Punjab's Caretaker Minister Lauds CBD Punjab's Progress in Modernizing Lahore's Infrastructure Development

                                               

Caretaker Minister for Housing and Urban Development Punjab, Barrister Syed Azfar Ali Nasir, paid a visit to Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (PCBDDA), also known as Central Business District Punjab (CBD Punjab), where he was briefed on the CBD Punjab's projects, especially the CBD Punjab Boulevard and Kalma Chowk Underpass remodeling. 

CEO CBD Punjab, Imran Amin Executive Director Commercial CBD Punjab, Mohammed Omer, Executive Director Technical CBD Punjab, Riaz Hussain, Director Business  Development CBD Punjab, Ali Waqar Shah , Director Project Management CBD Punjab Asif Iqbal, Director Construction CBD Punjab, Asif Babar, officials of NLC and  Nespak were also present during the visit.

The Caretaker Minister visited the under-construction barrels of CBD Punjab Boulevard. CEO CBD Punjab, Imran Amin and Executive Director Technical CBD Punjab, Riaz Hussain updated the Caretaker Minister about the development work progress. Caretaker Minister showed his satisfaction and praised the efforts of CBD Punjab to complete the project on the timeline given by Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi.

Speaking with media, Caretaker Minister lauded the CBD Punjab's commitment to delivering the project on time and to a high standard of quality. He also noted the significant impact that the project would have on the city's economy, as it would make it easier for people and goods to move around the city and would attract more investment and business opportunities to the area.

The CEO of CBD Punjab, Mr. Imran Amin, expressed his confidence in his team's ability to complete the project as per the timeline and to the highest possible standards. He highlighted the dedication and hard work of the CBD Punjab team and expressed his gratitude to Government of the Punjab for their support and encouragement. He also emphasized the CBD Punjab's commitment to making history in the capital of Punjab, and to creating a world-class business district that would attract investment, tourism, and innovation to the region. He noted that the Kalma Chowk Underpass and Boulevard Project was just one part of the CBD's broader vision for Lahore, which included the development of new commercial and residential spaces, modern transportation infrastructure, and state-of-the-art technology and communications systems.

Overall, the briefing session highlighted the important role of CBD Punjab in modernizing Lahore's infrastructure and positioning it as a global hub for business and innovation. Government of the Punjab and CBD Punjab expressed their commitment for continuing to work together in achieving this vision and to create a brighter future for the people of Lahore and the region.

CBD PUNJAB INTRODUCES "BLUE ROAD" CONCEPT FOR MODERNIZING CITY INFRASTRUCTURE

                                                

Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (PCBDDA), commonly known as Central Business District Punjab (CBD Punjab), is proud to announce the introduction of the "Blue Road" concept in Lahore. The concept aims to modernize the city's infrastructure and improve the quality of life for its residents.

CBD Punjab has introduced the Blue Road concept to Lahore, marking the first city in Pakistan and Asia, to adopt this innovative technology. Blue Roads are designed to offer a sustainable alternative to traditional asphalt roads, incorporating heat observation and energy-conserving features to reduce pollution and promote a healthier environment. These innovative roads utilize a specialized coating that reflects sunlight, reducing the amount of heat absorbed by the road surface. In addition, the reflective coating improves visibility for drivers at night, improving road safety. 

Under the leadership of Imran Amin, CEO of CBD Punjab, the construction work is being personally monitored to ensure the timeline given by the caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab, Mohsin Raza Naqvi during his last visit is met.

While expressing his views CEO CBD Punjab Imran Amin said, "We are excited to introduce the Blue Road concept in Pakistan, which has already been implemented successfully in several European and Middle Eastern countries like  Netherlands, France and Qatar. This project will not only bring environmental benefits, such as heat observation, energy conservation, and reduced pollution, but also contribute to our vision of creating a modern, sustainable, and inclusive society in Punjab."

CBD Punjab is committed to delivering projects that enhance the standard of living for its residents. The introduction of the "Blue Road" concept is just one of many initiatives that the authority is undertaking to modernize the city's infrastructure and improve the quality of life for its citizens.

realme 11 Pro Series 5G Confirms its Launch with a Brand-new Master Design

                                                    

realme, the world’s fastest-growing smartphone brand confirms the official launch date of its realme 11 Pro Series 5G. Coming in two variants - realme 11 Pro+ 5G and realme 11 Pro 5G, the stellar new lineup will be released on May 10th. 

realme 11 Pro Series is collaboration between realme Design Studio and Matteo Menotto - former Gucci Prints designer, realme 11 Pro Series 5G comes with a striking-new master design, featuring an elegant lychee leather back and a lace-like strip circles its camera module and goes straight down to the bottom. According to Matteo, the design inspiration comes from Milan, a fashion-forward city and also where Matteo grew-up. He took inspiration from the beautiful monuments in the city, where the rising run drapes classic architectures and creates a pale golden hue, just like the new phone’s colour variant - Sunrise Beige. Aside from Sunrise Beige, realme 11 Pro Series 5G also offers Oasis Green and Astral Black - a total of three dynamic colour variants. 

Together with realme Design Studio, Matteo brings texture, prints, and craftsmanship that are usually seen on luxury items. So aside from a premium lychee leather back, realme 11 Pro Series 5G also uses a 3D couture-level seam technique and an industry-first 3D woven texture to create a unique and premium grip feeling in hand.

Economic confidence rebounds as fears fade over 2023 recession

                                             

Economic confidence is rising across the globe as clear signs of business improvement emerge.

While the Q1 2023 Global Economic Conditions Survey (GECS) shows confidence lower than a year ago, it rose for the third consecutive quarter as fears fade over the prospects of a recession in 2023.

 

This better news is underlined by the two GECS “Fear’’ indices which reflects respondents concerns that customers and/or suppliers may go out of business. Both these series improved on Q4 2022. Indeed, worries about suppliers have fallen to the lowest level since 2020. And although new orders have flatlined this quarter, the survey showed improvements in both employment and capital expenditure (capex).

 

Although with Central Banks still raising interest rates and the delayed effect of monetary policy tightening on the real economy, as well as recent challenges in the banking sector, it may be premature to sound the “all clear.” 

 

Jamie Lyon, head of skills, sectors and technology at ACCA, said: “The global economy entered 2023 with more momentum than many had expected. Confidence has risen as business comes to terms with the fallout from the Russian-Ukraine war. The economic climate has been helped by a faster-than-expected relaxation of China’s zero-COVID policies, and more normal energy prices in Europe, that should help to reduce headline inflation and may bring about a pause in Central Banks’ tightening of monetary policy, but there are still some downside risks that may prevail.”

 

Loreal Jiles, vice president of research and thought leadership at IMA, said: “Looking at the change in the GECS Confidence Indices over the quarter, what stands out is the 30-point improvement in Confidence in Western Europe. However, this good news was not limited to Europe; Asia-Pacific, North America and South Asia also registered an improvement. This was a broad-based pick-up, with the exception of Africa and the Middle East.”

 

Although Global New Orders are flat-lining, one factor sustaining the rebound in Confidence may be the decline in the level of concern about “increased costs.” Cost pressures look like they may have peaked, although they still remain well above the median recorded over the survey’s history. Commodity prices remain subdued, and Europe has benefitted from natural gas prices returning to levels seen before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

 

Global confidence has edged up for the third consecutive quarter, not only because cost concerns have eased, but also because worries about accessing finance and securing prompt payment have declined.

 

Indeed, reports of problems with prompt payment fell to the second lowest level in the survey’s history. The improved macro conditions also appear to have encouraged companies to revisit their capex and hiring plans.

 

When asked how they planned to respond to the changing economic environment, the net balance of companies planning to increase investment in capital and staff rose on the quarter, as did the net balance of companies planning to increase job creation.

 

This is something of a surprise given the rapid tightening of global monetary policy by the world’s Central Banks. The past 12 months have seen the most aggressive simultaneous tightening of policy in more than 40 years in terms of pace, scale, and breadth. It is curious that this has not yet had a material impact on financing conditions and corporates’ capex and hiring intentions. But monetary policy works with long and variable lags, which suggests that this could still become a problem later in the year.

OPPO ColorOS 13 Wins Six Awards at 2023 iF Design Awards

                                                       

OPPO's latest operating system, ColorOS 13, was honored today with six prestigious awards at the 2023 iF Design Awards. Competing against 11,000 entries from 56 countries, ColorOS 13 received five awards in the User Experience (UX) category for its Aquamorphic Design, Multi-Screen Connect, Smart Sidebar Suggestions, Game Assistant, Smart Wallet, and one award in the App category for Clone Phone. The six awards add to the growing recognition for ColorOS 13 and OPPO's ongoing commitment to creating products with a sleek and intuitive user experience.

The iF Design Awards are amongst the most prestigious design awards in the world. In addition to winning the six awards for ColorOS 13, OPPO also received an award for the OPPO Find N2 Flip smartphone in acknowledgement of OPPO’s achievements in designing new and exciting form factors.

 

Aquamorphic Design - iF Design Awards 2023 Winner

Aquamorphic Design, the new design concept for ColorOS, received widespread recognition at this year’s awards. Inspired by water, Aquamorphic Design aims to provide an aesthetically pleasing and immersive experience that is both calming and dynamic. Underlining the design is a selection of fresh system theme palettes, fonts, and a card-style layout with polymorphic textures that enhance the relationship between humans and technology through more comfortable, flexible, and comprehensive interaction.

Multi-Screen Connect - iF Design Awards 2023 Winner

Multi-Screen Connect enhances productivity and efficiency and overcomes the limitations associated with different smart devices by enabling seamless data transmission and manipulation across phones, PCs, and tablets. Through Multi-Screen Connect, users can enjoy a more convenient experience across multiple screens and devices.

Smart Sidebar Suggestions - iF Design Awards 2023 Winner

Smart Sidebar Suggestions provide convenient access to a collection of smart tools from the phone's sidebar, enabling users to quickly access the relevant tools needed to complete or enhance tasks, helping to reduce distractions and improve efficiency in the process.

Game Assistant - iF Design Awards 2023 Winner

Game Assistant optimizes network conditions and provides intuitive control gestures and multi-window support to enhance gaming performance and provide a more immersive gaming atmosphere and multi-sensory experience.

Smart Wallet - iF Design Awards 2023 Winner

 

Smart Wallet offers a secure and convenient way to manage payments and other financial transactions. It provides versatile features for payments, public transport, and electronic car keys and access cards, along with secure storage for digital documents. The powerful digital wallet streamlines daily tasks and provides added convenience by removing the need to constantly unlock the phone or switch between multiple apps.

Clone Phone - iF Design Awards 2023 Winner

Winner of a 2023 iF Design Award in the App category, Clone Phone is a secure app that simplifies data migration from old to new phones without the need for cables or other devices, improving the data migration experience while protect user data through additional security.

ColorOS 13 is the latest version of OPPO's operating system and is currently available on a range of OPPO devices. The powerful and user-friendly operating system features an intuitive interface and advanced functionality that set a new standard for mobile devices. Going forward, OPPO will continue to develop user-centric and innovative products and services as it brings even more unparalleled experiences to users worldwide.

Google launches first “App Growth Lab” in Pakistan to support high-potential app developers

     

Following the launch of the Gaming Growth Lab in Pakistan last year, Google announced today that it has opened the first-ever App Growth Lab in Pakistan. The latter is a four-month program designed to identify high-potential app developers, studios and companies that are looking to accelerate and grow their businesses. The launch represents Google's commitment to help grow Pakistan’s app industry locally and globally.

With intensive education and support phases, the program will allow app developers to learn from Google experts in areas such as, Ads, AdMob, Firebase, gTech, and Play as well as Industry leaders.

Farhan S. Qureshi, Google's Regional Director for Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, said, "Today, we are proud to announce the launch of App Growth Lab to support up-and-coming local developers and help them expand their offerings to an international audience. The project demonstrates Google's dedication to support the sustainable growth of the developer ecosystem in the country. Through our ongoing efforts, we hope to support Pakistani developers in their pursuit of creating great applications for the world.”

The App Growth Lab program is based on four core pillars:

●        Build: Uncover the global app and gaming opportunity to understand different levers to set the all-round strategy for your company

●        Develop: Bring a user-centric mindset to app and game product development and leverage best-in-class technology to set your app up for long-term success

●        Launch: Uncover strategies to win the launch, set up monetization models, and maximize Google's tools for data to achieve measurable growth

●        Scale: Knowledge of opening your app to the world by leveraging market and platform diversification strategies.

Saad Hameed, CEO of Game District, shared, “The Gaming Growth Lab Pakistan 2022 was indeed one of the most insightful programs that we have attended so far in Game District. We have learnt a lot of information covering all the domains of the mobile gaming industry, from basics to advance. We have optimized our games' performance by implementing all the intuitive knowledge that we learnt from this program.”

 

The program will commence in June and run for four months. Interested organizations, app and development studios may apply till May 22, 2023. For more information, visit  goo.gle/agl2023_pk

CARETAKER CM PUNJAB INSTRUCTS COMPLETION OF KALMA CHOWK REMODELING AND CBD PUNJAB BOULEVARD PROJECT BY MAY 5 TH

                                          

Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi visited the Kalma Chowk Remodeling and CBD Punjab Boulevard project in Lahore today to review the development progress. This visit was in continuation of the recent visit by the Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to the same site.

During the visit, CEO CBD Punjab, Mr. Imran Amin, briefed the Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab, on the progress of the project. He informed the CM that the project is nearing completion. The project is expected to bring a significant change to the area, with improved traffic flow and aesthetic appeal. Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab instructed to complete the project and open the Ali Zaib Road barrel for traffic by May 5, 2023, at any cost. 

Caretaker Minister for Housing & Urban Development  Barrister Syed Azfar Ali Nasir, Chief Secretary Punjab, Zahid Akhtar Zaman, Secretary Housing and Urban Development Punjab, Captain. (R) Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Secretary Planning, Muhammad Sohail Anwar Choudhary, Commissioner Lahore, Muhammad Ali Randhawa, Deputy Commissioner Lahore, Rafia Haider, CEO CBD Punjab, Mr. Imran Amin, COO CBD Punjab, Brigadier  (R) Mansoor Janjua MD Wasa, Ghufran Chaudhry,  Executive Director Commercial CBD Punjab, Muhammad Omer, Executive Director Technical CBD Punjab, Riaz Hussain, CCPO Lahore, SP Traffic Police Lahore, staff members from CBD Punjab, NLC and NESPAK, accompanied the Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab, during his visit. The Chief Minister expressed his satisfaction with the progress made thus far and emphasized the importance of completing the project on time.

The Kalma Chowk Remodeling and CBD Punjab Boulevard project is part of the government's efforts to improve infrastructure and development in the province. The project aims to provide a modern and efficient transportation system while also improving the overall aesthetic of the area.

The media and the public have been eagerly following the progress of the project, and the Chief Minister's visit has further highlighted the government's commitment to improving infrastructure and development in the province. The project is a testament to the government's vision for a modern and developed Punjab, and the Chief Minister's visit today has once again demonstrated the government's commitment to achieving this vision.