Tech and Telecom

A foreign airlines flight carrying 1 million doses of Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine reached Islamabad International Airport earlier today. According to details, the vaccine doses have been donated by COVAX, a global initiative aimed at equitable access to Coronavirus vaccines led by GAVI. ALSO READ IHC Orders Action Against PAF & Navy’s Encroachments at Margalla Hills Recently, China supplied 10 million doses of Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine and pledged $100 million to COVAX as part of its efforts to distribute vaccines to developing countries. During a meeting with President Arif Alvi earlier this week, the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Nong Rong, revealed…

Students from Riphah University, Lahore have built a cheap Electric Vehicle (EV), with the potential to be launched on an industrial scale. Ammad, Mansoob, and Zameer from the university’s Department of Electrical Engineering manufactured the EV for their final year project, and claim that it can travel up to 55 km on a single charge and can reach a top speed of 70 kmph. They explained that the powertrain includes 48Wh dry cell batteries and a 2 kW motor and that the EV can be charged at any EV charging station. The EV includes temperature sensors in the batteries and…

Wicket-keeper batsman, Zeeshan Ashraf, became the first centurion of Kashmir Premier League (KPL), as he helped Muzaffarabad Tigers beat Kotli Lions by five wickets in the group stage match. Ashraf’s magnificent knock of 107 from 62 balls helped Muzaffarabad chase a target of 196. ALSO READ Inzamam Lashes Out at Teams Preferring IPL Over International Cricket Kotli Lions, still winless after the first three games, won the toss and elected to bat first in the crucial encounter. With a magnificent half-century from their middle-order batsman, Asif Ali, Kotli Lions posted a mammoth total of 195/4 on the board. Ashraf took…

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has instructed Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) to take action against Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force for encroachments on the Margalla Hills National Park. During the hearing on Tuesday, Chief Justice Athar Minallah expressed displeasure over the slow progress from the IWMB and inquired regarding actions taken against the encroachments. ALSO READ NA Rejects Bill Demanding Stricter Punishment for Witchcraft “There are media reports that the Navy and Air Force have encroached on the National Park. What action has been taken against them?” he inquired. The IWMB Chairperson, Raina Saeed Khan, answered that the…

Xiaomi’s recent launch event showcased several major announcements and one of them was the Mi TV 6 OLED. This is the third generation of OLED TVs from Xiaomi, but it features a cheaper price tag despite all the improvements. ALSO READ Xiaomi Was the Biggest 5G Android Phone Maker in Q2 2021 The Mi TV 6 OLED features a thinner body and smaller bezels than before and even better heat dissipation. The TV has a 4K OLED screen with a 97% screen-to-body ratio thanks to the smaller bezels. It supports 10-bit colors, MEMC, 1ms response time, Delta E2 color accuracy,…

Delay in the signing of floating tenders for LNG import by Pakistan LNG Ltd (PLL) caused losses of Rs. 10.6 billion in the financial year 2020-21, revealed the audit report of Petroleum Division and the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) for the audit year 2020-21. The delay in awarding the LNG contracts caused prices to go higher, thereby increasing the cost of imported LNG, which led to the recent gas shortage in the country. ALSO READ KE and PLL Sign Gas Supply Agreement for 900 MW BQPS-III Plant The audit report held the PLL responsible for the shortage and…

The Government of Balochistan has deployed a textbook online tax collection system that is targeting an improved revenue stream and a wider tax net to facilitate the local business community. ALSO READ FBR’s Wing Uncovers Financial Scam Involving Chairman BankIslami While speaking about this development with reporters, the provincial Chief Minister, Jam Kamal, stated that as per the finance department’s recommendations, taxation is being digitized to streamline the archaic tax collection process for the population. He explained that the new system will equip Balochistan to overcome the struggles that may be the result of uncertainties due to budget deficits. ALSO…

StormFiber, Pakistan’s leading fiber broadband services provider has partnered with the Sargodha Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCC&I) to enhance the ease of doing business in the city. Under the partnership, the SCC&I will support StormFiber in deploying its fiber-optic network across Sargodha, enabling local businesses to opt for robust fiber-optic connectivity. Besides boosting broadband penetration in the city making ultra-fast broadband available to the citizens of Sargodha, the collaboration will also work towards helping the business community bridge the gap between local traders and global buyers. The initiative is well-aligned with SCC&I goals of facilitating the industrial sector of…

Engro Polymer and Chemicals Limited has announced its consolidated financial results for the second quarter that ended on 30 June 2021. The company posted a profit of Rs. 3.12 billion, up by 105x as compared to a profit of Rs. 29.78 million in the corresponding period last year. However, on a quarter-on-quarter basis, the earnings declined by 25 percent. This took the first half (1HCY21) profits to Rs. 7.26 billion, up by 33x. It had reported a profit of Rs. 222.62 million in the same period last year. Along with the result, the company has announced an interim cash dividend…

The Pakistani Rupee (PKR) continues to deteriorate against the US Dollar (USD) in the interbank currency market. Today (3 August), it traded in the range of Rs. 163.55 to the USD to Rs. 164.42 to the USD, before settling at Rs. 163.89 to the USD at the end of the trading day. The rupee fell by 22 paisas from yesterday’s (2 August) closing of Rs. 163.67 to the USD. ALSO READ Rupee Touches Nine and A Half Month Low Against US Dollar Multiple factors are responsible for this landslide of the rupee, not just against the USD but also against…