Malala Ties the knot with Asser, a manager with PCB

Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, married in a modest ceremony in Birmingham on Tuesday, the education campaigner announced on Twitter.

The education campaigner tweeted on the microblogging website: “Today is a significant day in my life. Asser and I exchanged vows to be life mates. We had a tiny nikkah ceremony with our family at home in Birmingham. Please offer us your well-wishes. We’re looking forward to embarking on this trip together.”

Malala also shared four images from her nikkah ceremony, in which she was photographed with her newlywed husband, Asser, and her parents, Ziauddin and Toor Pekai Yousafzai.

Malala donned a melon-pink gown with gold embroidery on her big day. Malin Fezehai, a photographer and visual journalist, was there to take her nikkah photos.

Her father said the occasion was “beyond words” on Twitter.

Malala’s infamous Vogue interview

The announcement of Malala’s nikkah has prompted a range of reactions on the Internet, from ‘Pakistani mother pressure’ to ‘becoming cricketing royalty.’

Malala expressed her controversial views on marriage in an interview with British Vogue earlier this year.  She spoke with British Vogue about her opinion on marriage, revealing that her parents had an “arranged marriage”.

“I still don’t understand why people have to get married,” she remarked.

She continued, “If you want to have a person in your life, why do you have to sign marriage papers, why can’t it just be a partnership?”.

She also said that her mother disagrees with her. Her remarks and views on marriage sparked a debate on social media and people grew enraged.

T20 World Cup: England to play against New Zealand today

Dubai: England and New Zealand, on Wednesday, will face each other today in the first semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, in Abu Dhabi Stadium.

Eoin Morgan’s England will face New Zealand in today’s Twenty20 World Cup match, two years after the two teams met in a thrilling 50-over final.

Despite the loss of opening batsman Jason Roy and fast bowler Tymal Mills, England secured a spot in the final four by winning four of their five Super 12 games.

In England’s last group encounter, which they lost to South Africa, Roy collapsed on the pitch with a calf injury. He was eventually ruled out of the tournament and replaced by James Vince.

England’s aggressive style of cricket saw them cruise through the West Indies, Bangladesh, Australia, and Sri Lanka to finish first in their group, ahead of the Australians.

The Kiwis, on the other hand, are no pushovers, and who better to recognize the Black Caps’ worth than England, who required a super over to beat Kane Williamson’s side in the 2019 ODI World Cup final, which ended in a stalemate.

Former England captain Mike Atherton stated in The Times, “If England and New Zealand offer a fraction of the drama they did on a brilliant afternoon at Lord’s in July 2019, the T20 World Cup could acquire the spark it urgently deserves this week.”

Ben Stokes’ undefeated 84 at the end of 50 overs and then their 15 in the super over helped New Zealand level England’s 241 before England were declared victors on boundary count.

Pakistan commemorates the 144th birthday of Allama Iqbal

Pakistan is commemorating the 144th birthday of Dr. Allam Iqbal, the country’s national poet, who inspired millions of Muslims throughout the subcontinent to seek an independent state where they may freely practice Islam.

The day began with special prayers for Pakistan’s success and prosperity at mosques.

Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal, regarded as the “Poet of the East” in Pakistan and other areas of the globe, was born in Sialkot on November 9, 1877.

Iqbal was a poet and philosopher who was well-known. He is recognized with creating poetry and utilizing his political clout to push for the establishment of a Muslim nation. In pre-partition politics, his Allahabad address in 1930 was a watershed event.

Allama Iqbal’s speech offered Muslims on the subcontinent a clear direction and a distinct identity in order to create Pakistan.

This morning, a Change of Guards ceremony was performed at Allama Iqbal’s tomb in Lahore to pay honor to the renowned philosopher.

The honorary change of guard at the tomb was assumed by a detachment of the Pakistan Navy.

Pakistan reports the lowest COVID positivity rate since 2020

For the first time since the government began gathering statistics on the epidemic in March last year, Pakistan’s COVID-19 positive rate fell to 0.94 percent on Tuesday.

Pakistan has continuously reported a coronavirus positive rate of less than 2% and less than 1,000 daily infections over the previous three weeks. Hospitalizations and daily mortality counts have also decreased, showing that the COVID-19 situation in Pakistan is improving.

After 42,373 testing, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) reported that 400 persons tested positive for the virus on Tuesday.

In the meanwhile, eleven people died as a result of the infection, whereas 277 recovered within the same time frame. The number of current cases has increased to 22,845, with a total of 1,226,157 recoveries.

Since the epidemic began, the country has seen 1,277,560 illnesses and 28,558 coronavirus-related fatalities.

Pakistan is reporting an average of 514 new infections each day, which is 9% higher than the peak — the highest daily average was recorded on June 17.

So far, the nation has given out at least 111,967,455 doses of COVID vaccine. Assuming that each individual requires two doses, that would be enough to vaccinate around 25.9% of the country’s population.

Pakistan delivered an average of 832,600 dosages per day over the past week reported. It will take another 53 days to provide enough dosages for another 10% of the population at this rate.

Early detection is vital to reduce prevalence of the diabetes

Karachi: Martin Dow Marker (Ltd) organized a seminar at a local hotel titled ‘PREDIABETES – Train the Trainer’.

Prediabetes Train the Trainer is a one-of-a-kind awareness program that aims to create awareness about Prediabetes being the step that leads to Diabetes and is reversible.

This is an initiative by Martin Dow Marker Ltd, which is a leading pharma company with expertise in Diabetes portfolio.

To understand the importance of Prediabetes stage and how to make this stage reversible, it is important to provide medical fraternity the knowledge and expertise to detect the disease at an early stage.

As per International Diabetes Federation, Pakistan is 3rd among the countries with highest prevalence of Diabetes. In Pakistan, every 4th person is a diabetic and every 6 person is a pre-diabetic.

The purpose of this event is to create awareness amongst doctors about the Prediabetes stage which is a critical as it leads to diagnose of diabetes within the next 5-10 years and to reduce the level of Diabetes in Pakistan with tests & treatment on Prediabetes stage.

The Prediabetes stage is reversible if the patients change their lifestyle and take necessary steps as advised by their doctors.

This Initiative is a nation-wide program starting from Karachi, which aims to reduce the level of diabetes in Pakistan with increased awareness of the Prediabetes stage and guidance on how to avoid moving to the diabetic stage.

Speaking at this occasions, Mr. Nauman Lateef, Chief Commercial Officer, Martin Dow Marker (Ltd) said ‘’ Lack of physical activities and food-centric lifestyle of our people plays a critical role in increasing the diabetes level.

It is vital to know that the Prediabetes stage, if identified at the beginning, can be prevented. The food-centric lifestyle in Pakistan also plays critical role in increasing the diabetes level. ‘’

Mr. Lateef further said that our people are unaware of the factors that lead to Prediabetes e.g. People who are obese, have high weight circumference, have a family history of diabetes or are women who have history of Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are more likely to being diagnosed with Pre-diabetes.

As a nation, we don’t give preference to health and Prediabetes stage is not difference. It is critical to note that Prediabetic patients have 10%-40% chances of developing Cardio-vascular related complications.

Prediabetes stage can be identified via screening tests and people are advised to get the screening done regularly.

A large group of medical practitioners expressed their views during this seminar and unanimously agreed that people who fall under Prediabetes range should consult doctors regularly and take all the necessary steps to prevent themselves as it is a common believe that ‘prevention is better than cure’

Shoaib Akhtar receives a legal notice worth Rs 100m from PTV

The Pakistan Television Corporation (PTVC) has issued Shoaib Akhtar a recovery notice worth Rs100 million for breaking contract provisions.

According to the notice served him by PTV, the former cricketer has to pay the three months’ salary for violating clauses of their contract.

After which Shoaib Akhtar pledged on Sunday that he “would not give up and fight this legal battle.”

The Pakistan Television Corporation (PTVC) claimed in the notice that it had been meeting its obligations under a January 2019 agreement with Akhtar. However, his “behavior toward official obligations pursuant to the binding terms of the mentioned agreement has not only been noticed as casual, but a clear breach of the agreement.”

The notice further added that Akhtar had agreed to “remain associated exclusively with PTV Sports and not appear or engage with any other television network within the Pakistan territory”.

However, after declining to appear on PTV due to health difficulties, Akhtar broke the agreement by appearing on two programmes, one on ARY News and the other on Geo News.

According to the notice, Akhtar continued to demand enhancement in his monthly income up to Rs1.8m.

Read More, Shoaib Akhtar lacks “tameez”, says Wasim Akram

Pakistan Television Corporation in the notice referred to Shoaib Akhtar’s spat with then PTV host Dr Nauman Niazs caused “huge financial losses to PTV”, and added that by failing to give a written notice three months in advance, Akhtar broke the conditions of the agreement.

The notice went on to state, Akhtar traveled for the T20 World Cup in the UAE without alerting PTV Sports management and appeared on a show with former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh, causing “irreparable losses to PTV.”

According to the legal notice from PTV, Akhtar was required to appear on PTV’s World Cup program “Game On Hai,” which began on October 17. He had, however, only appeared in two of the 36 needed appearances thus far.

The notice ordered Akhtar to pay Rs100 million in damages as well as Rs3,333,000 — the equivalent of three months’ salary — or PTVC would start a lawsuit against him.

Shoaib Akhtar’s Reaction

Former Pakistani speedster, Akhtar is “utterly disappointed” by the notice and vowed to fight legal battle with PTV.

In a tweet on Sunday night the former cricketer, referring to the row between him and Dr Niaz, said: “After miserably failing to safeguard my respect & repute while I was working for PTV, they have now sent me a Recovery Notice.”

He added that his lawyer Salman Khan Niazi would take the matter forward in accordance with the law.

Spat with Dr Niaz

On October 27, the famous pacer and Dr Niaz were part of a panel for PTV Sports’ “Game On Hai,” which included guests including cricket Sir Vivian Richards, former England captain David Gower, former Pakistan women’s captain Sana Mir, and former fast bowler Umar Gul. The panel was evaluating Pakistan’s five-wicket victory against New Zealand in the T20 World Cup.

During a conversation about the Pakistan team, Akhtar thanked the Lahore Qalandars franchise in the Pakistan Super League for unearthing Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf.

Niaz reacted angrily to Akhtar’s remarks, saying: ” “You are being a little rude so I don’t want to say this but if you’re being over-smart then you can go. I am saying this on air.”

Akhtar offered his apologies to the guests on the panel, once the show resumed after a break and announced his resignation from PTV.

He said that he could not continue with the programme because of “how I was treated on national television”.

Afterward, the PTV began an investigation into the incident and removed Dr Niaz and Akhtar off the air until the investigation was completed.

Last week, Dr. Niaz offered Akhtar a “unconditional apologies.”

Ertugrul’s famous character Turgut and Bamsi in J.fragrances event

08KARACHI: J. fragrances organized a star studded meet & greet at the historical venue of Governor house Karachi in the honour of Turkish super stars Cengiz Coskun and Nurettin Sonmez aka Turgat and Bamsi from iconic drama serial Ertugrul. The event setup was based on Turkish theme and hosted by actor /singer Tipu Shariff.

During the question answers session with Mr Sohail Hamid Khan the managing director of J.and Almirah, Sohail Hamid Khan said ‘collaborating with 2 of Turkey’s biggest stars for their signature fragrance launch was definitely a bold step but it played a very important role in improving Pak-Turk relationship, also it was a huge opportunity for our brand J. Fragrances to establish and expand our international footprint in collaborating with international celebrities”

In the question answer session with Cengiz Coskun said “My experience of visiting Pakistan has been an overwhelming because of the love and hospitality I received by Pakistani people” Similarly Nurettin Sonmez termed his visit as one of his best foreign tours because of the love and appreciation he received for his role in Ertugrul as Bamsi from Pakistani audience.

The highlight of this meet & greet event was a face reading session of the Turkish stars by renowned Mystery Performer Shaheer Khan.The man who has read the mind of our sitting prime minister along with other famous celebrities like Mahira khan, Wasim Akram, and Humayun Saeed created curiosity with his remarkable skills amongst the guests present at the event.

J. Junaid Jamshed started in 2002 with the aim to promote Pakistani culture through apparel. It has now expanded across the world with 30+ international outlets across US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and South Africa. While having a network of 100+ outlets across Pakistan.

As J. Fragrances rightly anticipated that the launch of Warrior and Defender would garner recognition on an international level. These two fragrances which were created in collaboration with two of the biggest Turkish celebrities: Cengiz Coşkun and Nurettin Sönmez, became an instant hit with their unique product design and strong aromas.

It was termed as the biggest launch of the year in Pakistan and for J. Fragrances as a brand.

J. made the bold decision of bringing Cengiz Coşkun and Nurettin Sönmez to Pakistan to elevate the promotional opportunity while simultaneously improving Pak-Turk relations.

Bringing two of Turkey’s biggest celebrities to Pakistan was more than just good publicity for J.Fragrances as a brand, as it also presented an opportunity to portray a softer image of Pakistan and did so successfully.

J. created two very unique DVCs for both the fragrances; Warrior and Defender, featuring Cengiz Coşkun and Nurettin Sönmez. The spectacle of the DVC alone was a big step for marketing in Pakistan.

When the video promos were released, it gave the Ertugrul fans the impression that a new serial was on its way, which further generated a lot of excitement.

According to Cengiz Coskun “It was an interesting shoot because it did actually feel like we were shooting a new serial, nobody would be able to guess it was to promote a perfume and that was the best part about it. This collaboration has been an amazing experience”.

The Warrior Fragrance became extremely popular for its one-of-a-kind bottle design which is shaped as an axe and unique fragrance. The act of assembling the pieces and then being able to position it as a show-piece elevated its artistic value.

Both the fragrance and its product design magnificently emulated the personality of the character it was based on.

The Defender Fragrance also successfully followed the suit. It radiated the same persona that Nurettin Sönmez is known for.

While describing the shoot and the fragrance Nurettin Sonmez said“I loved the scent, it exceeded my expectations. The product design is also very powerful, the promo we shot was a great way to introduce the perfume altogether and it was definitely fun to shoot. So happy with how this collaboration turned out”.

Overall, this was a successful collaboration and an even bigger success for Pakistan as a nation, thanks to the international recognition that J. received from various notable influencers’ outlets.

J. is proud to have such a significant milestone under its belt and aims to do many more collaborations in future.

Protect your digital assets like physical valuables

Karachi: Digitization is need of hour but we need to secure our data and system from cyber attackers, like we secure physical things from thieves in the real world.

Thieves in the real world break in the physical security system in the digital world they breach cyber security.

This was stated by a member of Prime Minister Taskforce on Information technology and chief executive of Jaffer Business Systems (Pvt) Ltd Veqar Ul Islam while delivering a keynote speech at a seminar organized in Karachi.

“In recent days we witness serious cyber-attacks on companies and banks working in Pakistan. But with these attacks, we must not be frightened by this and stop the digitization process. In the physical and cyber world, Thieves are everywhere, we need to make the systems to secure our data.” Veqar added.

He further said, that to secure our thing in the physical sphere, we built a complete security system including walls, gates, guards and other things. In the cyber space, we need to invest to secure our digital assets.

Without adding cyber security ingredients data will not call secure. Cyber attackers always looking for opportunities.

“We must learn and move forward.”Veqar Ul Islam link, digitation with growth. “In the current global environment, we must adopt technology and digitize our process because without this providing service on large scale will not be possible.”

He further said that the real world is no more only physical, now the world is a hybrid a mixture of physical and digital assets. But digital suppress the physical world. That’s why cyber security is must.

Mr. Veqar Ul Islam expressed these views at a seminar hosted by the International Federation of Accountants and ICAP at a local hotel in Karachi.

Mr. Fahad Karamally, CEO- Funverks Global (Pvt) Ltd, Mr. Faizan Mehmood, Chief Information officer, K-Electric, Mr. Fahad Ashraf, General Manager, Coca-Cola & Afghanistan Region, Mr. Imran Khalil, VP & Group Head, SAP Transformation,Engro Corp and others also spoke during this seminar.

“I CAN-CER VIVE” A breast Cancer Awareness event at British High Commission

Karachi: Breast Cancer is a deadly disease which can result in untimely death if not diagnosed on time.

In 2020, there were 2.3 million women diagnosed with breast cancer and 685,000 deaths globally. In Asia, Pakistan has the highest rate of breast cancer in Asia.

At some stage of life, 1 in 9 Pakistani women become patients of breast cancer.
Today Sehat Kahani which is a Leading Telemedicine platform of Pakistan conducted I CAN-CER VIVE, an event to honour breast cancer survivors and raise awareness about Breast Cancer at the British High Commission.

The event was graced by the Health Minister Sindh-Dr.Azra Fazal Pechuho,Ex-secretary health,Dr. Fazallulah Pechuho and Mike Nithavrianakis-The Britain’s Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi.

Mike opened the event and talked about the important role that doctors have to play in early screening and diagnosis of Breast Cancer.

He appreciated Sehat Kahani’s effort in playing a role to increase awareness through its telemedicine platform.

Dr. Sara Saeed Khurram,CEO Sehat Kahani emphasised that Sehat Kahani’s vision is to provide quality and affordable healthcare to patients using its telemedicine solution across Pakistan.

Treating more than half a million patients till date all over Pakistan, Sehat Kahani will expand its services to include breast cancer awareness screening programs, training of doctors and nurses to diagnose early signs and facilitate breast cancer specialist consultations at subsidised cost on all its platform.

The event honoured 5 breast cancer survivors highlighting their struggle through a video documentary and presenting them a token of resilience.

The event also hosted a panel of renowned doctors, Dr. Naila Zahid -leading Consultant Oncologist at Liaquat National Hospital, Dr. Kausar Rehman-Consultant Breast Oncoplastic and Reconstructive Surgeon at South City Hospital and Sanaa Ahmed mental health expert represents the Mental Healthcare portfolio for British Asian Trust in Pakistan.

The panel was moderated by Dr.Iffat Zafar Aga,COO Sehat Kahani .The panelists discussed the importance of fighting the disease with the body and mind.They encouraged women to reach a doctor immediately incase they find any signs and symptoms of Breast Cancer.

The Chief guest Dr.Azra Fazal Pechuho,in her Keynote, emphasised on the importance of technology playing an important role in early diagnosis and cure of disease.She also mentioned that the bill for telemedicine has been passed from the assembly so that companies such as Sehat Kahani can play its role in helping more patients.

Shahid Afridi, Irfan Pathan, Chris Gayle register for Lanka Premier League 2021

Karachi: The ‘Player Draft’ of the 2nd Edition of the Lanka Premier League 2021, is scheduled to be held on 09th November 2021. World renowned players like Shahid Afridi, Irfan Pathan and Chris Gayle are among players in the draft.

A total of 600 players, consisting of 300 overseas and 300 Sri Lankan players will feature in the upcoming ‘Draft,’ which will be held virtually with the participation of 05 Franchise Owners and the SLC officials.

The LPL has garnered attention from a host of cricket stars including West Indies legend Chris Gayle, former India fast bowler Irfan Pathan, former Pakistan Captain Shahid Afridi and former South Africa Captain Faf du Plessis, and other Pakistani stars such as Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Amir, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shoaib Malik, Wahab Riaz among various others.

Jawad Ghulam Rasool, Managing Partner & COO, IPG Group, commented “The Lankan Premier League 2021 will be more electrifying than last season.

We have cricket stars from across the world competing in this fast paced tournament and the cricket lovers from Sri Lanka have always shown excitement towards watching the game being played in their home ground.

The pandemic had its toll on the sports industry but we are glad to be moving forward and resuming cricket.”

The draft will consist of 20 rounds, covering several player categories, such as ‘Local and Overseas Icon Player’, ‘Local and Overseas Diamond Player’, ‘Local and Overseas Gold Player’, and ‘Local and Overseas Classic Player’.

Whilst, there will be ‘Local Emerging’ and ‘Supplementary Local’ rounds focusing on selecting Sri Lanka’s young talent.

A squad will consist of 20 players, with 14 local and 06 overseas players. Five franchises from the cities of Colombo, Dambulla, Galle, Jaffna and Kandy respectively will battle it out for the trophy in the second edition of the Lanka Premier League. The tournament will be held from 05th December 2021 to 23rd December 2021.

Experienced T20 campaigner MD Gunathilaka from Sri Lanka finished as the highest run-getter in the last season of the LPL with 476 runs, while star T20 bowler from the Island nation Wanindu Hasaranga was the highest wicket-taker with 17 wickets.

Bank Alfalah collaboration with Adal Fintech

Karachi: Bank Alfalah, one of the largest private banks in Pakistan, and Adal Fintech, a Techlogix subsidiary focused on ‘Digital Financing,’ have collaborated to offer Digital Supply chain financing all over Pakistan.

The scope of this alliance is to extend digital lending facility to the retailers in coordination with their suppliers. This solution enables the retailer to opt for financing facility on the real-time basis.

Read now: Infinix partners with Bank Alfalah(Opens in a new browser tab)

This digital access to finance Small and Medium Enterprises in the Retail space offers instant financing solution with the use of robust and sophisticated machine learning techniques and software solutions to make it accessible to even the most remote locations.

President & CEO – Atif Bajwa was pleased to put the cornerstone in the automation of Small and Medium scale financing in Pakistan and said, “This collaboration is indeed in line with the Bank’s vision to offer seamless banking services to its customers the digital way.

It further demonstrates our continued commitment to collaborate with Fintechs and invest into innovative ventures in the digital sphere that are promising and also to provide ease of use for our customers”.

The CEO of Adal Fintech – Salman Akhtar stated, “We are delighted to offer a breakthrough innovation for Digital Lending in Pakistan, in partnership with Bank Alfalah.

Our solution will offer real-time access to lending and will help in significantly expanding the access to credit for the SME sector in Pakistan.

Our Digital Lending Platform has already enabled more than 10,000 loans over the past few months and we expect to scale this further in collaboration with our partner banks”.

Karachi Insustrialiats commend record progress on K-Electric BQPS-III Power Plant

Karachi: A delegation of senior industrialists and members of Karachi Industrial Forum visited K-Electric’s (KE) 900 MW Bin Qasim Power Station 3 (BQPS-III) on Monday and were apprised of the progress on the mega project, being set up at an estimate cost of USD 650 million.

The delegation included 25 members of Karachi Industrial Forum (KIF) which is a joint platform of 7 prominent industrial associations of Karachi including Landhi Association of Trade and Industry (LATI), Bin Qasim Association of Trade and Industry (BQATI), North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI), Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), Federal B Area Association of Trade and Industry (FBATI) and SITE Association of Trade and Industry (SATI), SITE Super Highway Association of Industry (SSHATI).

On this occasion, top management of KE including Moonis Alvi – Chief Executive Officer, Sadia Dada – Chief Marketing and Communication Officer, Abbas Husain – Chief Generation & Transmission Officer, Muhammad Aamir Ghaziani- Chief Financial Officer, and Amer Zia – Chief Distribution Officer welcomed the delegation.

During the visit, KE’s management briefed the delegation about the city’s rising power demand as the utility’s total consumers increased by over 226,000 and observed a growth rate of around 26% in the industrial sector, last year.

They were also told that as per estimates, the power utility expects addition of around 700 MW new connections by FY 23, with almost half of it coming from industrial consumers.

The delegation was further apprised about BQPS-III possessing efficiency of around 60%, will be one of the top 5 highest efficiency plants in the country and will be critical to meet Karachi’s rising power demand.

Furthermore, delegates were also informed about the measures being taken by the utility to facilitate existing and future industrial consumers.

During the visit, head of power committee and former president KATI, Danish Khan said, “Karachi’s share in the country’s export is 52% therefore, Karachi’s development is pivotal for Pakistan’s growth.

It is encouraging to see enormous efforts K-Electric has been making towards development of Karachi, the way it has reduced line losses and providing uninterrupted power supply to the city is praiseworthy. In line with their efforts, this upcoming power plant is an excellent project which will help drive industrial growth.”

Lauding the efforts of K-Electric, Member KATI and advisor KIF on energy matters, Rehan Jawed said, “BQPS-III is a state-of-the-art power plant which is getting completed in a record time of just 1.8 years.

The tremendous progress made by K-Electric to bring this project online in such a short span of time is highly commendable. With 60% efficiency and equipped with latest technology, such kinds of plants are predominantly installed in developed countries only.

It will not only help meet the future power demand of the city but will also reduce our reliance on expensive fuels since it is an RLNG-based power plant.”

While thanking the industry delegates for their visit, Moonis Alvi – CEO, K-Electric said, “We are pleased to host our fellow industry peers at our plant and showcase them our efforts towards supporting Karachi’s progress at large.

Going forward, the power utility is committed to further invest around PKR 150 billion in Karachi’s power infrastructure in the next two years and for provision of safe, reliable and smooth supply of power to its consumers and for this we have already submitted revised investment plan to NEPRA which is currently under review by the honorable Authority.

We are thankful to all our industrial consumers for their encouragement and consistent support. KIF and KE share the same vision of Karachi’s continuous growth and to help realize its full potential.

We will continue to collaborate to develop synergies and explore new avenues aimed at positively contributing to Karachi’s industrial landscape.”

Based on RLNG which is an environmentally friendly fuel, BQPS-III is among the fastest projects of its kind to be commissioned, with work progressing swiftly since December 2019.

Over 4 million man-hours have been employed in bringing the project online as quickly as possible to meet Karachi’s growing power demand. The first unit of 450 MW is under commissioning and expected to be energized within few weeks and the second unit in time for summers of 2022.

KE has been working actively to bolster its infrastructure with an investment of over PKR 410 billion since privatization. This has enabled the company to almost double its transmission and distribution network and also reduced its T&D losses by 16.7% points, and the power utility is committed to further these improvements through its robust investment plan.

In addition to driving sustained reduction in transmission & distribution losses through investments, K-Electric is also bolstering the efforts to evacuate the power from BQPS-III by establishing associated grids at Key locations such as Qayumabad and Landhi which are residential and industrial hub as well

In addition to 900 MW plant, the company is working closely with the Federal Government and associated ministries under the guidance of NEPRA to build interconnections to draw additional power from the National Grid which will further support Karachi and resultantly Pakistan’s industrial and economic development.

Aminul Haque emphasizes on Cyber Security for Digital Pakistan

Karachi: Syed Aminul Haque, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecom (MoITT), urged the importance of Cyber Security and its critical importance for Digital Pakistan.

During his address at a two-day event “Cyber Security Hackathon”, organized by MoITT, Aminul Haque said that the objective of the event is to acquaint and prepare cyber security experts in Pakistan. As the Government has to take up Cyber Security as a challenged owing to the “Cyber power will be considered as the Super Power” in the world today.

Addressing the audience, Haque explained the dire need for Cyber Security experts and also told revealed that the Competition the successful cyber security experts will receive huge cash prizes and will become a part of the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT).

This team will thus form on national level and NCERT will respond with immediate outcome and later on CERT for Defence sector, Public sector, Private sector, Banking & Telecom Sector will be formed.

Pertaining to the cyber-attacks on our Public and Private sector, Aminul Haq demonstrated that the FBR website was hacked and the most crucial data was compromised.

Pakistan’s leading musical streaming website “Patari” was cyber-attacked, in June this year, while hackers released the data of 257,000 users on the Dark Web.

Moreover, K-Electric’s system was hacked in 2020, and the hackers demanded the ransom. The 8.5 GB data of millions of users was published on the dark web on account of non-payment. The data of Meezan Bank, Bank Islami was hacked also.

He stressed that the Ministry of IT has the best Cyber Security experts informed the Private sector about the up-coming cyber-attacks and suggested preparedness for such event.

He mentioned “The online taxi service ‘Careem’, Peshawar ATM Services, Sindh High Court, PTV Sports and many other organizations were hacked and the latest attack was on the data of the National Bank” and the whole banking system is not working today and now NBP is struggling for the damage control.

He furthermore told that institutions still do not follow the instructions of the Ministry of IT and bear unsalvageable damages from cyber-attacks. Many institutions do not even have cyber security systems at all, he indicated.

Moreover, Aminul Haque shed the light on partial polices of Sindh government which are to be blame for paving the way for mass transportation and drinking water to the province after 18th Amendmentbut.

However he thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan for rescuing the people of Karachi and resolving these two critical issues.

He indicated that the MoIT provides the broad band connectivity and 4G services in impoverished regions of Sindh and even in the C.M Sindh Murad Ali Shah’s constituency in Dadu.

Discussing about the future targets for 2023, he divulged of achieving $6 to 7 billion from IT Industry.

Asim Shehryar, CEO Ignite, shared his strategic vision for Digital Pakistan and explained the growing primacy of cyber security.

Junaid Imam Member IT, Dr. Slahuddin Shamsuddin CTO Malaysia and Mehzad Saha CISO Engro talked about strengthening Cyber Security readiness and response.

A panel discussion was also held on “National Preparedness of Cyber Security Challenges” moderated by Hassan Husseini (G.M & Head IT Audit HBL).

The event was attended by Member IT Ignite Syed Junaid Imam, CEO Ignite Asim Shehryar, cyber security experts and large numbers of people from the IT sector and academia.

Azfar Ahsan appoints as Chairman Board of Investment, PM office

Karachi: Muhammad Azfar Ahsan on Tuesday has been appointed as Chairman Board of Investment (BOI) as the officials from Prime Minister officials reported.

The newly appointed is a Pakistan-based visionary and champion for radical transformation. Over the past two decades, he has spent his time connecting businesses and thought leaders from around the world, studying the art of politics as a non-partisan political analyst, encouraging dialogue critical to influencing narratives on global issues, engaging in philanthropic endeavors, and creating opportunities for many.
 
Azfar is the creator of CORPORATE PAKISTAN GROUP (CPG), an organization that represents Pakistan’s national intelligentsia, which include corporate and business leaders, ministers, senators, governors, federal secretaries, politicians, distinguished academicians, energy experts, tech entrepreneurs, defense personnel, police officers, foreign policy experts, media practitioners, and civil society movers and shakers.
 
He has also laid the foundation of the Nutshell Group, of which he is the Founder CEO.

He devised Pakistan’s largest corporate event, the ‘LEADERS IN ISLAMABAD BUSINESS SUMMIT’ (www.leadersinislamabad.com), an annual conference in Islamabad that draws speakers and participants from all over the world.
 
Moreover, Azfar has invited over 3,000 foreign delegates in Pakistan uptil now.

In December 2020 the US State Department named Azfar in the list of eighty selected alumni of the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) out of 225,000 partakers from across the globe.
 
While in 2019, the Canada Pakistan Business Council bestowed him with the ‘Global Outreach Award’ for his remarkable services.

 
Azfar is a Member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Financial Markets of Pakistan, a subsidiary of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), RYTS Global (Rytsglobal.com), and Make-A-Wish Foundation Pakistan.

He is also a Vice-President of the Marketing Association Pakistan, a member of the Advisory Board of the Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital project in Karachi, an apex body of marketing in Pakistan.

In 2009 He served as the Chairman of MARCON.

T20 World Cup: Pakistan remains unbeatable, beat Namibia team

Dubai: Pakistan advanced to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup after defeating Namibia by 45 runs in Abu Dhabi – their fifth appearance in the final in seven championships.

Pakistani blowers successfully prevented Namibian batters to 144 for five, which guaranteed the victory for Pakistan to become the first country to reach the T20 World Cup semis for the fifth time.

This was Pakistan’s fourth consecutive victory in the tournament after they had defeated India, New Zealand, and Afghanistan in their previous fixtures.

Skipper Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan have received a number of T20I records during their T20 World Cup match against Namibia, on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi stadium.

Most century partnerships in T20Is, most runs as batting partners in a calendar year, most T20I runs by a batter in a calendar year, most scores of 50 or more in T20Is by a captain, and most runs after 60 innings of a player’s career in T20Is are among the records.

Babar and Rizwan put up a 113-run first-wicket stand against Namibia, their fifth century partnership as batting partners and the highest by any batting partners in the game’s shortest format.

They have broken the record of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan of India and Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson of New Zealand, as both of whom have four hundreds between them.

The Pakistani openers also made history by being the first batting partners in the world to reach 1,000 runs in a calendar year. This year, they’ve scored 1,041 runs in 17 partnerships.

With his 70 from 49 in the innings, Babar Azam also broke Indian skipper Virat Kohli’s record. In T20Is, he now owns the record for most 50+ scores as a captain.

Babar currently has 14 50+ scores, one more than Kohli, including one 100+ score. The Indian skipper has a total of 13 50-point games.

The brilliant batsman from Pakistan has now achieved 2,402 runs in 60 T20I innings in his career — the most by any batsman uptio now during his T20I career. Kohli, by comparison, had scored 2,167 runs after first 60 T20I innings during his career.

Mohammad Rizwan, Babar’s batting partner, became the first cricketer in history to achieve 900+ T20I runs in a calendar year. No other player has ever scored more than 748 points in a single year.

With an unbeaten 79 today, he has now eclipsed Kohli in the highest T20I career averages (minimum qualification 1,000 runs). Rizwan currently has a career batting average of 52.66 among the 73 batsmen who have hit at least 1,000 runs.
Kohli’s career average is 52.01.

Rizwan also made history by becoming the first player in T20I history to score eleven 50-plus scores in a calendar year. This year’s tally also includes a century.

K-Electric issues Q1 FY22 Financial Results

Karachi: Continuing the momentum of FY21, K-Electric has demonstrated sustained improvement in key operational indicators in the first quarter of FY22 ended September 30, 2021, resulting in a net profit of PKR 2.9 billion.

These interim financial results were approved by KE’s Board of Directors on Thursday. These results have been achieved on the back of PKR 10.6 billion investments across the power value chain coupled with reduction of 3.1% points in Transmission and Distribution Losses.

The power utility has been making concerted efforts to support the development of its geographies through targeted interventions to curb transmission and distribution losses. As of Q1 FY22, over 11,500 Pole Mounted Transformers (PMTs) have been converted to Aerial Bundled Cables (ABC).

Within this quarter, the company has also issued around 38,000 Low Cost New Connections as part of its commitment to transition consumers from illegal means of acquiring electricity to regularized connections ensuring consistent, reliable, and safe power supply.

These investments are improving the company’s decision-making ability through increased visibility on the patterns of electricity consumption across its diverse consumer base.

Furthermore, multiple facilitation schemes have been introduced for customers to nurture a culture of timely bill payments including tailor-made Area Specific Rebate Schemes for locations in Karachi faced with chronic law and order problems.

At the same time, KE is also digitizing its bill payment platforms through strategic partnerships with financial institutions to support the same through debit and credit cards.

KE is also investing today to secure Karachi’s energy future. Construction work on the 900 MW RLNG-fired project (BQPS-III) is progressing swiftly despite the prevailing pandemic situation.

Testing and commissioning works on the associated grids planned with the power plant are also in progress. In August, KE signed an RLNG Supply Agreement (GSA) with Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) securing the supply of 150 mmcfd of gas for the complex.

Regular maintenance and optimization activities are also carried out across KE’s entire generation fleet to maintain the efficiency of generation for Karachi’s growing demand.

Further, KE has enhanced its net transmission capacity by 110 MVAs for a total of 6646 MVA. These additions are complementing the construction of a 220 kV interconnection at Dhabeji and the planned construction of a 500 KV KKI Grid, which will enable KE to draw additional power from the National Grid up to 2050 MW in future.

The power utility is also driving the agenda on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The first phase of KE’s Roshni Baji Neighborhood Women Ambassador Programme ended in July 2021, which inducted 40 women from across Karachi to conduct doorstep visits educating households on safe practices for electricity usage.

Since their induction in February, these women have reached around 108,000 homes and undergone approximately 8000 man-hours of training to graduate as the first cohort of trained and certified female electricians capable of completing the internal wiring of a premises on a single-phase supply.

The Roshni Baji Project is also a finalist for the S&P Global Platts Global Energy Awards in the CSR – Diversity Category. Under NEPRA’s vision of achieving a COVID-Free Pakistan, KE also partnered with Government of Sindh and local NGO HANDS to launch a mobile vaccination drive providing free access to vaccines for Karachi’s citizens in remote areas.

Safety awareness remained a core priority for the company during the extended monsoon season. A Safety Roadshow moved around 200 areas of Karachi impacting approximately 200,000 individuals, and collaborations with frontline emergency providers such as Edhi, Chippa and Sarim Burney Trust enabled the company to extend the reach of its messages to the masses.

KE also became the first power utility to launch a live stream through its social media platforms as a centralized source of timely updates regarding power restoration efforts during the monsoon season along with consistent messaging on safety.

Commenting on the occasion, CEO K-Electric Moonis Alvi expressed his happiness at the progress, stating “Our vision for Karachi is hinged on a focus on uplifting our communities and driving growth, progress, and safety at a grassroots level.

Our consumers are at the heart of our business decisions and we endeavor to provide a safe and reliable supply of electricity across our operational territory. This will have a multiplier effect on the economy and also on developing social capital in our geographies.

We appreciate the continued support and guidance that we are receiving from the Federal Government and associated ministries as well as NEPRA, and look forward to resolution of key pending issues which will create an enabling environment for us.”

In this regard, Mr. Alvi also cautioned that the operational and financial sustainability of the company depends on the amicable and expedient resolution of long-standing issues.

These include the settlement of net receivables from various Federal and Provincial entities which stand at around PKR 58 billion on principal basis and continue to have a consequential impact on the Company’s cash flow position.

He expressed his confidence in the ongoing discussion on finalizing the Terms of Reference (TORs) for arbitration and the parallel process of streamlining Tariff Differential Subsidy (TDS) Agreements with the Government for timely release of KE’s Tariff Differential Claims.

The company is also engaged with NEPRA on the Mid-Term Review petition filed in March 2020 which is under the regulator’s determination and approval of recovery loss claims.

Continued investments across the power value chain require that necessary investments and costs be allowed in the tariff, and KE is hopeful that the regulator will make a decision that is in the greater interest of 3.2 million consumers in Karachi.

Supporting the expected transformation of the regulatory landscape with the implementation of a wholesale electricity market, KE has submitted its detailed Evaluation and Integration plan after consultation with relevant stakeholders, sharing that a successful implementation can be ensured with an orderly transition in line with the National Electricity Policy 2021 and Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) approved principles.

Martin Dow partners with SOGP to underline ‘Taboos and Facts during Pregnancy’

Multan: Martin Dow and Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Pakistan (SOGP) recently partnered through a one-day symposium at a local in Multan to shed light on the “Taboos and Facts during Pregnancy and Early Childhood Development”.

The symposium organized by Martin Dow and SOGP played a significant role in highlighting the existing taboos and unwarranted perception of the masses which has drastically grasped the women’ dogma during course of pregnancy in our society.

Martin Dow’s symposium has always been highly inclined towards breaking stereotypes and eradicating all kinds of taboos witnessed at the time of pregnancy and early childhood development.

Addressing the audience during the seminar, Mr. Fawad Abbasi, Director Business Unit, Martin Dow said “Martin Dow primarily believes that it is the need of the hour to get engaged with leading Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) in the field of Gynecology and to chalk out an effective plan by implementing a rational scientific evidence-based solution to this hurdle which comes in the way of pregnancy and at the time of early childhood development.

This symposium is devised to cover all major scientific practices that are significant during pregnancy while on the other side disregarding aspects that mislead patients and portray a negative impression which is prevailing all around at present.”

Leading Healthcare Professionals including Prof. Dr. Samee Akhtar, Prof. Dr. Huma Quddusi, Prof. Dr. Shahid Irshad Rao, Prof. Dr. Mehnaz Khakwani, Associate Prof. Dr. Hajira Masood, Prof. Dr. Arif Siddiq and Associate Prof. Dr. Nusrat Buzdar from SOGP Multan chapter and faculty Nishtar Medical Hospital and University Multan shared their valuable knowledge and advice regarding adverse impacts and taboos that women encounter during pregnancy and early childhood development which tend to be mostly non-scientific.

Frequently, elders in the family coach women about the Do’s and Don’ts during pregnancy. For instance, women are told to refrain from frequent baths, regular traveling, avoid climbing stairs or bending all of which is rumored to result in miscarriages.

Contrary to the implications, all of these are deemed to be non-scientific and untrue concepts prevailing in our society.

T20 World Cup: Green Shirts beat Afghanistan, fans gush over Asif Ali

Asif Ali appeared as the hero for Pakistan for the second straight match of T20 World Cup 2021 as he slammed four sixes in the penultimate over of a successful run chase against Afghanistan on Friday in Dubai.

Pakistan’s topsy turvy run chase was at 124-5, chasing 148, with 24 needed off 12 balls and the match set for another tensed climax.

This was when Asif, decided to rise to the occasion. He had become the hero on Tuesday against New Zealand under similar conditions.

He slammed two of the first three balls of the 19th over bowled by Karim Janat for sixes before depositing the final two balls into the stands also, killing the run chase singlehandedly and prematurely.

Asif ended 25 off seven balls with four sixes and a single, leaving Janat and all the other Afghan players baffled.

The victory gave Pakistan a third win in as many games in Group 2 of the Super 12 stages, nearly guaranteeing a semi-final place, needing just one more win from their previous two games.

Afghanistan achieved 147-6 in their 20 overs with Gulbadin Naib and skipper Mohammad Nabi scoring 35 each.

Skipper Babar Azam secured Pakistan’s innings with a 47-ball 51 but his dismissal spun the game on its head in the 17th over with Pakistan needing 26 off the last three overs. But Azam was bowled by spinner Rashid Khan.

Paceman Naveen-ul-Haq scored just two runs in the 18th over and dismissed Shoaib Malik for 19 but Asif subduedsed all hopes of an Afghanistan win.
Pakistan’s mission was to deal with spinners Rashid and Mujeeb Ur Rahman in their chase with the evening dew making life difficult for bowlers.

Mujeeb dismissed Mohammad Rizwan (eight) while Nabi accounted for Fakhar Zaman (30) before Rashid’s wickets of Mohammad Hafeez (10) and Babar.

Here is what skipper Babar Azam has to say about Pakistan’s thrilling win against Afghanistan.

Fans are gushing over tonight’s hero, Asif Ali.

Another fan also shard Ali’s incredibly sixes.

Pakistan’s prime minister also applauded green shirts’ performance on his Twitter handle and also praised Afghanistan’s team rising.

KE Condemns violent Mob attack on staff in Bela

Karachi: K-Electric today strongly condemned the violence exacted against its employees in the Bela area, which has resulted in severe injuries to staff members.

The incident occurred on Friday while KE teams were disconnecting an illegally installed Pole Mounted Transformer (PMT) which was being used to steal electricity.

Reports indicate that area residents accosted and overpowered the KE teams working in the area, surrounding them and assaulting the staff.

Several employees sustained harsh injuries and the mob also snatched personal belongings before releasing them. The team has been evacuated to the city and is currently undergoing medical treatment.

Expressing alarm, Spokesperson KE stated “This incident highlights the immense difficulty and challenges of KE’s operating environment. We are extremely relieved to know that our staff has been safely evacuated and will be extending our fullest support in their recovery; we laud them for their bravery in the face of such extreme difficulties.

The area of the incident was being disconnected on account of theft of electricity via an illegally installed Pole Mounted Transfomer. It is alarming that people involved in theft of electricity resort to violence instead of cooperating with KE to become a regularized part of the network to avail safe and reliable energy supply.

KE strongly condemns this incident and will be pursuing legal action against the culprits. We appeal for support from law enforcement agencies in bringing those responsible to accountability.”

K-Electric has been aggressively cracking down against theft of electricity across the city, with regular kunda removal drives and action against chronic defaulters.

At the same time, the utility has been setting up facilitation camps and extending support to the communities to facilitate consumers who wish to clear their dues and become regularized with their billing cycles. These efforts are a strategic part of KE’s mission to achieve a load-shed free Karachi.

Facebook unveils its new name: Meta

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday unveiled at his company’s Connect event that its new name will be Meta.

In the event Zuckerberg said “We are a company that builds technology to connect.” And “Together, we can finally put people at the center of our technology and can unlock a massively bigger creator economy.”

He further said this is “to reflect who we are and what we hope to build.”

However “the name Facebook doesn’t fully encapsulate everything the company does now, and is associated to one product. “But over time, I hope we are seen as a metaverse company.”

Zuckerberg, on Thursday, wrote in a blog post that the company’s corporate pattern would not be altering, but how it records financial results will. “Starting with our results for the fourth quarter of 2021, we plan to report on two operating segments: Family of Apps and Reality Labs” he said.

“We also intend to start trading under the new stock ticker we have reserved, MVRS, on December 1. Today’s announcement does not affect how we use or share data” he explained.

Over the past some weeks Facebook has been under sharp examination, after revelations based on damning internal documents delivered to the Wall Street Journal by whistleblower Frances Haugen exhibited that Facebook’s Instagram forum had become a toxic space for teenagers, especially girls.

The antitrust regulators are propelling the company to be broken up, as public trust in the social media platform is fading.

According to international media the rebrand is part of the company’s endeavors to shift gears away from being known as just a social media company and focus on Zuckerberg’s plans for building the metaverse.

He told that over the next several years, Facebook would “effectively transition from people seeing us as primarily being a social media company to being a metaverse company.”

Numerous news outlets, on Monday, divulged further details of the internal documents published to the Securities and Exchange Commission and provided to Congress in redacted form.

They indicated the deep skepticism on Facebook’s researchers that its user base was aging, and the platform was relinquishingting traction among younger generations.

The documents also indicated Facebook had a tiered system to prioritize which countries would receive enhanced protections during elections.

Early speculation pointed on a change related to Google’s 2015 rebrand when it disclosed it would become one of several companies under the umbrella of a larger holding company known as Alphabet.

For Facebook, the original “blue” app would join Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus under a parent organization.

Dr Nauman Niaz asks Shoaib Akhtar to leave the show

https://daynews.tv/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/VID-20211027-WA0009.mp4?_=1

Shoaib Akhtar, a former Pakistani sprinter, resigned live on camera after encountering “rude and unpleasant” behaviour during a PTV Sports broadcast.

After Pakistan’s triumph against New Zealand, Akhtar and the show’s host, Dr Nauman Niaz, had a verbal altercation while debating the influence of the Lahore Qalandars’ Player Development Program (PDP) on pacers Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf’s performance.

“You’re being a bit disrespectful, and I hate to say it, but if you’re being overly clever, you may go.” “I’m saying that on the air,” Niaz said Akhtar before cutting to a commercial break.

Shoaib and Nauman stayed on the broadcast after the commercial break, but the former finally opted to leave the show after apologising to the other guests, who included cricket legends such as Sir Viv Richards and David Gower.

“Apologies, folks, apologies, apologies, apologies, apologies, apologies, apologies, apologies PTV has asked me to quit. I don’t think I should be sitting here right now after how I was treated on national television. As a result, I’m resigning. “Thank you very much,” Akhtar remarked as he exited the set.

Akhtar later recounted the situation on his official Twitter account with a small video and a handful of tweets.

KE’s statement on Mehmoodabad Grid Station’s Court Decision

Karachi: K-Electric release the statement about the honorable court decision on Mehmoodabad grid station,

“With reference to the recent news reports about K-Electric Mehmoodabad Grid Station Case, the Honorable Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal on the ground that the Petitioners have come to the Court with unclean hands as the Petitioners are themselves residing on the greenbelt.

However, the Appeal was converted into a Suo Moto Proceedings and notices were issued to all concerned stakeholders including K-Electric.

The company awaits the notice issued by the Honorable Supreme Court to summon it for the next hearing where it will present its legal stance.

As a responsible corporate company, K-Electric respects the Honorable Court and is fully committed to follow its orders.”

Mark Zuckerberg to Change Facebook’s name soon

This week, Facebook is considering changing its name to reflect its focus on establishing the metaverse.

The upcoming name change, which CEO Mark Zuckerberg hopes to discuss at the company’s annual Connect conference on October 28th but might be announced soon, is designed to signify the internet giant’s aim to be known for more than just social networking and all of its associated problems. The makeover would most likely present the blue Facebook app as one of many products managed by a parent business that also oversees Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus, and other companies. A Facebook spokeswoman declined to comment for this article.

Facebook currently has over 10,000 staff working on consumer devices such as augmented reality glasses, which Zuckerberg expects will become as common as smartphones. In July, he stated that “we will successfully move from people perceiving us as predominantly a social network business to being a metaverse company” over the next several years.

Facebook isn’t the only well-known technology business to alter its name as its goals grow. Google reorganized entirely under the Alphabet holding company in 2015, partly to signal that it was no longer just a search engine, but a sprawling conglomerate with companies developing self-driving cars and health-care technology. In 2016, Snapchat changed its name to Snap Inc., the same year it began referring to itself as a “camera company” and unveiled its first set of Spectacles camera spectacles.

Apart from Zuckerberg’s remarks, Facebook has been quietly building the basis for a bigger focus on future technologies. It established a specialized metaverse team this past summer. Andrew Bosworth, the company’s head of AR and VR, has recently been elevated to chief technology officer. Only a few days ago, Facebook announced intentions to hire 10,000 additional people in Europe to work on the metaverse.

Zuckerberg told that “it’s going to be the next big chapter for our company too, really doubling down in this area.”

The term metaverse was originally coined by sci-fi novelist Neal Stephenson to describe a virtual world people escape to from a dystopian, real world.

Now it’s being embraced by one of the world’s most powerful and divisive corporations, which will have to justify why its own virtual world is worth exploring.

The metaverse is “going to be a significant priority,” according to Zuckerberg, “and I believe this is really going to be a big part of the next chapter for how the internet grows beyond the mobile internet.”

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