Category: Technology

Lahore, February 08, 2018 (PPI-OT): Pakistan Council of Science and Technology (PCST) has awarded Dr. Khurram Bhatti, Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering at Information Technology University (ITU) Lahore, the Research Productivity Award – 2017 in recognition of his outstanding performance in the category of Engineering Sciences. Dr. Bhatti has won two internationally competitive research project grants for Pakistan this year, namely the EIFFEL VADE-MECUM research excellence program and PHC PERIDOT research grants.

On this achievement, Dr. Umar Saif, the founding VC of ITU, said, “Quality and Impact of research being carried out in Pakistani Institutions is improving at a gradual pace and Dr. Bhatti’s work is one such example. Recognition in the form of Research Productivity Award by the PCST and other national institutions is vital for continuous improvement. ITU is offering conducive and enabling environment to its faculty and researchers in order to do quality research on sustainable basis.”

He has also been granted a US Patent on his research work related to Operating System services in Linux earlier this year along with numerous publications in peer-reviewed conferences and International journals. Dr. Bhatti’s research interests include Embedded Systems, Information Security in Embedded and Cloud Computing Systems, Real-time and Mixed Criticality Systems, Run-time Resource Management, and Computer Architecture.

He has authored/co-authored more than 25 research publications in prestigious journals and conferences including Springer RTS and Computing. Among a number of 2,493 productive scientists of Pakistan employed in public/private sector universities, colleges and R and D organizations applied for the RPAs this year. A minimum threshold of 250 applicants was fixed to deem applicants successful in 12 subjects in four different categories. Only 10% of the top applicants from every subject are awarded the research productivity award by the PCST.

For more information, contact:
Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB)
11th Floor, Arfa Software Technology Park,
346-B, Ferozepur Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35880062
Fax: +92-42-99232123
Email: info@pitb.gov.pk
Website: www.pitb.gov.pk

Lahore, February 08, 2018 (PPI-OT): The Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) in a partnership with the Punjab Police (PP) and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has automated the entire process of Call Data Record (CDR) based analysis for major crimes through an analytics platform which imports of CDRs into the system and analyses the records with reports and filters. This system is operational in the Punjab Province and has so far completed 87,267 analysis reports. This was informed in a progress review meeting chaired by Dr. Umar Saif founding Vice Chancellor of Information Technology University (ITU) and Chairman PITB here today.

Dr. Umar Saif said that the implementation of automated CDR by Punjab Police (PP) and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) has improved the law and order situation across the province of the Punjab and helped in monitoring the crime graph to take prompt measures to curtail the quantum of criminal activities. The meeting was informed that under this automated system 116 million CDRs have been uploaded, 12,677 FIRs/ cases analyzed and 1,439 FIRs/ Cases closed.

The CDR system automatically identifies suspects based on suspicious calling patterns and activities (e.g. multiple SIMs used in one IMEI or receiving calls from a foreign country). The system provides a complete profile of suspects, fetching their data from all system integrated at the backend. The police has traced numerous suspects using this software which also keeps records closed cases which details of suspects, their calls patterns and their known associates. The system acquires call record data from telecommunication companies and identifies criminals based on their calling patterns. This was previously done manually in excel files, making it time-consuming process prone to errors.

For more information, contact:
Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB)
11th Floor, Arfa Software Technology Park,
346-B, Ferozepur Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35880062
Fax: +92-42-99232123
Email: info@pitb.gov.pk
Website: www.pitb.gov.pk

Lahore, January 31, 2018 (PPI-OT): Almost 97 % of taxes in the province of Punjab are being received through e – Payment. Ms. Ayesha Ghous Pasha Provincial Minister for Finance said while addressing the inaugural ceremony of t he Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB)’s developed online Business Registration Portal at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industries today. The Portal is developed for the Punjab Planning and Development Department in collaboration with Industries department to provide online solution to execute all business process es in a user – friendly environment and to improve productivity to conduct business registration activities efficiently and in a timely manner.

The Finance Minister said that the Punjab government was determined to make Pakistan a developed country by enhancing the growth rate by improving the security and energy conditions for creating conducive environment for the private sector through providing them ease of doing business by integrating more departments in the portal. The economic growth depends on the progress of private sector, which provided employment and better delivery of services to the common man while consultations have been initiate d with the private sector for the upcoming budget, she added.

Sheikh Allau d din Provincial Minister for industries said that the new industrial policy was in the final stage and would be announced soon. T he Chairman PITB Dr. Umar Saif in his address said that all large functions of the Punjab have been digitalized during the last five years, which include police, health, education, e-Stamping, e-Ticketing, subsidies on various services, transfer of property, providing various services through e-Khidmat Centers under one roof within stipulated time frame, vehicle registration, providing Fard, support in case of loss of crops, floods as the Punjab government has renewed focus on improving business environment enabling energy deficit to disappear by automating all departments.

In his opening remarks Chairman Planning and Development department Punjab Jahanzeb Khan the task of ease of doing business has a wide range of activities to improve performance on key doing business indicators dealing with construction permit and enforcing contracts by facilitating to register Partnership Firm with Industries, Shop s and establishments with Labour and any Business with Punjab Employee Social Security Institution (PESSI) by using the Business Registration Portal from anywhere 24/7 with back office integration with NADRA and SECP.

A helpline ha s also been made functional (042 – 111 – 425 – 725) in this regard while presently the portal would be available for Lahore District to be extended subsequently to all other districts of the Punjab Province, he added. The President LCCI Malik Tahir Javaid said in his welcome address that we firmly believed in public private partnership and the integrated system would ensure ease of doing business and would also improve the international ranking and hoped that the portal would set the right momentum while revenue authority was also needed to be included in the portal.

For more information, contact:
Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB)
11th Floor, Arfa Software Technology Park,
346-B, Ferozepur Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35880062
Fax: +92-42-99232123
Email: info@pitb.gov.pk
Website: www.pitb.gov.pk

Lahore, January 31, 2018 (PPI-OT): Pakistan’s first FinTech Center established at Information Technology University (ITU) of the Punjab will ensure financial inclusion and make large portion of our population part of economy through technology in collaboration with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), which is represented by Karandaaz Pakistan. Dr. Umar Saif founding Vice Chancellor ITU, Chairman PITB and Advisor to the CM Punjab said in an agreement signing ceremony held here today between ITU and Karandaaz to initiate three research project s through the Fintech Center established at ITU. Pakistan was a growing economy and the gender based financial inclusion would become part of the documented economy, he added.

Dr. Umar Saif, further said that joining hands with international development partners Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Karandaaz for innovation and research in financial technology space was a welcome step. We envisioned to partner with local and international entities for financial inclusion through innovative applications of technology to help Pakistan to reform the digital financial services e especially with inclusion of women, he said.

Ali Sarfraz Hussain CEO KARANDAZ said that together with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and UK’s Department of Development we were working with various departments for financial inclusion including National Savings, State Bank of Pakistan and Agriculture Department of Punjab while with special grant first FinTech center being established at ITU Punjab.

Jason Lamb Deputy Director Financial Services for the Poor, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) said that Gates Foundation focused Pakistan among the five largest countries including Indonesia, Algeria, India etc. Digital technology was playing key role in fundamental changes in services with credit availability, he added. Jason further stated that more knowledge and research would trigger greater financial inclusion of women through technology in Pakistan.

It is heartening to see academicians stepping up to work closely with the industry in solving issues and that Karandaaz and ITU have partnered to make this possible, he said. He said ITU’s FinTech would devise many innovations and some research projects while three specific academic researches undertaken by this FinTech Center would improve the existing knowledge on women’s use of digital financial services and the barriers they face.

The research center will help to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges in financial inclusion and exploring the potential of data science and Information Communication Technologies as a viable solution. W o men in Pakistan often face multiple barriers in availing formal financial services. The se researches will help in understanding and proposing solutions to mitigate these barriers.

The researches shall be conducted in Pakistan with technical collaboration between Digital Financial Services Research Group of the University of Washington, Seattle and ITU faculty. One of the research es will focus on viability of a mobile app to form a rotating savings and credit association of women that will help them save and borrow collectively. Another research will help in designing a digital financial system for business and personal use of micro entrepreneur women. The third research will focus on digital solutions to safeguard women against SMS frauds in Pakistan.

For more information, contact:
Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB)
11th Floor, Arfa Software Technology Park,
346-B, Ferozepur Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35880062
Fax: +92-42-99232123
Email: info@pitb.gov.pk
Website: www.pitb.gov.pk

Lahore, January 30, 2018 (PPI-OT): The Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB)’s developed Business Registration Portal is being inaugurated by the Punjab Planning and Development Department in collaboration with Industries department on January 31, 2018 at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industries at 10 a.m to provide online solution to execute all business processes in a user – friendly environment and to improve productivity to conduct business registration activities efficiently and in a timely manner.

Provincial Ministers for Finance, Industries, Chairman Planning and Development, the Chairman PITB Dr. Umar Saif and President Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industries will address the inaugural ceremony. Business Registration Portal is a practical translation of ‘Ease of Doing Business’ plan. It will facilitate to register Partnership Firm with Industries, Shop s and establishment s with Labour and any Business with Punjab Employee Social Security Institution (PESSI) by using the Business Registration Portal.

The Business Registration Portal has back office integration with NADRA and SECP. A helpline is also functional (042 – 111 – 425 – 725) in this regard. The portal will be available for Lahore District, which will be extended subsequently to all other districts of the Punjab Province. Online Business Portal registration for business can be done within 48 hours with all respective departments.

Online certificates will also be issued by all the three departments and their respective directorates. The traditional method of doing business posed numerous hurdles and impediments for starting a business. Notifications to online users and walk in clients via email and SMS shall also be sent to the applicants regarding the status of their respective application.

For more information, contact:
Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB)
11th Floor, Arfa Software Technology Park,
346-B, Ferozepur Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35880062
Fax: +92-42-99232123
Email: info@pitb.gov.pk
Website: www.pitb.gov.pk

Lahore, January 30, 2018 (PPI-OT): The deadline for submitting online admission applications at t he Information Technology University (ITU) of Punjab for programs BS Economics with Data Science, BS Management and Technology , BS Computer Science and BS Electrical Engineering is Sunday, 3rd February, 2018. Prospective applicants can apply online at https://application.itu.edu.pk/ while admission tests for eligible students are scheduled for February 17, 2018. This first cycle is for undergraduate programs starting in F all 2018.

The Applicants who have successfully completed their F.A./ F.Sc. /A – Levels/High School Diploma or International Baccalaureate, or will do so by Aug./ Sept. 2018, are eligible to apply to the BS programs. The new BS Economics with Data Science degree ensures a thorough grounding in economic principles and quantitative analysis. It will equip students to pursue career s in evidence – based policy making and addressing political and social questions using data analysis. The ITU BS Management and Technology is a unique program which combines technology and business management skills. They will interact with entrepreneur s and managers, gain experience through internships and rigor through an extended project.

The ITU BS Computer Science degree aims to impart a research – oriented and design – centred computer science education to students, and thus produce innovators and IT specialists who will transform the IT landscape of Pakistan. ITU’s BS Electrical Engineering degree program seeks to impart a research – oriented, state – of – the – art education to the next generation of electrical engineers. The BS EE program will equip ITU students with the fundamentals and practical knowledge which will enable them to contribute to sectors including energy, health, computing, networked communications, environmental monitoring and information security. All queries can be forwarded to admission@itu.edu.pk

For more information, contact:
Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB)
11th Floor, Arfa Software Technology Park,
346-B, Ferozepur Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-35880062
Fax: +92-42-99232123
Email: info@pitb.gov.pk
Website: www.pitb.gov.pk