Tech and Telecom

The federal cabinet on Tuesday principally approved the Digital Nation Pakistan Act 2024 providing for the establishment of the National Digital Commission and Pakistan Digital Authority besides ensuring digitization of national economy and paperless governance. The cabinet which met under the chair of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, asked the law ministry to carry out the required review of the Act, which also aimed at digitizing the services sector in accordance with international standards. Under the Act, the National Digital Commission would act as a policymaking organisation, to be headed by the prime minister and comprising federal and provincial members. Moreover,…

Tax exemptions surged to Rs. 3.879 trillion during the outgoing fiscal year 2023- 2024 (FY24). The Pakistan Economic Survey 2023-24 showed that the cost of tax exemptions continued their upward trend because of exemptions on petroleum products and the automobile sector. Tax exemptions are the revenues foregone by the state by granting exemptions under different categories to various industries and other groups. In FY24, the government gave massive relief on petroleum products, general exemptions including the automobile sector as well as CPEC, exports, and local supplies. The income tax exemptions during FY24 were recorded at Rs. 476 billion. The income…

Pakistan-based freelancers contributed foreign exchange earnings worth $350.15 million during fiscal year 2024 (July-March), says the Economic Survey 2023-24. The survey noted that recent developments, such as expanding broadband services, flexible pricing regulations for telecom operators amidst rising inflation, and the declining multi-SIM phenomenon, have led to a noteworthy increase in ARPU. In fiscal year 2024 (Jul-Dec), ARPU reached Rs. 284/month compared to Rs. 248/month in fiscal year 2023. Pakistan offers its citizens some of the world’s lowest and most budget-friendly telecom prices. One GB of data cost in Pakistan is a mere $0.12, making it the lowest in the…

Pakistan’s fiery pacer Haris Rauf reached a remarkable milestone in T20 cricket by taking 100 wickets. Rauf reached this landmark during Pakistan’s crucial match against Canada in the 2024 T20 World Cup, in New York. The milestone wicket came when Rauf dismissed Canadian batsman Shreyas Movva. Bowling a short of a length delivery, Rauf induced an edge from Movva that was comfortably caught by wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan. This pivotal moment occurred in Rauf’s second over, marking a significant achievement in his T20 career. Not content with just one wicket, Rauf quickly followed up by taking his 101st T20 wicket. He…

The population of donkeys in Pakistan has increased by 100,000 (275 a day) from 5.8 million to 5.9 million in the outgoing fiscal year, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2023-24 released on Tuesday. Cattle population has increased by 2 million to 57.5 million in FY24, buffalos by 1.3 million, sheep 400,000 and goats 2.3 million. The population of camels was up by 100,000 from 1.1 million in FY23 to 1.2 million in the current fiscal year. Meanwhile, horses saw an increase of 400,000 during the period in review. The survey added that the livestock sector contributes 35-40 percent of…

Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) held a gong ceremony to celebrate the listing of Fast Cables Limited (FCL). Fast Cables is a manufacturing company producing electrical cables and conductors in Pakistan. Fast Cables’ is the fifth listing via an IPO on Pakistan Stock Exchange in the fiscal year 2023-24. Present at the gong ceremony were Ghulam Mustafa Kausar, Chairman; Kamal Amjad Mian, Managing Director; and senior management of Fast Cables Ltd. Muhammad Farid Alam, CEO AKD Securities Limited, along with his team were also present at the occasion. AKD Securities Limited were the Joint Lead Managers/ Consultants to the Issue. The…

Pakistan’s FIFA World Cup 2026 last qualifier against Tajikistan is underway. The Men in Green will be hoping to secure a positive result while Tajikistan will be hoping to dismantle the Shaheens. Pakistan vs Tajikistan will be played in Dushanbe. The Green Shirts lost to Saudi Arabia in the previous encounter in the round by 3-0, while Tajikistan suffered the same fate against Jordan in their previous fixture. Pakistan vs Tajikistan will be live streamed on various platforms and will be available for Pakistan fans to watch in the country. Here are the live streaming links: LINK LINK Follow T20…

The cumulative education expenditures by federal and provincial governments declined as percentage to GDP in fiscal year 2023 and is estimated at 1.5 percent of GDP compared to 1.7 percent of GDP in previous year, which is lowest in the region. The Economic Survey 2023-24 noted that expenditures on education-related activities during fiscal year 2023 increased 13.6 percent and reached Rs. 1,251.06 billion from Rs. 1,101.7 billion. During 2021-22, the PSLM Survey was not conducted by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) due to the scheduled Population and Housing Census 2022. Therefore, the figures for the latest survey regarding GER and…

The overall electricity consumption in the country stood at 68,559 GWh in July-March FY24 compared to consumption of 69,247 GWh during the same period of last year, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2023-24. According to the survey, the household sector is the largest consumer of electricity, consuming 33,737 GWh (49.2 percent), followed by the industrial sector with 18,022 GWh (26.3 percent). Moreover, agriculture and commercial sectors consume 6,905 GWh (10.1 percent) and 5,365 GWh (7.8 percent), respectively, whereas the electricity consumption in other sectors (streetlights, general services, and other government) is 4,530 GWh (6.6 percent). As of the end…

The life of a modern workaholic is a constant ballet of multitasking, shifting seamlessly between various roles and responsibilities. Whether you’re juggling spreadsheets while en route to a meeting, negotiating high-stakes deals in a bustling café, or managing remote teams from a home office, the demands of professional life require agility and resilience. This lifestyle often involves navigating different devices for various tasks, from laptops for detailed work to smartphones for quick communication. The constant need to stay connected means dealing with multiple chargers and battery packs while ensuring you have reliable access to high-speed internet. The modern workaholic is…