Current Final

Category: Tech

  • Pakistan makes e-voting machine to curb election rigging

    Pakistan makes e-voting machine to curb election rigging

    National Institute of Electronics (NIE) has claimed that their new e-voting machines will halt election rigging and ensure transparency during the general elections.

    Earlier this month, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), NIE, National University of Science and Technology (NUST), and COMSATS University have collaborated to develop indigenous e-voting machine.

    While explaining the voting process through the indigenously manufactured e-voting machine, Technical Research Director of NIE, Kamran Bhatti, said that symbols of all contesting political parties will be visible on the machine for the e-voting machine.

    Voters will only need to press the button of the candidate they want to vote for. A green light on the ballot box of the e-voting machine will notify them that they have successfully cast the vote.

    The e-voting machine will also compile the final tally after the polling ends. The record of the e-voting could be used in courts and also as a reference if the results are challenged.

    The Director of NIE added that voters will be verified through thumb impressions that will be provided by NADRA on the day of general elections.

    He claimed that the NIE e-voting machine cannot be hacked that will ensure the safety of the data of the voters.

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has been making efforts to introduce an e-voting system in the general elections to ensure impartiality and transparency.

    In November 2020, PM Imran had announced electoral reforms for free and fair elections in the country.

    The reforms included open balloting through a show of hands during Senate elections, an e-voting system for general elections and allowing overseas Pakistanis to cast their votes.

  • Data of 533 million people hacked from Facebook servers

    Personal data of more than 533 million people (half a billion) was breached in a massive cyber hack on Facebook. The data includes names, phones numbers, emails and other sensitive information.

    According to reports, the data comes from people across 106 countries — 32 million Americans, 11 million people from the United Kingdom (UK) and around six million Indians.

    On the other hand, Facebook responded that there is nothing to worry about as this data breach was part of a leak that happened years ago.

    Liz Bourgeois, the spokesperson at Facebook, said the vulnerability that caused this data breach was discovered and fixed in August 2019.

    On the contrary, many users have expressed anger against the social media giant by saying that Facebook is trying to downplay the mass data breach.

    Alon Gal, chief technology officer (CTO) at Hudson Rock (Cyber Security firm), said that the leaked data can be used by hackers to scam people with fake schemes and for other illegal activities.

    Facebook has a lot to answer, and a simple “it’s been fixed” is not enough, he said.

  • Broadband subscriptions reach 100 million in Pakistan: PTA

    Broadband subscriptions reach 100 million in Pakistan: PTA

    The broadband services have reached 100 million (10 crore) people in Pakistan, tweeted Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).

    In 2012, only two million people had subscribed to internet services, but after the introduction of 3G services, the figures jumped to 16 million in 2014.

    Moreover, the average downloading speed and upload speed provided by broadband providers are 17.7/ 11.3Mbps. The internet speed is above the levels in comparison to other regional countries.

    Mobile data prices are also affordable in Pakistan. According to the recent figures, mobile data prices declined to 0.70 per cent, which is well below the UN Broadband Commission’s recommendation of less than two per cent.

    All four national cellular mobile operators (CMOS), fixed-line broadband operators, including Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) have collectively crossed 100m subscriptions, due to the higher growth rate in data usage.

    Pakistan’s telecom sector has achieved many milestones previously also such as reaching 100 million mobile subscriptions in 2010, the introduction of the first-ever biometrically verified SIMs across the country in 2009 and implementation of the world’s first open-source Device Identification Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) in 2019.

    The PTA lauded the users and service providers for achieving this landmark and announced that crossing the 100 million benchmark would be formally celebrated soon with all the stakeholders and national and international telecom community.

  • Xiaomi spends three years to make new logo, turns it round from square

    Xiaomi spends three years to make new logo, turns it round from square

    Chinese phone maker company Xiaomi spent more than three years to develop a new logo and turned its old square design into a squircle in the end.

    Xiaomi, the largest smartphone maker after Apple and Samsung, unveiled the new logo on Tuesday, with the only obvious difference being the round-edge frame.

    CEO Lei Jun also highlighted the similarity between the two logos.

    “Is everyone a bit disappointed by this logo, that we just turned it from a square to a circle?” Lei said as he unveiled the new logo on Tuesday. He also announced the company’s entry into electric-vehicle making during the event.

    “The designer told me it’s not just about a square becoming a circle. It’s about the brand having a massive change in its inner spirits and personality.” 

    Lei said the company had been looking for designers to design a new logo since 2017. It finally settled on the work of Japanese designer Kenya Hara, a renowned graphic designer and an author.

    Hara explained the concept “alive” behind this new logo and the designing process in a video released by Xiaomi.

    He said his team studied and analysed the “circles and squares” thoroughly with the help of a mathematical equation. 

    They picked at least 24 shapes that sit somewhere between a circle and a square, and selected one that “strikes the perfect balance” and “best represents the core aspect of ‘alive.’”

    The curve on the letter M has also been changed a bit so that I can fit the frame. 

    Besides the logo, Hara also suggested adding black and silver to complement the company’s theme orange color to “convey a sense of energy and mystery.” 

  • Ban on TikTok lifted in Pakistan: Fawad Chaudhry

    Ban on TikTok lifted in Pakistan: Fawad Chaudhry

    Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday said that Peshawar High Court (PHC) has lifted the ban on TikTok as it was ordered by a single-member bench of the same court.

    “Peshawar High Court has suspended the operation of single bench judgement, ban on TikTok has been lifted. We need a framework to encourage international companies to make Pakistan their investment hub,” tweeted the federal minister.

    In March, PHC ordered Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to ask service providers to block users access to TikTok immediately in the country.

    “In respectful compliance to the orders of the Peshawar High Court, PTA has issued directions to the service providers to immediately block access to the TikTok App,” the PTA said.

    PHC Chief Justice (CJ) Qaiser Rashid Khan heard the petition filed by a citizen and ordered the ban on Tiktok.

    This is the second time when TikTok faced a ban in Pakistan.

    In October last year, the PTA had blocked TikTok after the company “failed to fully comply” with its instructions for the “development of an effective mechanism for proactive moderation of unlawful online content”.

    The moves had, however, led to outcry over “bars on digital advancement” in the country.

  • Govt to pay pensions, salaries via Raast instant payment system

    Govt to pay pensions, salaries via Raast instant payment system

    The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and Controller General of Accounts Pakistan (CGAP) have decided to digitise the payment system for salaries/payments of government employees.

    The payments will be made through Raast.

    Raast is an initiative taken by Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan to promote easy tax collection and move the country towards a cashless economy.

    According to a press release, SBP and CGAP have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to use Raast for payments. The payroll and pension-roll data will be shared from the CGA system to SBP’s Raast through a highly secure interface, and payments to the beneficiaries’ accounts will be made instantly after validating the beneficiaries’ detail.

    To ensure that payments are only credited in the intended beneficiary’s account, the digital payment system will verify the beneficiaries’ details with their banks in real-time before crediting the payment in the beneficiary’s account.

    The central bank further added that they are working to make payments of social security nets like Ehaas Programme, Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), and other government programmes through Raast.

    Raast is Pakistan’s first digital payment system that will ensure payments instantaneously for individuals, businesses and the government.

    The system can also make payments to multiple beneficiaries at a time to cater to high volume government payments like salaries, pension and social security payments.

  • Govt launches COVID-19 immunization certificate portal

    Federal Minister for Planning, Development, Reforms and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has announced that the federal government has launched an online portal that will issue certificates to recipients of the prescribed two doses of COVID-19 vaccination.

    Umar, who also heads the National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), said that “COVID Immunisation certificate issuance portal has been launched across the country today.”

    “Citizen’s whose vaccination process is complete (both doses) can now download COVID Immunisation Certificate from nims.nadra.gov.pk or get it issued by visiting NADRA mega centres.”

    The certificate can be obtained for only Rs 100 and is a documented proof of completed vaccination.

    The government is currently administering Chinese COVID-19 vaccines to healthcare workers and senior citizens aged 60 and above across the country. Registrations for those aged 50 and above have also begun from today (March 30).

  • Punjab begins digital mapping of all cities including Lahore

    Punjab begins digital mapping of all cities including Lahore

    Punjab Board of Revenue has started a new project called Cadaster of Punjab. Under this project, the provincial government will create a digital map of urban centres all across the province.

    Through this project, the government intends to remove Khasra (the legal Revenue Department document) number linked to real estate assets. The Khasra number has impeded the real estate sector due to several unsolicited factors.

    The project is divided into two phases. In the first phase, the digital maps of all the buildings will be created. In the second phase, unique numbers will be assigned to buildings all across the provinces.

    The urban blueprint of Lahore has also been drafted under the same filing in coordination with the Survey of Pakistan.

    Specifics such as area, value, and ownership details will be made digital to maintain proper records.

    The project has secured foreign investments worth $150 million, which will help in the formation of the digital records within the next few months.

    Before this development, the Punjab Board of Revenue has approved legislations. Under its regulatory framework, the offices of private housing societies will be declared public.

    The new law has also levied strict legal action against the housing societies that regularly evade scheduled audits.

  • Facebook in talks with PTA to set up office in Pakistan

    Facebook in talks with PTA to set up office in Pakistan

    Facebook is reportedly planning to launch three new projects, including an office, in Pakistan. 

    Speaking on the development, Advisor to Chief Minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Science, Technology and Information Technology (ST&IT) Zia Ullah Bangash said that a meeting was held between officials of Facebook’s management and representatives of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). 

    Both sides also discussed issues of legislation and compliance. While the meeting made good progress on numerous fronts, Bangash explained that Facebook intends to assist the country by setting up an office in the near future.

    Similar to YouTube, Facebook is planning on monetizing its entertainment model so that individuals and video content creators who want to earn big could benefit from it.

  • PUBG mobile hits one billion downloads worldwide

    PUBG mobile hits one billion downloads worldwide

    PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) has hit one billion downloads worldwide since 2018, making it one of the most successful smartphone games.

    The latest download figures defeated other popular games like Kiloo, Subway Surfers and Candy Crush Saga.

    Unlike PUBG mobile, the other games were not as sophisticated and have vast appeal for audiences.

    PUBG Mobile publisher Tencent is currently one of the biggest game companies by revenue. The company said that it aims to gain half of its video game revenue from outside its home market of China.

    Several of its game studios like LightSpeed, Quantum and Timi have already started working in the United States (US) to create original content for the global audience.

    Last year, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had temporarily banned the game by stating that it is harmful to user’s health after some segments of society had claimed the same.

    Later on, after getting assurance from the company for a comprehensive control mechanism, PTA had unbanned the game.