Pakistan News

InstantPay: PayPal Alternative for Pakistan & MEA is a post from: ProPakistani

InstantPay, a product of TheBC.com is said to be a PayPal alternative for Pakistan, Middle East, Africa and rest of the world where ecommerce infrastructure is yet to kick high gears.

When we say InstantPay would be PayPal alternative then it gonna have following features:

• You will have an online virtual account
• Deposit money into your online account,
• Redeem money through ATM cards
• Buy/Sell products/services online
• Transfer money online
• Interbank money transfer
• And of course more!

So just assume if you are enabled with above mentioned features, what else would you require being in Pakistan?

We know that InstantPay is going to offer you all these services, starting with a virtual online bank account that will offer all the luxuries of conventional bank account plus an ability to make and accept payments online.

Through sources we know that these virtual bank accounts will come with ATM cards, meaning that you will be able to withdraw money from any ATM in Pakistan or worldwide, thanks to InstantPay’s contract with international payment vendors.

This equation suggests that an individual will be able to sell products online, and get the money in cash format through nearby ATM. Sounds perfect given that InstantPay bank accounts will be audited for taxing through FBR exactly the way physical bank accounts are monitored, so money laundering is out of question.

We may not say any words on the procedures of the InstantPay as they will be kept secret till the launch in September 2010.

InstantPay will start with 50 invite only virtual accounts in the beginning. If you want to be one of lucky 50, simply fill a form here:  http://www.thebc.com/instantpay/intro.php

It merits mentioning here that TheBC.com, the parent company of InstantPay is headed by Sulaman Choudary, a young Pakistani who recently returned home after graduating from US.

In short, the news is – a Pakistani individual will be enabled to make/receive online payments from September 2010 onwards.

It’s too early to call InstantPay a threat for conventional banks, but Banks and EasyPaisa sure need to take this solution seriously.

Related posts:

• Raseen Vs PayPal – In a developing E-Commerce Market!
• PayPal for Pakistan – Campaign on Facebook Enters 2nd Phase with 1689 Members!
• PayPal in Pakistan – Looks Possible, but it May Take Time!
• An Open Letter by a Pakistani to PayPal/Ebay
• Be Aware of PayPal, Credit Card Phishing

Much of Pakistan 's capital city looks like a rich Los Angeles suburb. Shiny sport utility vehicles purr down gated driveways.

Pakistan top in Porn Search: Google Denies is a post from: ProPakistani

Google officially denied the accuracy of its search trends that declared Pakistan as the top nation searching for illicit material on the internet, reported Dawn News.

In an email sent to dawn.com, Therese Lim of Google’ communications and Public Affairs Southeast Asia team said,

“We do our best to provide accurate data and to provide insights into broad search patterns, but the results for a given query, such as those reported in this story from Pakistan, may contain inaccuracies because the sample size is too small for the results to be statistically sound.”

Internet Service Provider Association of Pakistan has also declared statistics regarding pornography in Pakistan as flawed.

Earlier, ProPakistani had published a detailed report, incorporated by Google Data, to show that Pakistan isn’t even in top 10 countries for porn search, leave alone the top slot.

Last week FoxNews had produced a report alleging Pakistan to be number one nation for porn search.

Related posts:

• Pakistan or Pornistan?
• PTA Should Block Local Porn Sites, if Not All
• Can Cuil Compete Google? No Way!
• Search Results
• University of South Asia, Lahore – Promoting Porn or What?

PTCL Likely to make $100 Million for Etisalat this Year is a post from: ProPakistani

We know that PTCL’s budget document for next year got leaked and was partially produced by “The News” few weeks ago.

As expected, more details are coming out with this figure of USD 100 million that PTCL (through EIP) is likely to send back as profits to the United Arab Emirates in 2010-11.

Report said that EIP (Etisalat International Pakistan) has sent back about $ 475 million during previous three years, which is about one fifth of the price it paid for PTCL, since taking over the management of the company, quoting the data in the leaked document.

The company earned Rs 15.64 billion ($250 million) in the first year after the handover. It earned Rs 9.151 billion ($125 million) in the next and Rs 9.231 billion ($100 million) in 2009-10, according to the document.

The company is projecting Rs 9.124 billion profit ($100 million) during the current financial year, it added.

Besides this all, the EIP is also earning money from Ufone Pakistan, a subsidiary of PTCL, and sending it home. All foreign companies are free to repatriate 100 percent of the profit they earn.

PTCL has decided not to say any words on this projected amount, as this claim by “The News” is for a future transaction.

It merits mentioning here that Etisalat is yet to pay $ 800 million to Pakistan Government against 26 percent shares of PTCL.

Via The News

Related posts:

• Etisalat Asked to Pay At least $500 million
• Etisalat Looking for Discount in Discounted PTCL Deal
• PTCL’s ARPU Stands at $3
• Etisalat May Further Delay Pakistan Payment
• PTCL Gets New Chairman

Prepay Nation Launches Intl Topup For Ufone is a post from: ProPakistani

Prepay Nation and Ufone announced a global partnership encompassing the sales of Ufone airtime on Prepay Nation’s platform.

This service will benefit the Pakistanis residing abroad and their families in Pakistan by enabling them to make the pre-payments for their Ufone mobile bills from international retail locations. This service not only assists the significant Pakistani Diaspora but will also benefit international organizations who have employees working overseas in Pakistan.

“This is a considerable opportunity for our distribution partners with points of sale in key Pakistani Diaspora communities to generate additional revenues while helping patrons stay connected with their friends and family back home” said Jessica Bishop, Vice President of Prepay Nation. “We are delighted to supplement Ufone’s retail foot print across international boundaries,” said Bishop.

Mr. Taimur Faiz Cheema Head of Value Added Services, Ufone said “Ufone takes pride that we work closely with the world’s very best business Partners to provide mobile airtime on international level. Our partnership with Prepay Nation will further our commitment to bring increased convenience and better value to our subscribers.”

“Prepay Nation has favorable capacities, and is well positioned for ever evolving success,” said Mr. Cheema “The launch of Ufone airtime recharge on Prepay Nation’s platform will bring additional distribution points for Ufone while creating value for the customers of both companies.”

The option to recharge a Ufone prepaid account is available forthwith to all of Prepay Nation’s merchants and distribution partners across North America and the Middle East.

Related posts:

• Caution: Intl SMS from Ufone is now Rs. 3.03
• Warid Bill Payments and TopUp Through ATM Machines
• Ufone Offers Up to 50% Discount on Intl’ Roaming in UK
• Ufone Employees Donate 1 Day's Salary to Share the Grief of Swat IDPs
• Ufone's Ramadan Offer – Rs. 6 Per Hour from 1 PM to 6 PM

Baroness Warsi, Britain's first Muslim cabinet minister, has returned to her Pakistani roots to be feted as a heroine in her grandmother's village.

Agencies New Delhi, July 18: External Affairs Ministry official Madhuri Gupta, who is in jail on charges of spying for Pakistan, was looking for blueprints of Salal Hydel project in Poonch district and of a coal mine in Kalakote during her visit to Jammu in March-April this year.

India Bans Use of Pakistani SIMs in Border District is a post from: ProPakistani

Indian Government has banned the use of Pakistani SIM card in Barmer District, alongside border, alleging that Pakistani mobile networks penetrate 30 to 40 kilometers inside Indian Borders.

“This network penetration can be a threat to security as it can be used by smugglers or for any other anti-national activities,” district collector Gaurav Goyal told an Indian news agency.

He said that security agencies wanted the use of mobile SIMs from Pakistan to be declared an offense as it is not an easy task for them to track the calls made from such SIMs.

Superintendent of Police Santosh Chalke said the network of Pakistani mobile companies has been traced in many villages along Barmer border starting from Gujrat frontier like Bhakhasar, Pipala, Krishna ka Tala, Janpalia, Kabul ki Dhani, Sajjan ka Par, Surte ki Dhani and Munabao.

During flag meetings, the BSF has registered its protest with Pakistan over installation of mobile towers along the borde, said a BSF official.

Pakistan has complained Indian Government over the same reasons in the past, but both countries are yet to finalize any workable SOP for the purpose.

Reportedly, Indian Signals also dig into Pakistani land on various locations.

It merits mentioning here that GSM cell towers usually cover 8-12 Kilometers of land – while maximum possible coverage for GSM technology is 40 Kilometers due to technical limitations.  (Source: Wikipedia)

Related posts:

• Cross-Border Telecom Signals Issue Soon to be Resolved
• OVI Maps showing Pakistani cities in India
• Spillover Signals from India Affecting Cell Phone Service
• Sania Mirza All Set to Rock Pakistani TV Channels
• Jazz Brings Voice + SMS Bundle Offers

It isn't a topic that's making headlines in Pakistan. But it's a debate that's been raised countless times since the country's birth in August 1947: Should Pakistan be secular? Dogged by internal crises, the rise of a growing intolerant extremist segment and a deliberately apathetic state and military response, Pakistan's future seems bleak.

Despite tightened security, officials say the bomber was able to attack an area near a busy market, killing three civilians and wounding dozens more.