ACCA and AGP join forces to professionalise public sector finance

                   

 

ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) marking a landmark agreement between the two organisations.

 

The key focus areas under the MOU include joint initiatives to strengthen the capacity building of public sector finance professionals and to support the Public Financial Management (PFM) transformation in Pakistan. AGP and ACCA will also collaborate on specialised training opportunities, including cyber security, data analytics and ERP, which will be delivered through ACCA’s global accountancy partnerships and international academic network.

 

At the MoU signing ceremony, ACCA President, Joseph Owolabi, also presented ACCA’s Approved Employer accreditation to the Auditor General of Pakistan, recognising AGP’s high standards of staff training and development. ACCA’s Approved Employer status will ensure AGP has access to ACCA’s globally sought-after talent with the right skills, ethics and competencies to drive AGP’s vision of a model supreme audit institution adding value to national resources.

 

Speaking at the occasion, the Auditor General of Pakistan, Muhammad Ajmal Gondal, stated:

 

‘I congratulate DAGP and ACCA on the signing of this MoU. This memorandum will cement the on-going collaboration between AGP and ACCA on various initiatives thus far. The MoU lays down the guiding principles of varied initiatives including capacity building to benefit the public sector in serving the nation by promoting accountability, transparency and good governance in the management and use of public resources.’

 

‘This MoU with ACCA will go a long way to further the Government’s vision of public sector transformation (in particular, public financial management) and professionalisation of public sector audit and accountancy professionals.’

 

ACCA president, Joseph Owolabi,commented: ‘We’re delighted to formalise our partnership with DAGP through this MoU aimed at promoting professionalisation of public sector finance professionals in Pakistan. This is key to empowering public servants for effective public financial management, improving fiscal transparency and enhancing public trust. I’d also like to take this opportunity to congratulate DAGP on their Approved Employer accreditation, which is a recongition of their highest levels of employee support. I’m certain the cooperation between ACCA and AGP will bring positive change.’

 

Assad Hameed Khan, head of ACCA Pakistan, commented that this partnership will also support in the acceleration of Government’s efforts to modernise PFM, improve delivery of essential public services and garner public trust. The mutual cooperation will not only help upskill public sector finance professionals, but also to spotlight their professional role towards sustainable and inclusive economic development.

 

realme Announces Global Launch of realme GT3: Unleashing the World’s Fastest Charging Power 240W

                                   

realme, the world's fastest-growing smartphone brand, announced today at Mobile World Congress 2023 the global launch of the realme GT3 - its next-generation speed flagship with the world's fastest charging power: 240W.

Starting since the first generation, the realme GT Series has represented realme’s most cutting-edge technology innovations, from the mind-blowing suitcase design on the GT Master Series to the true premium flagship realme GT2 Pro Series, and now the speed limit breaker - realme GT3.

 

“realme was founded with the Dare to Leap spirit and the mission of empowering the young generation with leap-forward technology and design.” Chase Xu, Vice President of realme and President of realme Global Marketing, stated: "Entering its fifth year, realme is taking an even bigger leap forward by becoming the first brand to break through the industry's glass ceiling. It demonstrates realme's commitment to improving our market presence through innovative technologies and better connecting with our young audiences."

240W: World’s Highest Charging Standard

240W means more than just a blazing fast charging speed; It also represents the fastest charging power ever mass-produced in the market and the maximum charging power possible under USB-C standards. Together it makes 240W the world’s highest charging standard.

In terms of user experience, 240W is the ultimate answer to battery anxiety. It accelerates smartphone charging to minutes and even seconds. Using 240W charging power, it only takes 80 seconds to charge the realme GT3 to 20% capacity. It only takes 9 minutes and 30 seconds to fully charge the device's 4600mAh battery.

Full-fledged Battery and Charging Innovation

As the first brand in the industry to mass produce 240W fast charging, realme has achieved a full-fledged innovation in everything from charging safety to battery longevity and to accessory compatibility.

 

l  Three industries’ first charging technologies: Starting with the charging architecture, the realme GT3 has three maxed-out charging chipsets to charge at the same time, resulting in a 98.5% improved transfer efficiency during charging. In addition, the realme GT3 comes with a custom 12A charging cable. The ultra-fast 12A cable provides the industry's highest charging current. Furthermore, realme provides dual GaN charging technology, which includes an end-to-end GaN chipset in both the phone and the adapter. As a result, despite having 60% more power available, the 240W adaptor is even smaller than the 150W adaptor.

 

l  Maximized Charging Safety: One of the most difficult challenges for high-power charging is temperature control. The realme GT3 is equipped with a 6580mm2-large VC liquid cooling system that covers 61.5% of the battery and ensures efficient heat dissipation. To ensure maximum charging safety, the realme GT3 also includes a PS3 fireproof design, 13 temperature sensors, and 60 layers of safety protection. TÜV Rheinland has also certified the realme GT3 for a safe fast-charging system, making it the first product with 200W fast charging or higher to receive the certification.

 

l  Worry-free Battery Longevity: According to internal lab testing, the realme GT3 has an 80% lifespan after over 1600 charging cycles with 240W enabled, which is more than double the industry standard of 80% battery health after 800 charging cycles. realme GT3 also uses intelligent charging, which detects the user's status and switches the charging status to travel mode, sleep mode, or in-car mode. Not only can the phone be powered on intelligently, but it also helps to preserve battery health and avoid overcharging.

Pulse Interface Design: Re-imagine Smartphone Interaction

Aside from the incredible 240W, the realme GT3 pushes smartphone design to new heights. The realme GT3 has a translucent window next to the camera module. Users will find a polished chipset deco, an NFC chipset, and the innovative Pulse Interface System with a C-shaped RGB lighting ring inside.

Taking inspiration from gaming handsets, realme GT3's Pulse Interface Design displays different light effects depending on the phone's status. For example, when the phone is 20% charged, it will display a red breathing light effect; when it is charged to 21%-100%, it will display a purple breathing light effect; and when it is fully charged, the purple light will always be on. When there are incoming calls, the light flashes quickly. While receiving notifications, the lighting system will display a white color; for a 10-second countdown before taking photos, the phone will display a blue, white, and orange color beaming.

The Pulse Interface System is highly personalizable, adding a fun and interactive element to the phone. Go to settings > wallpaper & design > breathing light, users can choose from 25 colour shades, 2 rhythm types, and 5 lighting speed modes for a personalized style.

From Populariser to An Industry Leader

realme is well-known for making cutting-edge technology available to young consumers. Fast charging technology is no different. With the realme X7, realme is the first brand to introduce 65W to the mid-range price point in 2020. With its GT Neo3, realme released the world's fastest charging speed of 150W in 2022. And now, with realme GT3, realme is setting new standards with an industry-leading maximum charging power of 240W. realme has progressed from democratizer to tribalizer to industry limit-breaker.

Aside from constantly seeking technological advances, realme is also democratizing fast charging at all price points. Counterpoint ranks realme first in fast charging penetration for product portfolios in the mid-to-high price range (USD 250/- to USD 399/-). realme also achieved a fast charging penetration rate of up to 85% in product portfolios under USD 250/-. realme intends to democratize fast charging even further by announcing during its global launch that 90% of its global product portfolio will include fast charging of 33W or higher.

The realme GT3 comes in a wide selection of storage variants to choose from, including 8+128GB, 12+256GB, 16+256GB, 16+512GB, and a special 16+1TB variant; Available in Pulse White and Booster Black two colour options,

TCL Ranked Global Top 2 TV Brand According to OMDIA

                                               

TCL, one of the dominant players in the global TV industry and a leading consumer electronics brand, announces its latest ranking of Global Top 2 TV Brand according to OMDIA’s Global TV sets report 2022, the data of which also suggests that TCL large size TVs have received significant growing momentum over the past year and remained No.1 in global 98-inch TV market share.

 

TCL has been the pioneer in Mini LED TVs and started off 2023 by exhibiting its latest display and smart innovations at CES 2023. TCL was also honored to have won two CES® 2023 Innovation Awards for its TCL Mini LED 4K TV C935 and C835. Previously, TCL was ranked first as the No.1 Android OS Smart TV brand in 2021 with a steady market share of 20.7%, according to OMDIA – a leading market research firm.

 

In 2023, TCL’s new Mini LED Series will be available in XL screen sizes which allow much bigger number of Mini LEDs applied on a TV with thousand-level local dimming zones, bringing million-level high contrast, stunning peak brightness in the imagery as well as prominent detail performance by TCL’s exquisite light control algorithm, which all help to reveal every detail in very bright areas, such as sunlight or darkness of caves.

 

TCL’s much-anticipated 2023 Mini LED and QLED TV series will be available to global markets starting from the first quarter. Please stay-tuned and contact your nearest TCL office or visit our social media channels for latest information.

 

TCL established its operations in Pakistan in 2013 and has maintained its position as the No.1 LED TV brand in the country in 2022.  TCL is also maintaining its leading position in industry leading segments like Mini and Qled TVs in the country. Due to its innovative and high-quality products and keen attention to the customer needs, sales volumes have consistently grown year on year.

Peshawar Zalmi Releases "Zalmi Raalal" Official Anthem Powered by TCL

        

 

TCL, Pakistan's No.1 LED TV Brand, in collaboration with Peshawar Zalmi, has released their most awaited anthem for PSL 8, "Zalmi Raalal". Directed by the maestro Hassan Dawar himself, "Zalmi Raalal" is a star-studded, power-packed amalgamation of music, fashion, and sports, the three foremost passion points of Peshawar Zalmi. Produced by Naughty Boy, who has worked in the global music industry with the likes of Beyoncé, Wiz Khalifa, and Sam Smith, the music video features cricket's biggest superstars Darren Sammy and Babar Azam, as well as Pakistan's biggest celebrities Mahira Khan and Hamza Ali Abbasi. Peshawar Zalmi's official anthem for 2023, "Zalmi Raalal", is an ode to passion, a story entailing the beauty and power of the KP region and its people. The anthem has crossed one million views on all online platforms since its release, and the number is increasing fast.

 

The star-studded and narrative-centric anthem features Zalmi ambassadors and players in a grand fashion. With the initial teasers featuring Hamza Ali Abbasi riding a horse and Mahira Khan making a grand stroll as the ambassadors of Zalmi, the hype around the anthem only amplified. The anthem also features the leading players of Peshawar Zalmi, including Babar Azam, Muhammad Haris, Saim Ayub, Arshad Iqbal, Salman Irshad, Khurram Shahzad, Usman Qadir, Sufiyan Muqeem, and last but not least, Peshawar Zalmi's head coach Darren Sammy, who is also an honorary Pakistani and loved by all Pakistanis. The beauty and diversity resting in Peshawar Zalmi's anthem is also driven by the fact that it creates a musical harmony between Pashto, Urdu, and English and makes the entire anthem a global mix.

 

Each year, the globally anticipated team anthem hits millions of views with its release and becomes the most watched musical content of the season. However, more so, the beauty of TCL and Peshawar Zalmi's anthems rests in the fact of how it is an avenue providing upcoming young talent with a platform to showcase their talent.

 

Majid Khan Niazi, TCL's head of marketing, said, "At TCL, we've always been passionate about bringing hidden talents to the forefront, and the PSL cricket-mela provides us with the perfect stage to showcase our unwavering commitment to the nation. We're proud to power the electrifying anthem, 'Zalmi Raalal' of the mighty Peshawar Zalmi, as well as their team, with our unwavering dedication to fostering new talent and making this PSL season a thrilling, unforgettable experience. So, join us in celebrating the spirit of cricket, as we gear up to make history and leave a lasting impact on the game."

 

Mr. Nausherwan Effandi, CCO Peshawar Zalmi, commented, "We take immense pride in the content that we make, especially our much-awaited team anthems featuring the biggest names from the world of sports and fashion. We believe in promoting upcoming music artists in the country and by giving them an opportunity to work with an International Music Producer, Naughty Boy, Peshawar Zalmi showcases its commitment and promise of feeding the passion and creativity of our youth."

 

With Zalmi Raalal out, TCL and Peshawar Zalmi have yet again made the headlines and produced a musical rendition that reflects passion and creativity at its best. Let us know your opinions in the comments section.

 

Watch here

https://youtube.com/watch?v=1EsR9RLECmc&feature=shares

ACCA Pakistan Leadership Conversation (PLC) 2023 concludes, emphasis on sustainable thinking

            

 

The 2023 edition of ACCA Pakistan Leadership Conversation (PLC) concluded with its finale session in Lahore featuring country’s top business and thought leaders who were engaged in future-focused conversations with an aim to develop forward-thinking, actionable strategies and policies to drive innovation, sustainability and resilience.  

Themed ‘Shaping the future in uncertain times’, the conference was divided in three sessions held in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore with contributions from over 50 Conversation Leaders representing key regulators, top corporates, development organisations and influential think tanks.  

Session’s Guest of Honour, Dr Amjad Saqib, Founder and CEO, Akhuwat Foundation, emphasised on the importance of financial inclusion and development of a society based on the ‘Muakhat’ system to support micro-entrepreneurs and ensure inclusive growth.

Insightful keynotes were delivered by Sajjad Syed, Chairman, Excellence Delivered, Shaista Ayesha, CEO, SEED Ventures, Badar Khushnood, Cofounder @ Fishry.com E-commerce and Joseph Owolabi, ACCA’s global President.

Notable conversation leaders who deliberated at the conference included Aleena Kareem FCCA, Co-Founder, SHAOOR, Zia ul Mustafa Awan, Chairman – Strategic Board, ICMA Pakistan, Dr. Arshad Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, LUMS, Toima Asghar, CHRO, Systems Limited, Komal Altaf, CFO, Nestlé Pakistan Ltd., Masooma Zaidi, VP Sales, Interloop Limited, Muhammad Awais, Partner, EY Ford Rhodes, Jalal Hassan, CEO, Punjab Board of Investment & Trade, Kashif Anwar, President, Lahore Chamber of Commerce Industry, Shahzaib Sanwal, Member, ACCA Members Network Panel, Sadaffe Abid, Founder and CEO, CIRCLE Women and Sajjad Parekh, Franchise Operations Finance Director, The Coca-Cola Export Corporation Pakistan Branch.

Sharing conference’s objective, Assad Hameed Khan, head of ACCA Pakistan, said:

‘The aim of the conference is to develop a meaningful framework for growth, facilitate ideation, and shape forward-thinking policy choices and business opportunities, focusing on high-impact actions to contribute to the country's progress.’

Joseph Owolabi, ACCA global President, also shared his thoughts on the topic ‘Accounting for a Better World: Business and Government’.

Seed Ventures joined ACCA as this year’s co-organisers. Bank Islami and The Coca-Cola Company were the Strategic Partners. Platinum Partners included SKANS School of Accountancy, U Microfinance Bank, and The Millennium Universal College. Telenor Group Adroit Accountax/ Obox Accounting, National Clearing Company of Pakistan Limited, National Disaster Risk Management Fund, Tabani's School of Accountancy, PAC Group of Colleges and Mirchawala’s Hub of Accountancy supported as Gold Partners. TCM – The Centrum Media joined as Outreach Partner and KPMG and Nutshell Group were the Knowledge Partners.

The event was also supported by the Pakistan Business Council (PBC), Pakistan Stock Exchange, Special Technology Zones Authority, Pakistan Software Houses Association, KP Board of Investment and Trade, The Centre of Excellence in Responsible Business (PBC), ICMA Pakistan, National Incubation Center, Universal Service Fund, Punjab Board of Investment & Trade, Punjab Information Technology Board, Central Power Purchasing Agency, and the CFA Society Pakistan.

Muhammad Shahid Khan, Head of Business Development, ACCA Pakistan, in his closing remarks thanked all the partners and contributors. He reiterated ACCA’s commitment towards developing sustainable economies and businesses globally.

ACCA is the world's leading body for professional accountants, with more than 241,000 fully qualified members and 542,000 future members worldwide. It uses its unrivalled connections across the globe to connect people with fulfilling careers, organisations with the best finance talent, and economies with the ingredients for growth.

realme Expand R&D Resources to Power its World-leading Fast Charging Technology

 realme, the world's fastest-growing smartphone brand, confirmed the upcoming release of its next-gen flagship realme GT 3 which will feature a world-leading 240W fast charging. Powering this industry innovation is realme’s continuous investment in R&D resources. The brand has now invested in a dedicated R&D center named realme Global Institute of Leap-forward Technology.

realme's brand mission is to empower young consumers with leap-forward technology and design. Bear this in mind, realme continues to invest in building its product competency. The brand has already set up four major design studios globally to accelerate innovations in smartphone design. The dedicated R&D resources represent realme's strategy and determination to accelerate leap-forward innovations for future product development. The institute will be primarily tasked with developing major innovations in technology. At the same time, a research and development centre will have the main task of gathering and sorting feedback from local users and guiding the development of future directions. This will lead to a more agile and adaptive development, allowing realme to deliver greater speed and quality, across technology, also in product and marketing.

realme Global Institue of Leap-forward Technology includes more than 60 global technical experts to oversee realme's product competence in the future jointly; realme also expanded its R&D team, which now takes 60% of realme's total employees; The institution will seek innovation on six major sectors including Charging, Photography, Display, Gaming, Chipset, and Industrial Design. Aside from building the internal team, the institute will also work closely with partners and industry laboratories both from internal to external. It will also accelerate user demand exploitation and more efficient operation between R&D and marketing.

Yao Kun, President of realme Global Research and Development, said, "Innovation enables a more rapid technological transformation through new inventions that did not exist before. Therefore, we are proud to announce that the realme Global Institute of Leap-forward Technology was established to create a research framework to support our business growth going forward and create the leap-forward innovations needed by the market."

Aside from that, every step of realme in product development will be based on the Spire Strategy, which means that every new product created will be equipped with at least one of the leap-forward technologies.

 

realme is always focused on making standout products that fans love, with more focused design technology. Through Spire Strategy, realme will improve the product experience, where each product will be supported by superior design, performance, and experience. The three foundations will be the stable foundation of this 'tower' — of the entire product experience, from technology to design, to performance and more.

realme will launch realme GT 3 smartphone with the 240W fast charging technology to the global market. This smartphone will be revealed through an event at the Mobile World Congress 2023 in Barcelona, Spain on Tuesday, February 28, 2023. The world's fastest 240W charging technology is one of the masterpieces of "realme Global Institute of Leap-forward Technology". Therefore, the global integration of R&D resources will further open up even more significant potential for leap-forward technology in the future.

ACCA hosts high-level conference in Karachi

The Karachi session of ACCA Pakistan Leadership Conversation (PLC) 2023 provided opportunity to country’s senior business leaders and influencers to engage in future-focused discussions and offer businesses and the government with a forward-thinking action plan on how to weather the current economic headwinds and leverage new opportunities in emerging sectors. 

Consistent with this year’s event theme ‘Shaping the future in uncertain times: Learn. Adapt. Thrive.’, the session focused on key policy reforms and business initiatives to create a conducive environment for the emerging sectors to thrive, help the country deal with its current economic challenges and embark on a journey to sustainable, inclusive growth. 

Focusing on the central role of accountancy profession, ACCA’s global president, Joseph Owolabi, in his keynote address emphasised:

 

‘As society’s expectations shift with speed and intensity, the challenges that lie ahead for business, governments and policymakers are complex. But with skills, knowledge, and experience that transcend sectors and borders, the accountancy profession is uniquely placed to help drive the change people want to see.’

 

Syed Faisal Ali Subzwari, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, in his address focused on environment, climate change and green growth. 

 

Sima Kamil, Deputy Governor, State Bank of Pakistan, also spoke at the event and delivered an insightful talk on the topic ‘Building economic resilience in uncertain times’.

 

Muhammad Aurangzeb, President and CEO, HBL, delivered an insightful keynote presenting a business case for the adoption of ESG framework and explained how it enables businesses to achieve sustainable growth: attract investments, earn customer trust, drive financial performance and make business operations more efficient.

Notable conversation leaders who contributed with their knowledge and insights included Shaista Ayesha, CEO, SEED Ventures, Sadia Dada, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, K Electric, Assad Hameed Khan, Head of ACCA Pakistan, Eqan Ali Khan, GM Strategy, Business Development & Innovation, Lucky Core Industries Limited, Mehvish Waliany, COO, AlKaram Studio, Muhammad Shahzad, Finance Director and ESG Ambition Lead, Unilever Pakistan, Nazish Shekha, Senior Research Associate, CERB, Rana Nadeem, Partner, KPMG, Sarwat Ahson, Executive Director, CFA Society Pakistan, Naureen Hayat, Co-Founder & CEO, Tez Financial Services, Nasha Tengra, Senior Manager Consulting, Digital, Data, Strategy & Fintech, A F Ferguson & Co, Azfer Naseem, CEO-Alpha Capital (Pvt) Ltd, Muhammad Shamoon Tariq, Founder/CEO, Mahaana Wealth, Muhammad Shoaib, CEO, Al-Meezan Investment Management, Shahzad Shahid, Group CEO, TPS Worldwide, and Shaham Ahmed, Honorary Secretary, ICMA Pakistan

The aim of this annual conference by ACCA is to develop a meaningful framework for growth, facilitate ideation, and shape forward-thinking policy choices and business opportunities, focusing on high-impact actions to contribute to the country's progress. The leaders will convene for finale edition on 23 February in Lahore. 

Seed Ventures joined as co-organisers for this year’s edition. Bank Islami and The Coca-Cola Company were the Strategic Partners. Platinum Partners included SKANS School of Accountancy, U Microfinance Bank, and The Millennium Universal College. Telenor Group Adroit Accountax/ Obox Accounting, National Clearing Company of Pakistan Limited, National Disaster Risk Management Fund, Tabani's School of Accountancy, PAC Group of Colleges and Mirchawala’s Hub of Accountancy supported as Gold Partners. TCM - The Centrum Media joined as Outreach Partner and KPMG and Nutshell Group were the Knowledge Partners. 

The event is also supported by the Pakistan Business Council (PBC), Pakistan Stock Exchange, Special Technology Zones Authority, Pakistan Software Houses Association, KP Board of Investment and Trade, The Centre of Excellence in Responsible Business (PBC), ICMA Pakistan, National Incubation Center, Universal Service Fund, Punjab Board of Investment & Trade, Punjab Information Technology Board, Central Power Purchasing Agency, and the CFA Society Pakistan.

ACCA is the world's leading body for professional accountants, with more than 241,000 fully qualified members and 542,000 future members worldwide. It uses its unrivalled connections across the globe to connect people with fulfilling careers, organizations with the best finance talent, and economies with the ingredients for growth.

realme is Leading the Industry with 240W Smartphone Charging Record and Offers Fast Charging for All

   realme, the world’s fastest-growing smartphone brand, is leading the industry with a 240W smartphone charging device offering fast charging solutions for all. Based on the newest report from Counterpoint, realme is holding true to the ‘Dare to Leap’ motto, as being the first in fast-charging innovations. As a young brand, realme is able to push the boundaries further and become the first brand to introduce a 240W-capable smartphone, offering the fastest-charging power under Type-C standard.

Leap from a Popularizer to an Industry Leader

Established with a mission of empowering young consumers with a leap-forward technology and design, realme continues to realize and commercialize innovation in fast-charging technology for their smartphones. For example, realme succeeded in providing 65W charging technology to realme X7 in 2020, making the fast charging experience more accessible to everyone. Followed by an innovative breakthrough with the world’s fastest 150W charging technology to realme GT Neo3 in 2022, this year realme is concocting a 240W charging technology through realme GT3.

Despite a younger brand, realme plays a key role in producing fast charging solutions available to all. Smartphone industry has been demanding higher wattages from time to time in a bid to reduce charging time less than an hour. This leads to realme’s innovation of providing fast charging technology in all price segments.

For the first-time, realme is introducing its fast charging capabilities in smartphone devices and is able to grab a market-leading 85% sales penetration portfolio and features fast charging capability in the year 2022. realme was also the first OEM to launch a 65W capable smartphone, the realme Narzo 20 Pro in 2020. This follows realme’s long-standing history of introducing the latest technologies for low-price segments, impelling smartphone industry to adopt this technology at a mass level.

During this time, realme ranked second in the mid-high to entry level premium segments for 65W capable smartphones in 2022. This means realme is also offering market-leading technology at higher price bands.

240W: Industry Highest Charging Standard

The 240W figure represents the highest standards of fast charging technology in the industry these days. The innovation that realme will present is also the fastest 240W charging technology globally that uses a standard USB Type-C interface.

Innovation in Fast-Charging technology has a great impact on the overall smartphone industry. Advances in technology, especially in the smartphone industry, has become a top priority since smartphones are now able to syndicate sundry devices having different functions that previously were available separately. With budding functions in a smartphone, the usage of such devices is becoming more intense, resulting in an additional usage of a battery. The presence of a charging technology innovation, such as what realme endures will settle these issues.

Consumers are now much more concerned about saving their time while charging their smartphone batteries. Previously, it was normal for them to plug their devices for couple of hours and wait for a 100% charge. But now, there is a rise in content consumption and consumers also prefer being connected without long downtimes caused by charging their phones. The increase in power-delivering capabilities has reduced the charging time significantly, with more than 100W capable charging technology that can achieve full battery charge in 20-25 minutes. realme's latest industry-first 240W power output is taking fast charging to the next level.

ACCA Pakistan Leadership Conversation (PLC) 2023 kicks off, economic recovery in focus

 

  

 §  ACCA’s annual, flagship conference returns with high-level conversations planned in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore

§  PLC is a platform for leaders and policy makers to propose forward-thinking solutions and build consensus

The 2023 edition of ACCA Pakistan Leadership Conversation (PLC) kicked off with its inaugural session in Islamabad featuring an impressive line-up of country’s top thought leaders.

With Pakistan’s challenging economic situation in focus, this year’s event theme is ‘Shaping the future in uncertain times: Learn. Adapt. Thrive.’. A number of panel discussions and keynotes were part of the programme in Islamabad’s session addressing today’s key business and economic challenges and proposed solutions for climate action, effective public financial management, development of future-ready talent, and achieving business resilience and economic growth.

ACCA’s head of Pakistan, Assad Hameed Khan, initiated the conversation with his welcome address emphasising on the role of professional accountants in nation building.

 

Dr. Aisha Ghaus Pasha, Minister of State for Finance and Revenue, was the Chief Guest. She shared the country’s roadmap to economic recovery and highlighted government’s key short-term and long-term priorities.  The Country Head of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in Pakistan, Zeeshan Sheikh, also shared his views on ‘Investment Opportunities for Climate Action’. Muhammad Farooq, Senior Joint Secretary (Development) at the Ministry of Climate Change, spoke on the topic ‘National Adaptation Plan: Building Resilience and Reducing Vulnerabilities’ aimed at integrating businesses and government’s efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change.

Notable conversation leaders who deliberated at the conference included Bilal Anwar, CEO, NDRMF, Hassan Daud Butt, Ex-CEO, KPBoIT, Ayla Majid, ACCA’s global Vice President, Abid Qayyum Suleri, Executive Director, SDPI, Shehzad Ahmed Malik, President, ICMA Pakistan, Alexa Greenwald, Chief Strategy Officer, TCM, Alia Zafar, Group Head of HR, BoP, Faisal Mushtaq, CEO, TMUC, Ghazanfar Azzam, President and CEO, Mobilink Microfinance Bank, Samia Qamar, Director and Country Lead (People) at S&P Global, and Zuhair Khaliq, Founder and General Partner, TeamUp Ventures.

The aim of the conference is to develop a meaningful framework for growth, facilitate ideation, and shape forward-thinking policy choices and business opportunities, focusing on high-impact actions to contribute to the country's progress. The leaders will convene again on 22 February in Karachi and then on 23 February in Lahore.

Seed Ventures joined ACCA as this year’s co-organisers. Bank Islami and The Coca-Cola Company were the Strategic Partners. Platinum Partners included SKANS School of Accountancy, U Microfinance Bank, and The Millennium Universal College. Telenor Group Adroit Accountax/ Obox Accounting, National Clearing Company of Pakistan Limited, National Disaster Risk Management Fund, Tabani's School of Accountancy, PAC Group of Colleges and Mirchawala’s Hub of Accountancy supported as Gold Partners. TCM - The Centrum Media joined as Outreach Partner and KPMG and Nutshell Group were the Knowledge Partners.

The event is also supported by the Pakistan Business Council (PBC), Pakistan Stock Exchange, Special Technology Zones Authority, Pakistan Software Houses Association, KP Board of Investment and Trade, The Centre of Excellence in Responsible Business (PBC), ICMA Pakistan, National Incubation Center, Universal Service Fund, Punjab Board of Investment & Trade, Punjab Information Technology Board, Central Power Purchasing Agency, and the CFA Society Pakistan.

ACCA is the world's leading body for professional accountants, with more than 241,000 fully qualified members and 542,000 future members worldwide. It uses its unrivalled connections across the globe to connect people with fulfilling careers, organizations with the best finance talent, and economies with the ingredients for growth.

OPPO Find N2 Flip, Official Smartphone of the UEFA Champions League Launched Globally on Feb 15

                                        

Global smart technology company OPPO, Official Global Partner of the UEFA Champions League, unveiled its latest flagship foldable smartphone - Find N2 Flip, Official Smartphone of the UEFA Champions League, on Feb 15^th.

 

“We are glad to launch our new Find N2 Flip to the global markets.” said William Liu, President of Global Marketing at OPPO. “OPPO Find N2 Flip, Official Smartphone of the UEFA Champions League, is the perfect device for fans to both capture and experience true-to-life content from their favorite football games.”

 

As part of the partnership, the Find N2 Flip will be used by official UEFA Champions League photographers to capture the action of the game at close range along the sidelines，framing the inspiring and exciting moments. The best photos will then be shared in an OPPO Gallery on the UEFA Champions League website and the OPPO UEFA Champions League landing page.

 

As the first Chinese brand to partner with the UEFA Champions League, OPPO will work closely with UEFA to bring more passion and inspiration to sports through its world-leading devices and technologies while helping fans witness, capture, and share the magic of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.

Animated movie ALLAHYAR and the 100 Flowers of GOD to release on 02nd June 2023 in 3D

    

ALLAHYAR and the 100 Flowers of GOD, an animated feature film is all set to release on 02nd June 2023. It is an action thriller and is equally encompassed with science-fiction, adventurism and will be the first ever Pakistani stereoscopic 3D film. The movie is produced by 3rd World Studio, Islamabad.

The movie is a sequel of ALLAHYAR and the Legend of Markhor, a much-celebrated animated masterpiece released back in the year 2018.

 

The story follows Allahyar, a young boy from northern areas of Pakistan, who along with his best friend Hero (Chakor), travels to a new world in order to rescue his father from a race of ruthless, tree /wood -poaching robots. The film talks about cli

mate change, clean renewable energy and stresses the importance of trees and forests for a better green future. It equally touches other key issues like social inequality, injustice and the value of friendship and unity.

 

The movie features a star voice-over cast, including Humayun Saeed, Ali Zafar, Iqra Aziz, Meera, Bushra Ansari, Nadia Jamil, Anum Zaidi, Azlan Uzair, and the talented Azfar Jafri, whereas Ali Zafar, Ali Noor, Sanam Marvi, Bushra Ansari and Grehen, the Band are the vocals of this film.

 

Uzair Zaheer Khan, the talented writer, director and producer of the film stated; “Alhamdulillah” we've taken this film to the next level, from entertainment value, visual appeal and storytelling to production quality, we hope that the audiences will love this animated work of art more than our last film."

 

Nadeem Mandviwalla, the executive producer and distributor for AY100FOG stated; “We at Mandviwalla entertainment have always tried to bring to the audience films which are unique and have a distinctive entertainment value for cinema-lovers. It is surely going to be a great pride for us to distribute and release the first 3D film of Pakistan”.

realme Confirms to launch its Speed Flagship realme GT3 during MWC on February 28

                                            

realme, the world’s fastest-growing smartphone brand, confirmed that it will unveil realme GT3 – its next-gen flagship device during Mobile World Congress 2023. The MWC ‘23 is slated to kick-off on Monday, February 27 in Barcelona, Spain, where realme will reveal its GT3 smartphone with an offline launch event on Tuesday, February 28, 2023.

The all-new realme GT3 device marks another milestone for realme’s leap-forward journey as it is equipped with the first-ever 240W world’s fastest charging power. realme believes that pushing the boundaries is not about reaching towards an end but opening up new possibilities for a start.

Join us for the greatest leap ever in the GT journey. People can catch the launch live on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/zAHrL8M4ttY 

Light and premium; Infinix X2 InBook series now available across Pakis

                                      

Infinix, Pakistan’s leading selling smartphone brand introduces yet another series of light weight laptop i.e. X2 InBook series starting from Rs. 135,999. Weighing only 1.28 kgs, the two variants Inbook X2 i5 and Inbook X2 i7 along with Infinix ZERO book carries a full metal body finished to perfection. Available on the outlets nationwide, Infinix X2 Inbook series is easy to carry around and also available in most on-trend color options including grey, blue and silver.

 Infinix INBOOK X2 series weighs only 1.28 kg, which makes it one of the lightest and sleek laptops available in the market. It is yet easy to carry around due to its light weight & portable size, and the full metal finish also serves as a style statement. In terms of display, Infinix INBOOK X2 series offer a 14-inch full HD display with 100% RGB and 300 nits of brightness which ensure that users get an immersive viewing experience altogether. Infinix INBOOK X2 series has two variants operating onto most powerful processors i.e. INBOOK X2 with Intel Core i5 and InBook X2 with Intel Core i7 whereas Infinix ZERO Book is available with Intel Core i7 processor. 

And for users who need a long-lasting battery, Infinix X2 InBook houses a 50 Wh battery that will last for an entire day with a single charge only. Likewise, ultra-fast 45W type-C charger powers up the system up to 60 per cent in one hour which serves as a hassle-free charging solution. Operating on Windows 11, INBOOK X2 i5 is available at Rs 135,999 and INBOOK X2 i7 at Rs 169,999 only. 

On the other hand, Infinix ZERO Book comes with a 15.6-inch HD display and 400 nits of brightness output giving a larger than life viewership altogether. Priced at Rs 220,999 and equipped with a 100W fast charger, Infinix ZERO Book charges in no time to keep the users on the go!

Both the Infinix ZERO Book and Infinix X2 InBook series is now available across outlets nationwide at Rs 135,999.

Get a chance to win PSL matches for free!

                                                 

Infinix invites all to predict PSL match winners and get a chance to win PSL 8 tickets!

Pakistan’s leading selling smartphone brand, Infinix, has stepped up to give fans a chance to watch PSL matches for free.  All that is required to do is to correctly predict the winners of ongoing PSL matches onto Infinix Facebook page and increasing their chances of winning PSL tickets via lucky drawer taking place on Infinix Facebook page as well.  

As PSL 8 is heating up with nail-biting competitions, Infinix brings fans a unique opportunity to be a part of this legacy. Starting from today, in this out of the box contest, fans have to simply guess and comment the winner of the ongoing matches of PSL 8 on the Facebook page of Infinix. Those who guessed the right winner will enter the Lucky Draw. The winner(s) of the exciting Lucky Draw will get to witness the live cricketing clash of PSL 8 final playoffs and finale as well.

CEO Infinix, Mr. Joe Hu, urged the fans not to miss out on the opportunity of winning exclusive tickets to PSL 8 matches: " Infinix also aims to provide fans with innovative experiences & cherish able memories. This time around, we're thrilled to offer a chance to watch the best teams in action at PSL 8. We're eager to see who comes out on top in our lucky drawer."

Stay tuned to Infinix's Facebook page and find out more about this lucky drawer. In addition to this, there will be more surprises and gifts to make this cricket season worth remembering.

realme's First Coca-Cola® Smartphone, realme 10 Pro 5G Coca-Cola Edition, Takes Co-Branding to a New Level

    

The world’s fastest growing smartphone brand, realme, has just released the realme 10 Pro 5G Coca-Cola® Edition (8+128GB Variant). With a “Dare to Leap” spirit, realme has always been known as a trendsetting smartphone brand which innovates designs and co-brands  with brands that are loved by young people and have their own attitudes. Following the success of co-branding with well-known film, anime, and gaming IPs, realme is now co-branding with Coca-Cola®, one of the world's most iconic and enduring brand toA provide a fresh and exciting limited smartphone edition.

The smartphone’s rear design is inspired by Coca-Cola’s classic design elements having Red&Black collision. The 70/30 asymmetrical back design highlights the Coca-Cola logo with three points of black and seven points of red, which makes the logo classy and instantly recognizable. Coke® Red gives a positive, youthful, and energetic feeling. With a bold twist, the cropped Coca-Cola logo brings a new ray of energy to the smartphone experience. The matte imitation metal process provides an elegant touch of brushed aluminum which also remains resilient towards scratches and fingerprints. It is the most stylish edition that presents a juvenile and fashion-forward attitude.

 

Another noteworthy feature is the customized UI system, from the lock screen to the dynamic charging effect, which is all designed based on Coke® Red and Coca-Cola’s bubble element, bringing an extra cheer to each moment for consumers. Besides, ringtones are customized as well to provide more interesting details, such as the Coca-Cola ringtone and the sound of fizzing liquidly bubbles. The app icons are also designed based on Coke® Red and real images of the tangible goods.

Interesting details are customized everywhere on this product to appeal the youth. The 80’s Cola Filter is a true blast from the past with a special edition of a shutter sound. While taking a photo, it sounds like an opening of a real Coke bottle. Besides these customized details, the Coca-Cola Edition was released with a deluxe boxset, which includes interesting peripheral products, a customized SIM card needle, realmeow’s Coca-Cola figure, DIY stickers, as well as a customized and unique limited number card.

In terms of performance, realme 10 Pro 5G Coca-Cola Edition features the segment-leading Snapdragon 695 5G processor, a 5000mAh massive battery, and 108MP ProLight Camera. Additionally, the camera also comes with an updated Street Photography Mode 3.0. Users can experience different city filters based on their geographical locations. And there are other new features, such as Super Group Portrait and One Take to improve the imaging experience. Moreover, it also provides 8GB+8GB dynamic RAM and up to 1TB of external memory, so consumers can hold on to more memories. This all-new customized Coca-Cola Edition smartphone will surely provide a trendsetting and interesting user experience as well as a leap-forward technology to the customers.

 

*Please note, realme 10 Pro 5G Coca-Cola Edition is only available in designated markets