has strengthened China Pakistan partnership yet there is much more work required in People to People Relationship Building in Knowledge Development.

Dr. Talat Shabbir is Director China Pakistan study Centre at the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad, where he oversees research and advocacy on all facets of Pakistan-China relations. He holds a PhD in International Relations from the Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. He has M. Phil in International Relations from University of Karachi, Masters in International Relations from University of Balochistan and Masters in Political Science from University of Punjab. His research areas include Pakistan, South Asia, Belt and Road Initiative, CPEC and Pakistan-China relations. Dr. Shabbir has been a visiting scholar at Sigur Centre for Asian Studies, George Washington University, USA. He has been on the faculty of Institute of Strategic Studies Research and Analysis (ISSRA), National Defence University (NDU) where he was responsible to conduct national security and national media workshops. Besides editing a quarterly magazine for China Pakistan Study Centre, he regularly contributes to newspapers on domestic, regional and global politics and participates in panel discussions on various TV channels to address issues impacting Pakistan. He has diverse experience of management, administration, public relations, advocacy, HR and media. Dr. Talat also has literary interests and has two books to his credit, a book of short stories and a collection of selected poetry.

RINSTRA's Champion of Change Gold Medal Recognition.
RINSTRA recognises Champion of Change,
individuals and institutions, contributing in improving
Pakistan’s image globally and ensuring
 change in Pakistan at the grassroots levels.

RINSTRA is the outcome of the thought leadership of Dice Foundation USA’s Creative Arts and Media Initiative (DICE CAM). It is part of Dice Foundation’s National Innovation Basket (NIB) program, which aims to create media as a corner stones of Pakistan’s growth strategy. 

RINSTRA is Pakistan’s first short-form digital media platform for on-demand streaming and for creation of user generated original content on iRINSTRA. The organization provides entrepreneurship opportunities to emerging and established content creators and film makers in Pakistan and beyond. RINSTRA gives content creators access to a large Pakistani community around the globe, and it has been able to create a unique platform that offers dramas and films, while enabling users to generate their own content on the same platform. It also has a feature for Content Competition where, more than 100 academic institutions in Pakistan are competing on various thematic areas. The Fest feature of the application has provided some of the leading Film Festivals to partner with RINSTRA for digital viewing of their films and documentaries. This has created an unprecedented experience for viewers in the country.  

Creative and independent content with premier shows and films can be accessed on RINSTRA by visiting the website http://www.rinstra.com or downloading apps from the Google Play Store and/or Apple App Store.