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Category: Tech

  • IBM to launch Open P-TECH in Pakistan for Youth’s capacity building

    IBM to launch Open P-TECH in Pakistan for Youth’s capacity building

    IBM is launching Open P-TECH in Pakistan to help develop talent and equip them with technical and professional proficiency in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Science, Cybersecurity, Cloud, etc to enabling our workforce, Tania Aidrus has tweeted.

    Open P-TECH was launched by the American tech giant, IBM and it aims to equip people of different countries with skills in tech-related fields like Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Cyber Security, Design Thinking, and Professional Skills.

    “The P-TECH offers industry-recognised tools and digital badges on emerging technologies and professional competencies that are in demand across industries,” says the P-TECH website.

    The platform will help students across Pakistan in obtaining much-needed exposure, knowledge and skills before they enter the job market.

    Students will be able to showcase their skills and gain e-badges and the likes, attracting potential employers and selection committees at universities.

    Teachers will also have access to projects and lesson plans for their students, making it easier for them to teach as well as equipping them with many technical and professional skills.

    “Open P-TECH is a great place to start your career exploration and begin building skills that will help you become well-positioned for a fulfilling career!”

  • Pakistan’s IT exports surge to $1.2 billion in FY2019-20

    Pakistan’s Information Technology (IT) and IT-enabled Services (ITeS) export remittances have surged by 23.71% ($1.230 billion) in financial year (FY) 2019-2020.

    The numbers were revealed in a performance report released by the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB) on Friday.

    According to FY2018-2019, the remittances were $994.848 million and they have now increased to $1.230 billion in FY2019-2020

    Mr Syed Aminul Haq, Federal Minister for IT & Telecommunications (MOIT), said that they have targeted and is working towards increasing these export numbers up to $5 billion in the next three years.

    He further said that under the vision of Digital Pakistan, we should promote and support all IT-related projects and connect Pakistan to the digital world.

    The ministry’s spokesperson also mentioned that 6,000 Pakistan-based IT companies were providing IT products and services to people in over 100 countries.

    Pakistani IT companies have been providing products and services to some of the world’s largest companies. The country has been ranked as the third most popular country for freelancing in the world.

    “The Information and Communications Technology industry of our country has seen high achievements in the past few years. Pakistan is surely heading in the right direction in terms of achieving that $5 billion revenue goal for the industry by the year 2024,” said the spokesperson.

  • People want Waqar Zaka to be PM after court orders to lift PUBG ban

    People want Waqar Zaka to be PM after court orders to lift PUBG ban

    With the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordering Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to immediately lift the ban imposed on popular online multiplayer game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), Pakistanis are taking to social media to praise VJ-turned-television host Waqar Zaka’s efforts in this regard and seek his election as the country’s prime minister (PM).

    Pakistan’s ban on PUBG had been challenged in the Sindh High Court (SHC) by Zaka who had taken to social media to express his outrage as well as “expose” some shady conspiracy theories behind the ban.

    According to the YouTuber, the ban on PUBG, which the authorities said had come after PTA received “numerous complaints against PUBG wherein it was stated that the game is addictive, wastage of time and poses a serious negative impact on the physical and psychological health of children”, was “actually to prevent Pakistani youth from excelling in e-sports”.

    “These are the same people who don’t want our children to become famous around the world, who don’t want our country to generate revenue online, who want to send out a message to the e-sports providers around the world to prevent them from setting up their business here – reason why YouTube never did. These people will not allow us to evolve, a digital revolution needs to be brought,” Zaka had said in a video message.

    With the popular television personality continuing to raise his voice against the ban and separately the IHC on Friday finally ordering PTA to lift it, here’s what people have to say as ‘#ThankYouWaqarZaka’ trends on Twitter in Pakistan.

    https://twitter.com/Qasim6tweets/status/1286562678362779648
    https://twitter.com/WaleedYousuf18/status/1286556157604225024
    https://twitter.com/Talha007Ch/status/1286564251423956995

    On June 23, Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Zulfiqar Hameed had recommended a ban on the online game.

    The CCPO had taken up the matter with the higher authorities through a letter referring to the death by suicide of a teenage boy, who was an ardent player of the game. It had led to a temporary ban on the game, which was followed by a PTA statement on Thursday, according to which the ban was to stay in place.

  • Islamabad High Court orders govt to lift ban on PUBG

    Islamabad High Court orders govt to lift ban on PUBG

    The Islamabad High Court on Friday ordered the government to lift the ban on the popular online multiplayer game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), Geo reported.

    The decision to lift the ban was announced by Justice Amir Farooq while hearing a petition filed against the banning of the game. 

    The decision comes a day after the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had announced that PUBG will remain blocked in Pakistan. 

    In a statement released on Twitter, the telecom watchdog and internet regulator said it reached the decision to keep the game banned after a detailed hearing conducted at the PTA premises on July 9 on the directions of the Lahore High Court (LHC).

    It said the hearing was attended by other interested parties also.

    The PTA said it also approached the PUBG management to share data about PUBG sessions and users in Pakistan and controls in place by the company. The response from PUBG is awaited, it said.

    On July 1, the PTA announced the decision to temporarily suspend the PUBG game in the country after it received multiple complaints from different segments of society.

    The authority said it received numerous complaints against PUBG wherein it was stated that the game is addictive, wastage of time, and poses a serious negative impact on the physical and psychological health of the Children.

    According to recent media reports, cases of suicide attributed to PUBG game have also been reported.

    The LHC also directed the PTA to look into the issue and decide the matter after hearing the complainants.

    The authority had also solicited views of the public to reach any decision about the online game.

  • KP launches e-challan system in Bajaur

    KP launches e-challan system in Bajaur

    In Bajaur district of erstwhile Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) now merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) the provincial government has introduced e-challan system to curb traffic violations.

    Reportedly, the system has been in practice since July 16 and more than 120 e-challans have already been served. 

    For now, eight traffic police officials are trained to handle the new system and they are assigned duties across Bajaur district. 

    The traffic wardens think that the new system is highly efficient, safe and flawless. However, many people are not familiar with it. Police officials are also working to spread awareness about the new system. 

    According to the district police officer (DPO) of Bajaur district, e-challan system enforcement in the area is an effort made to bring the dream of a digital Pakistan a step closer to its materialisation.”

    “This facility is ultimately for the convenience of the masses as they won’t have to visit a bank and wait in long queues to deposit challans. Now everything can be done digitally, which would save time and energy.”

  • Punjab University set to establish climate research lab as HEC approves Rs100 million funds

    Lahore’s Punjab University (PU) is going to set up a climate research laboratory to look into accelerating climatic changes in the country, for which the Higher Education Commission (HEC) has approved Rs100 million funding.

    As per the details, the lab will run under the supervision of Department of Space Science Director Ziaul Haq while Sahida Adeela Batool will act as the co-principal investigator along with faculty members such as Khalid Mehmood and Salman Tariq.

    Ziaul Haq explained that “climatic change can trigger social inequalities and also increase social factors that lead to conflicts, displacement, changes in migration pattern and instability in the country”.

    “If proper measures aren’t taken in time, extreme weather events like temperature rise, flooding, drought, yield reduction, the spread of infectious diseases, deforestation and water scarcity will hit Pakistan.”

    He further explained that “the purpose of establishing the lab is because Pakistan does not possess high technical, professional and financial capacity to adapt, prevent or lessen the adverse impacts of climate change”.

    Satellite data and GIS analysis can provide cheap easy to adopt alternatives for the locals to adapt so that climatic changes can be prevented in due time.

  • After PTA’s ban on PUBG and Bigo, Supreme Court hints at blocking YouTube in Pakistan

    Amid Pakistan Telecommunication Authority’s (PTA) ban on popular online multiplayer game PUBG and social networking application Bigo besides a “final warning” to TikTok, the Supreme Court (SC) has reportedly hinted at banning YouTube in Pakistan.

    According to The Express Tribune, the apex court, while hearing the case of one Shaukat Ali involved in a sectarian crime, objected to unregulated content on social media, particularly comments regarding the judiciary, the armed forces and the government.

    We have no objection to freedom of expression, remarked Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin. “Our salaries are paid from the money of the people, they have the right to raise questions on our decisions and our performance,” he said. “But the Constitution also grants us the right to privacy,” added Justice Amin.

    He remarked that family members of the judiciary come under scrutiny on YouTube and referred to a decision announced a day earlier, which was discussed on the platform and asked whether the PTA and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had taken notice of such happenings on the platform where judges were mocked and embarrassed.

    A PTA official told the court that the PTA cannot remove objectionable content but can only report it.

    READ: Final warning to TikTok as PTA plans to ban it over vulgar content

    YouTube is banned in many countries, said Justice Mushir Alam, who was also on the bench. He asked whether anyone would dare post content against the United States (US) or the European Union (EU) on the platform.

    Justice Amin asked how many people had been prosecuted for such crimes while Justice Alam noted that social media was regulated through local laws in many countries.

    People are incited against the judiciary, the government and the armed forces, remarked Justice Amin.

    The court then issued notices to the attorney-general of Pakistan (AGP) and the Foreign Ministry on the matter.

    Pakistan’s digital space has been frequently restricted and is monitored closely through laws such as the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 as well by the federal agencies PTA and FIA.

  • Govt to automate petroleum sector for end to artificial shortages

    Govt to automate petroleum sector for end to artificial shortages

    The Petroleum Division has tasked energy and technology experts to carry out a technical assessment for the automation of the petroleum sector.

    With the help of technology, an automation system will be created that will record real-time data of petroleum products’ daily sales.

    The structured and organised real-time data will also help streamline the fuel supply countrywide which would make oil-sector self-sufficient, and save billions on its annual petroleum import bill.

    The government of Pakistan is working on a strategy to revamp the oil and gas sector of the country.

    The primary function is to supply uninterrupted fuel across Pakistan by recording daily sales of oil depots and petrol pumps along with increasing the technical and professional capacity of the Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA).

    According to the officials of the Petroleum Division, they have drafted a bill that will legally bind oil depots and petrol pumps to allow the government to record daily sales once signed into law.

    Oil depots and petrol pumps will have no choice but to follow as in case of refusal, OGRA would be legally authorised to seal the disputing depots and pumps and cancel their licences.

    “The government will not approve the attitude of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) from now on and will put an end to the issue of artificial fuel shortage once and for all,” an official said.

  • Final warning to TikTok as PTA plans to ban it over vulgar content

    Final warning to TikTok as PTA plans to ban it over vulgar content

    The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has issued a final warning to popular Chinese social networking app TikTok over obscene and immoral content as it banned live streaming application Bigo over similar concerns raised by the general public.

    TikTok allows users to make video clips, lip sync to songs and create short videos, and has time and again been criticised over the quality of content amid unparallel popularity among Pakistanis.

    Last week, a civil miscellaneous application was filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) demanding an immediate ban on TikTok, Dawn reported.

    The petitioner said the app was a “great mischief of modern times” and had become a source of spreading pornography for the sake of fame and ratings on social media.

    According to a statement released by the PTA late on Monday night, complaints were received from different segments of society against immoral, obscene and vulgar content on social media applications particularly TikTok and Bigo.

    “PTA had issued necessary notices to the aforementioned social media companies under law to moderate the socialisation and content within legal and moral limits, in accordance with the laws of the country,” the statement said.

    The PTA said the response of these companies was “not satisfactory”.

    “Therefore, in exercise of its powers under PECA, the PTA has decided to immediately block Bigo and issue a final warning to TikTok to put in place a comprehensive mechanism to control obscenity, vulgarity and immorality through its social media application,” the statement said.

  • Petitioner demands ban on Tiktok after ten deaths

    Petitioner demands ban on Tiktok after ten deaths

    An application has been filed in the Lahore High court demanding an immediate ban on the TikTok.

    Advocate Nadeem Sarwar moved the application on behalf of a citizen. According to the lawyer, the petitioner move to the High Court because over 10 deaths have been reported in Pakistan that were linked with TikTok in one or the other way.

    The lawyer also said that the app has become a portal of sharing inappropriate content just for the sake of fame and rating on the social media platform.

    He also argues that the video application is a “great-evil and the app has been banned in several countries like Malaysia and Bangladesh due to its nature of insulting and mocking people.”

    On the other hand, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Punjab, Ashfaq Ahmad Khan also thinks that the app should be banned.

    “I request the cybercrime wing of the Federal Investigation Agency to look into the matters and immediately impose a ban on the video-sharing mobile application.” said the DIG.

    According to several news reports, the officials of Punjab Police are preparing a report that will highlight all negative aspects of TikTok and how it is negatively influencing the young adults of the country.

    The police will submit the reports to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).