DNA

ISLAMABAD – Diplomatic relation between Peoples Republic of China and Pakistan was established on 21 May 1951. Although people to people understanding between two countries is exemplary hoverer cultural understanding between businesses and people can be improved. For the purpose China Pakistan Study Center (CPSC) at Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and RINSTRA signed memorandum of understanding. The memorandum of understanding was signed by Dr. Talat Shabir Director China Pakistan Study Centre and Amir Jahangir Chief Executive Officer RINSTRA Technologies.

 Speaking at the occasion Director General Institute of Strategic Studies Ambassador Azaz Ahmad Chaudhary said “The ISSI provides a platform for quality policy input through informed research, objective analysis and dialogue on regional and international issues affecting peace, security and development of Pakistan. We are confident that this partnership will create knowledge resources among the youth and the business community alike while providing strategic direction for policy makers”.

On the signing of the MOU Dr. Talat Shabir Director ISSI said “The memorandum of understanding underlines to build cultural, business and economic cooperation and understanding. The partnership will also highlight China and Pakistan’s cooperation and implication for the region and the world .This partnership will help building people to people relationships, Government relations in defense cooperation and societal collaboration for building knowledge ecosystems 

Amir Jahangir Chief Executive Officer RINSTRA Technologies said “In this new era of information engagement it is important to build the vocabulary and understanding around the partnerships that both Pakistan and China are striving for. This cooperation between CPSC and RINSTRA will set new benchmark for understanding around the future challenges for our international partnerships.
Public diplomacy discourse”

This partnership is being signed to build better understanding among the masses and the business community in both China and Pakistan. The partnership will also facilitate content development in Mandarin, Urdu and English.

More than 60,000 Chinese expats live in Pakistan and more than 20,000 Pakistani students are studding in Chinese universities.Pakistan exports to China stood at US$1.87 Billion during 2020. Multibillion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor has strengthened China Pakistan partnership yet there is much more work required in People to People Relationship Building in Knowledge Development.

Established in August 2016, the China Pakistan Study Center is the leading thinktank in Pakistan, focusing on public policy, diplomacy and building cultural understanding between China and Pakistan. Considering the evolving regional and global scenarios, CPSC has been tasked with carrying out dedicated research and analysis of China’s policies, and their impact on Pakistan and the region. CPSC is also engaged in national and international outreach to promote better understanding of Pakistan-China relations, develop linkages with think-tanks in China and advance people to people contacts.

RINSTRA is the outcome of the thought leadership of Dice Foundation USA’s Creative Arts and Media Initiative (DICE CAM). It is part of Dice Foundation’s National Innovation Basket (NIB) program, which aims to create media as a corner stones of Pakistan’s growth strategy.

RINSTRA is Pakistan’s first short-form digital media platform for on-demand streaming and for creation of user generated original content on iRINSTRA. The organization provides entrepreneurship opportunities to emerging and established content creators and film makers in Pakistan and beyond. RINSTRA gives content creators access to a large Pakistani community around the globe, and ithas been able to create a unique platform that offers dramas and films, while enabling users to generate their own content on the same platform. It also has a feature for Content Competition where, more than 100 academic institutions in Pakistan are competing on various thematic areas. The Fest feature of the application has provided some of the leading Film Festivals to partner with RINSTRA for digital viewing of their films and documentaries. This has created an unprecedented experience for viewers in the country.  

ISLAMABAD – The district administration of Islamabad has decided to reduce fees for the months of April and May at private schools across the capital by 20%.

In a notification issued on Monday, it was stated that the orders will be imposed on schools charging fees of more than Rs8,000.

The decision was taken to provide relief to parents as the third wave of the novel coronavirus continues to grapple the country. Schools in the capital have been closed since mid-March.

Education institutions across the country were closed in April after coronavirus metrics rose. Cambridge, Intermediate and Matriculation exams have been cancelled as well.

Pakistan schools and coronavirus

All educational institutions across the country were closed in late February 2020 after coronavirus cases began to rise. They were reopened in phases starting September 15, 2020.

On November 23, 2020, after the second wave of coronavirus cases hit the country, the government announced that all educational institutions would close again from November 26, 2020.

Classes were taken online till December 24, 2020, and winter vacations started from December 25, 2020, and were supposed to last till January 10. The government said it would hold a meeting to review the decision to reopen schools on January 4.

The NCOC then decided that schools would reopen in phases with classes nine to 12 being the first to reopen on January 18.

 Islamabad – May 03: Aimed at further developing the digital payments ecosystem, Pakistan’s leading fintech, JazzCash, has launched a Business App for its rapidly growing merchant base. Featuring state-of-the-art tools for efficient financial and business management, this app adds to the ease of doing business as small and medium business owners can kick start digital payment acceptance, without the cumbersome bank account registration process.
 
This all-new platform has been developed to cater to the SME sector, which is yet to realize the full benefits of a digital payments ecosystem, while some amongst them, are not even part of the formal economy. There are millions of SMEs in Pakistan, and only a few thousand accept digital payments making it a predominately cash-based sector.
 
The JazzCash Business app becomes the command center for these merchants, providing visibility on business performance and automating day-to-day activities. Users can receive payments through QR, reconcile transactions, disburse salaries and make payments for stock procurement. They can also generate a QR code in real-time and send customizable digital invoices to customers.  Going forward, more features will be added to this app, including the option to request a business loan, playing an essential role in driving economic growth.
 
According to Erwan Gelebart, CEO, JazzCash, “JazzCash aims to cultivate a cashless economy and is committed to introducing innovative products and services that offer faster, more transparent, and secure payment solutions. We identified a need for a one-stop digital solution in the SME sector, which still lacks the tools and resources to adopt digital transformation, and created this business app to manage all their financial requirements. By taking advantage of secure, real-time payments, these businesses will witness higher efficiencies and benefit from a thriving digital ecosystem.”
 
Business owners can self-onboard from anywhere conveniently by registering themselves on the Business App in a few simple steps by providing basic personal and business information, uploading a copy of their CNIC and photograph.