Tech and Telecom

Following a new fatwa (religious edict), the Sindh Institute of Child Health & Neonatology (SICHN) has suspended its Human Milk Bank project, the first of its kind in Pakistan. A SICHN spokesperson announced they would seek further guidance from Jamia Darul Uloom Karachi and the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII). The Human Milk Bank, recently inaugurated by Sindh Health Minister Dr. Azra Pechuho alongside officials from UNICEF and the Pakistan Pediatric Association (PPA), aimed to provide breast milk to premature babies unable to receive sufficient nutrition from their mothers. These premature infants, often less than 34 weeks in gestation and…

OnePlus had already revealed they were developing a new battery technology named Glacier Battery. Today, the company offered more details on the project through a series of Weibo posts. This new battery promises to be better in three ways: more efficient, longer lasting, and storing more energy than current options. Even after four years of everyday use, OnePlus claims the battery will retain at least 80% of its original capacity. This far surpasses the industry standard of 800 charging cycles. OnePlus confirmed earlier rumors about a massive 6,100 mAh battery capacity for their new Glacier Battery technology. This battery will…

The Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan has alerted students and parents to avoid admissions to the two-year BA, BSc, and MA, MSc degree programs.    HEC phased out two-year BA/BSc and MA/MSc programs with extended deadlines of the academic years 2019 and June 30, 2022, respectively.   Despite the gradual phasing out of these two-year degree programs, some higher education institutions admitted students to these programs after the specified deadlines. Consequently, HEC has cautioned students, parents, and higher education institutions that degrees obtained from such programs will not be recognized and attested by HEC. It is pertinent to mention that…

In an exciting move, realme has announced the appointment of Shaheen Afridi, Pakistan’s star fast bowler, as its new brand ambassador. Known for his outstanding performances on the cricket field, Afridi’s dynamic and energetic persona aligns perfectly with realme’s brand ethos of innovation and youthful spirit. Adding to the excitement, realme has teased a major announcement scheduled for June 26, 2024. While details remain under wraps, speculation is rife that it could be related to the highly anticipated realme GT 6 Pro or possibly a new addition to the 12 series, such as the realme 12 or the realme 12…

Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has announced a suspension of gas supply to the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and Korangi areas due to the installation of a new pipeline. According to the company, this new gas distribution pipeline project will stretch from Azeempura to Jam Sadiq Bridge, affecting gas supply at two key points. Gas supply will be completely suspended on June 23, from 8 am to 8 pm, impacting all sectors of Korangi, including industrial and domestic areas, as well as DHA and its adjoining regions. The affected areas include Defence View, Manzoor Colony, Akhtar Colony, Kashmir Colony, Mehmoodabad,…

Austria has enacted a new law that allows the government to confiscate and sell the vehicles of drivers who exceed speed limits by substantial margins, even for a single offense. This policy, which began enforcement a few months ago, targets drivers exceeding the speed limit by 60 kilometers per hour or more. The implementation of this law comes as Austria grapples with increasing road fatalities, which totaled 402 in 2023, marking a concerning rise over the past four years. Austrian authorities hope the new measure will be a strong deterrent against reckless driving. Inspired by neighboring Switzerland, which has enforced…

Defending Champions England won the toss and decided to bowl first at the Bousejour Stadium in their second match of the Super 8s stage in the 2024 T20I World Cup. Quinton De Kock scored 65 runs off 38 balls in the first innings alongside David Miller who smashed 43 runs off 28 balls. The opening pair of Reeza Hendricks and Quinton De Kock provided a huge partnership of 86 runs but then the Proteas middle order faltered drastically. Jofra Archer picked up 3 wickets for 40 runs in his 4-over spell to restrict South Africa to a total of 163-6…

The 3rd round of the Joint Consultative Mechanism (JCM) of the Political Parties on CPEC and the Pakistan-China Political Parties Forum was held today in Islamabad. The meeting was co-chaired by Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and Minister of the Central Committee of the International Department of Communist Party of China (IDCPC) Liu Jianchao. It was attended by Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, and representatives of all major political parties of Pakistan. Addressing the JCM, Dar appreciated the positive contributions of CPEC to Pakistan’s socioeconomic development, progress, and prosperity. Lauding the political consensus…

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Government of Pakistan on Friday signed the agreement for $250 million policy-based loan to assist Pakistan drive sustainable investments in infrastructure and services through public–private partnerships (PPPs). ADB Country Director Yong Ye and Secretary EAD Kazim Niaz signed the agreement. Ye underscored the importance of conducive enabling environment to foster strategic and fiscally affordable PPPs in Pakistan. ADB on June 5, approved the $250 million policy-based loan for Pakistan. ADB’s Promoting Sustainable Public–Private Partnerships Program supports implementation of government policies to create an enabling environment for fiscally affordable PPPs and promote inclusive economic growth.…

In an article I penned for ProPakistani in 2010, I discussed a stark disparity in online revenue between Pakistani and U.S. websites. Despite having comparable audience sizes and traffic volumes, Pakistani sites earned a fraction—specifically, 32 times less—of what their American counterparts brought in. Over the past decade and a half, this revenue gap has persisted, posing significant challenges for Pakistani digital media companies. Today, the situation has deteriorated further, making it incredibly difficult to sustain operations when catering predominantly to a Pakistani audience. For those unfamiliar with the mechanics of digital advertising, websites generate income by displaying ‘ads’ to visitors.…