NADRA has definitely stepped up its game in the past couple of years. From issuing a new method of renewing passports online to other features that tell women whether their husbands are cheating; the authority has handled a lot. However, now they’re updating something all of us can benefit from. Here’s the scoop:
What’s Being Updated?
The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) is in the process of computerising national identity cards. They will become digital wallets to manifest the Premier’s Digital Pakistan vision. There is an app functional at the moment already and it will be updated to accommodate this change.
The ‘Pak Identity’ mobile app is available for both Android and iOS. The app will become an integral part of the digital ID update. It seeks to facilitate applicants of national identity cards through an online portal. Yes, you might not have to get pushed and shoved at Nadra offices anymore. You might be wondering what the app does. According to the Nadra chief, it will help capture biometric fingerprints, facial recognition, and scan documents. In short, everything needed for processing a person’s ID card will be utilised using smartphones and not physical visits.
Image Source: Gulf News
The App’s Previous Wins
The app has been responsible for helping overseas Pakistanis previously. In just a small period of time, 75,000 overseas Pakistanis were able to have their Nicops made/updated. This humongous task was done from the comfort of their homes using this digital technology. The app doesn’t discount security also, it has two-factor authentication. Moreover, other things will change for the better too. It can “bring positive results” in digital banking, ease of doing business, and also security of poor people.
Image Source: Arab News PK
Pakistan has become the first country to implement a “contactless biometric” system using smartphones. This is a first of its kind! So far Nadra has supposedly registered 120 million adults. And here’s a fun fact for you: Balochistan has the highest registration rate.
Nida Yasir’s star-studded birthday bash has people talking about celebrity looks. Meanwhile, Ayeza Khan’s look didn’t sit well with the netizens and they are questioning the actress’s outfit.
Ayeza Khan’s Outfit
While we try to break down her look, we must give credit to her for pairing up such a cute colour block outfit. The actress was spotted in a cropped cardigan paired with high-waisted pants. Her hair was tied up in a half ponytail. The look instantly reminded us of her iconic character ‘Meenu’ who would love to Chanel the hairstyle.
The purple and white hues of the cardigan are adding the perfect pop to the look. Meanwhile, the white pants and accessories don’t only look elegant but also chic.
According to netizens what’s wrong with the look is the fact that as a mother of two, she doesn’t look nice in such outfits. Then again what exactly is an outfit for the mother of two? These stereotypical mindsets can make even the simplest of things look bad and truth be told this is very problematic.
Besides, Ayeza is the epitome of grace and class and she sure knows how to carry the most unconventional look out there. So, who are we to judge?
Netizens React To The Look
Here are some of the comments on her outfit. People sure know how to criticise and scrutinise the celebrity looks, be it a birthday party or an award show.
On World Street Children Day, let’s acknowledge that a lot of tiny lives live on the streets. They bear the harsh weather without any predictability and security and often are around the worst company. However, all hope is not lost. While you may not be able to save every life, here’s how you can play a part in improving them.
Why Should You Care?
In Pakistan, there are approximately 3 million children who live on the streets. Living on the streets means constant exposure to all sorts of diseases. The excitement in the exploration of surroundings is considered a key for children’s growth. Moreover, it also means hunger, fear and work are their main preoccupations. That’s not a life any child should live. So here’s how you can do your part:
1. Donate Warm Clothes
Creating a warm clothes bank in areas where a lot of children live on the streets is a great idea. If you believe a bank can not work, take your clothes and give them directly! Even oversized clothes can work as long as they make them warm.
Giving ration to the families of the children who live on the streets is a great way to help. You get to help the children in two ways: by reducing the parents’ need to make their small children work and by providing the means to have healthy food.
3. A Little Time Goes A Long Way
If you know of any specific place where a lot of children sleep on the streets, take some time out. Take an activity along with you like colouring books! Taking out even half an hour every week will give the children something to look forward to.
Image Source: Al Jazeera
4. Volunteer To Pay For Their Schooling
You’d be surprised to know how many parents want to send their children to school yet don’t have the money. Speak to their parents and see whether they’d like to send their child to a nearby school. If not, this is the time to use your persuasion skills and have a child be educated.
5. Get Them Toys
This might seem useless: if children are fending for their lives on streets, what can toys do? More than you can think! Toys are meant to stimulate children’s brain development and make them think actively. Without such activities, children’s brain development lags.
Handheld consoles can be good companions if you are heavy on mobility. Their lightweight and ease of access make them good consoles. Do you remember when you used to pull out your game-boy while traveling or just sitting on the bed? One does not even feel the hours pass by when they are hooked on a handheld. If we look at tech today, the Nintendo Switch is one of the best and popular handhelds out there.
You can either hook it up to the TV or the joy-con controllers and spend hours on it. It has some extremely impressive games that are sure to keep you hooked. Some of the games have been best-selling ones on the market and those are the ones you need to check out. Let us dive into the details!
1. Stardew Valley
This has been one of the most popular games on the Nintendo Switch. It puts you in the shoes of a protagonist who has inherited their grandfather’s old farm plot. Now you must grow and develop that entire piece of land.
It is a role-playing open-ended game that is sure to keep you occupied for hours on end.
Image Source: theverge.com
Check it out here:
2. Diablo III: Eternal Collection
This is a game that packs more than one part into one and is console exclusive. It is one of the most popular role-playing games on the Nintendo Switch.
The top-down gameplay puts players in scores and scores of levels, as you fight and upgrade yourself. It has a similar vibe as ‘Torchlight’.
If you are an old-time Nintendo player, you must have heard of Zelda. Even if you haven’t played on a handheld, you must have heard of this franchise. Breath of the Wild takes the player in a massive open world, filled with quests and a good story.
Nintendo Switch has this game as one of the most popular ones of all time. It is definitely worth a glance and a buy.
Image Source: polygon.com
Check it out here:
4. Hollow Knight
This is a classic game on the Nintendo Switch and it has interesting gameplay. The player is led through a plethora of levels. The game is a platformer will a creepy, thriller vibe. It can be considered a stone-cold classic and a must-play for everyone.
There is not enough of this game present in this world and we must play as much as is present.
Image Source: gq.com
Check it out here:
5. Monster Hunter Rise
If you have heard of this game, then you know what it is about. If you haven’t, then we shall tell you that it is exactly what the title says. You are a hero set forth in a world full of monsters, just waiting to be defeated.
Every battle is a thrilling one and every monster has unique abilities. For now, this specific game is only on the Nintendo Switch so don’t forget to check it out.
Of course, we cannot mention the best-selling games and leave out this one. It is one of the best shooter games out there. Both of these hold content that just cannot be explained. The game not only improves a player’s reflexes but even pits them against huge opponents.
Doom was the original first-person shooter back in the 90s and now it reigns on the handheld world too. Dare to play this game and ace it!
Image Source: slashgear.com
Check it out here:
These are just some of the best Nintendo Switch games out there. However, there are many more that you can check out but these are a must glance.
We have already learned to separate fantasy from reality and don’t believe all the promises that manufacturers generously try to use to convince us to buy their products. But visual content and commercials still influence our brains.
When we see a freshly-made burger on the screen, we start to feel hungry. A steaming coffee mug makes us almost “feel” the smell of freshly-brewed coffee, and gorgeous hair in a shampoo commercial causes envy right away.
However, not everything that meets your eye is true. Producers usually have a lot of tricks up their sleeves to perfectly mimic everyday phenomena.
Today, we shall do a round-off of the most common creative tricks that are used to fool the audience.
Tea gets placed in boiling water with food colouring in saturated red-brown tones. Then food stylists dry out the tea leaves with a hairdryer and put them in alcohol. This helps the tea leaves to get rid of the food colouring more quickly and create the “brewing” effect. To make the tea leaves move in a beautiful “dance-like” way, stylists use a special propeller at the bottom of the kettle.
Image source: teacrossing.com
2. The Luscious Locks
Nothing makes us envious of the model with her thick long hair. Truth be told; even after using the same product we never get to achieve the look.
Well, that is because long and beautiful hair is more likely to be fake. Directors often show a model who is lying on her back with her silky and shiny hair on the floor. But this hair often doesn’t belong to her. And we’ll never get this result with our hair, as they promise in the commercial because no hair product can do that.
It’s the right lighting and the mirrors that help to create the illusion of a glossy shine on the hair. And to boost hair volume, stylists use special foam balls that are attached under the hair.
Image source: brightside.com
3. Animals For The Ads
It’s difficult to use animals in advertising. There are even special agencies that hire pets for filming. Usually, there’s a dubbing animal for every animal actor, and all rehearsals are conducted without any animals at all — they are replaced by a toy or a mannequin.
Image source: youtube.com
4. The Faux Bath
We have grown up watching our supermodels basking in foam under the moonlight. The filming of commercials may take up to several hours. And if an actress gets undressed and lays down in a real bathtub, she’ll freeze. Steamy skin also doesn’t look very attractive onscreen and the camera will fog up because of the steam. That’s why there’s no water in these bathtubs. But what happens?
An actress only reveals her shoulders. The rest of her body is covered with a plastic film. The bathtub gets filled with something soft and the actress gets covered with a white fabric. After that, the bathtub is filled with foam from the same machine that is used at a foam party.
Image source: depot.com
5. Steam Plate For The Win
If real boiling water was used in advertisements for instant soup, noodles, or pasta, the camera would get foggy pretty quickly. The director may also want to refilm some scenes, but the water will keep boiling away and there’s a huge chance you might burn yourself.
So, the “boiling” water effect is created with a special compressor that pumps air into the water through tubes connected to the bottom of the pan. The steam from the food plate is created with the help of a fog machine.
The bottom of the plate gets removed and the rest of it is placed on a plastic box with holes and a fog machine inside of it. Then the stylist puts food on the plate. The director adds the fog with the help of remote control and can change its intensity.
Image source: brightside.com
6. Lip Smacking Strawberries
Well, those are only lip-smacking in commercials because they are coloured with our lipsticks. You are bound to get some green odd coloured ones in the box but how come the one’s on the TV are bright red? Well, now you know why!
Image source: trivia.com
7. Swapping Cheese For Glue
Nothing looks more tempting than a pizza slice being pulled in all its glory, right? But what if we were to tell you that it’s not cheese but the glue that is used to create a stringy effect? So, the next time you see a commercial, you know what it actually is!
Image source: trivia.com
8. Engine Oil For The Cake
Who thought engine oil could be used for more than just oil? The glazed covering on your pancakes is not maple syrup but engine oil. Since it doesn’t get absorbed in the pancakes, it gives enough time to shoot a commercial.
Glycerin doesn’t only give shine to your skin but also to glasses to obtain natural frost to trigger your tastebuds.
The glycerin creates an instant frosty effect which makes the beverage looks refreshing.
Image source: brightside.com
10. Hairspray Is Not Just For Hair
Ever looked at those shiny fruits and edible items on Tv? Well, you have been fooled in the name of organic and whatnot. Meanwhile, hairspray is used to give a shiny look to them so that they look tempting and pleasing. Brownie points if you use a body spray because then it will even smell great.
Image source: trivia.com
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Hareem Shah is under fire as FIA seems to have frozen her accounts. The news was shared by the Tiktoker herself on social media.
Lip Fillers Gone Wrong
In a recent video posted on social media, Hareem Shah shared the news of FIA freezing her accounts. According to her, she received the news on her mobile phone while she was getting a procedure done i.e lip fillers.
Shah shared the video with her upper lip half swollen which seems awfully wrong. Meanwhile, she mentions that she had to stop the treatment midway because what is the point of getting a treatment done when you have no money in your account.
“I went to get my lip filler done from a specialist. As he got done with one side of the lip, I received a call on my cellphone. I got to know that FIA has issued a notice to freeze my accounts. So, I had to stop midway because it’s expensive to get fillers done when you already have no money.”
“A filler or insect bite?” One user wrote on social media. Since it looks like a bad case of fillers gone wrong with the amount of swelling which looks absolutely abnormal.
Many mentioned how this might be another antic of her to gain social media’s attention.
Take a look at how netizens are reacting to the video.
Previously FIA took notice and a money laundering case was issued against the TikToker after a video of her carrying bundles of foreign currency went viral. Meanwhile, after landing herself in trouble shah denied all the rumours and mentioned that her statements were just a “prank”.
When temperatures drop, the cool and dry air can wreak havoc on your sinuses and skin. But you don’t have to suffer through chapped lips, nosebleeds, or cracked hands. If the air in your home is persistently dry —or you just want to combat the occasional cold— humidifiers can do wonders to improve your air quality and health.
A good humidifier efficiently adds moisture back into your home throughout the day or overnight to raise moisture levels to the EPA-recommended 30% to 60%. Proper home humidity levels can have serious health benefits, from improving allergy symptoms to warding off bloody noses.
So, if you are planning to invest in a good humidifier, here are some of the picks for you.
1. Xiaomi
Although most of Xiaomi’s popularity comes in the smartphone and gadgets industry, the brand has also been making waves in the home appliances space. Xiaomi humidifiers are making their way to the global stage with their tech and features. Xiaomi’s humidifiers combine innovations such as IoT wireless connectivity and advanced ultrasonic waves. These quality features make it a remarkable product that delivers brilliant performance.
Image source:ishopping.pk
2. TCL
Nature’s soothing breeze meets TCL air-purifying innovation TCL’s latest Breeva Air Purifier brings back the comfort in your home with UV-C de-germing function to remove most of the germs and other allergy sources from your home ensuring a safer and healthier environment for you and your loved ones. The latest Air purifier comes with a Laser Dust and VOC Sensor which removes more than 99% of all dust particles in your room.
Engineered to give you full control over the environment inside your home, the Dyson Pure Humidify Cool Smart Air Purifier combines a purifier, a humidifier, and a fan in one so you can breathe easily. Using a fully-sealed filter system the purifier automatically senses and captures 99.95% of microscopic allergens and pollutants.
Image source:ishopping.pk
4. Crane Drop
The Crane Drop Cool Mist Humidifiers offer variable output settings and an adjustable 360-degree mist lid making it easy to send the mist in any direction. Crane humidifiers are safe, quiet, and certainly good fun. These ultrasonic cool mist humidifiers provide non-medicated relief for nasal congestion, dry skin, and cold and flu symptoms.
The Black+Decker HM5000 humidifier offers cool mist to adjust humidity levels for better living. The HM5000 covers rooms with areas up to 40 square meters. The HM5000 fits into any modern home with its sleek and stylish design with a decorative nozzle area. The 5L tank capacity can produce a mist output of up to 25 hours. Fragrances can also be added via the aroma tray for a pleasant ambiance.
The HM5000 delivers high mist output with its high-performance ultrasonic system. The mist flow can be easily controlled to the desired amount with the adjustable knob. For additional safety and protection, the HM5000 is equipped with an Auto Shut-off feature and an indicator light when there is no water in the unit.
Image source:ishopping.pk
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.
Did you refuse to hang out with friends recently because you were out of money, and payday was still a week away? Do you always find yourself planning to travel but always cancel due to a shortage of cash? Do you wonder where your money disappears?
Well, worry no more because, with money-saving apps, you will always make informed financial decisions. And more importantly, these apps are available on both Android and Apple to play stores, so the type of your phone will not hinder in adopting a financially healthy lifestyle.
1. Wallet
After downloading all the money-saving apps and finally being able to go on vacations, what happens is, you spend much more than you planned. With Wallet, you can track your savings even if you are traveling. How cool is that?
Since it supports international currencies too, so if you are traveling outside the country, rest assured Wallet will keep track of your spendings and nudge you every time you are about to make a risky (financial) decision. Other types of arrangements are entirely your responsibility.
It also syncs up with your banking apps to keep track of even those spendings that you consider minimal and irrelevant. Overall, the app is free, but to unlock some of its features, a subscription fee is required.
2. Pocket Guard
Pocket Guard is another app that you can have on your smartphone of any type since this, too, is available of Google and Apple’s store. This money-saving app also syncs with mobile banking apps to keep track of your purchases and bills and analyzes the previous spendings. The rough estimates it provides tells you how much you should spend and how much will make you run into debt.
Image Source: https://smartchoice.pk/
3. Home Budget with Sync
Home Budget with Sync is an app that allows it’s users to handle the financial matters of the household by keeping track of the purchases. This way, the user can review their spending so that they make the right alterations to save money.
The family sharing feature synchronizes the purchase and expenditure of the whole family, so all are aware of what spending to cut down on for money saving. The app helps the user set a budget to follow along with handling the income in the way the user wants. The family members can use the app individually to save money for themselves too.
4. The Bonus: Wela
Okay, this fantastic app is another money-saving app, but this one is only available on iOS, so apologies to Android people. What this app does is, it makes categories of spending. For instance, one category is of the must-expenses; the expenses, for example, rent and utility bills that need to be paid no matter what. Another critical feature it has is that it is linked to another app, Al Chabot. Al Chabot allows the user to get expert advice that is tailor-made for their specific case.
5. Hysab Kytab
Developed by Createch, Hysab Kytab is another money-saving app that enables the user to set a goal, plan a budget, review charts, and track expenses. But the simplified visual representation of costs is critical here.
Not only is it easy on the eye, but a clean way of representation makes it easier for a layperson to understand their financials instead of going to a third-party expert for the explanation of the data.
Image Source: Facebook
Overall, almost all money-saving apps provide the service of tracking incomes and expenses, analyze your past spending, and guide you on your future ones. So rather than focusing on finding that one app that will give you the best result, the very first step towards attaining a financially healthy lifestyle is to download at least one app right away.
For more news and updates, stay tuned to Brandsynario!
Brands want to make their marketing campaigns impactful, one of a kind. It is only then will the potential consumers recall them when they are out buying a product. But, it seems that in focusing on the recall power consumers, a few Pakistani brands may have employed a living thing as a prop, and the use doesn’t make any sense.
Pakistani Brands and Horses
It may already be clear from the main image in the article, but for the sake of making a coherent writeup, the prop is none other than a horse.
You read it right!
And not one or two, but at least 5 of them have used the horses as a prop that we know off.
1. Sapphire
Both the collection for men as well as women features a horse in the image. If there was something worse than a needlessly edited horse in the picture, it was the awful edit. Of course, the awfulness could be the editor’s way of screaming at the client for having to do something this illogical.
2. Elan
In other words, ‘romancing with a horse on your wedding day look.’
Image Source: Pinterest
3. Zara Shah Jahan
Featuring Hania Amir, Zara Shah Jahan also jumps on the bandwagon and adds a horse, although this one is not edited.
4. Mystique
Sorry to say, but the horse looks sad. If the idea was to make the dress look better than the horse in order to optimize the product, then the mission was achieved.
Either the horses have changed physical appearance, or once again, this is a poor edit.
Image Source: Instagram
We fail to understand the need behind using a horse or the logic. It would have made sense had these been auto brands or tech brands because a horse would have signified high speed. Had the props (horses) been used in a way to make the dress stand out, that would also have made sense, a case in point being the recently viral campaign by a certain clothing brand that decorated the set beautifully with rooh afza drink. But fancy-dressed women posing with horses is making us gape at the creativity or lack of, portrayed in these campaigns by Pakistani brands.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates!
As the years have progressed ahead, smartphones have become a necessity for humans. We cannot imagine going anywhere without carrying one with us. Despite how bad the world took a turn in 2020, there has been a significant rise in usage. Being forced to stay indoors has only increased the smartphone usage and productivity online. Due to that, let us inform you a bit about realme products, other than smartphones.
realme rose quietly among the ranks some time back. People wanted good phones in a reasonable price and they came face to face with realme. Despite its quiet rise, it has become quite a titan nowadays. Everyone wants to get their hands on a realme 6 or a realme 5i. However, smartphones is not the only domain that realme operates quite well in. Now we dive into the details of the other products:
1. realme Buds Air Pro:
If we talk about earphones, these go quite a long way. First of all, they give new meaning to the concept of wireless. They are relatively light weight than other products in this range and they have a beautiful design. Additionally, they have a total playback time of 25 hours, which is an impressive number. They have active noise cancellation up to 35 decibels, which means you can easily listen to footsteps in Counter Strike!
They are currently available at a price of Rs.13,999/-
Image Source: gsmarena.com
2. realme Watch S:
This is one of the best realme products out there. In a time of expensive smart watches, realme is shattering stereotypes. The product has a blood oxygen monitor, 16 sports modes as well a heart rate monitor. Additionally, it has a stand by life of 15 days, which is quite an impressive number. You can easily go a week on a lot of usage and still have battery left over.
The realme Watch S is available for a Price of Rs.14,999/-
Image Source: en.dailypakistan.com.pk
3. realme Smart Cam:
A video camera for all your security needs, this one tops the charts in many domains. Firstly, it has the ability to move 360 degrees, on more than one axis. This means that you can place it at an omnidirectional location and not worry about angles. It also supports memory up to 128GB, which is quite a lot of recorded footage. It even has an AI detection monitor and infrared night vision! This almost feels like recon equipment!
Its price is currently set at Rs.6,999/-
4. 30W Dart Charge Bank:
If we look at the power bank domain, realme has some impressive ones here. It is known as the two way charging bank, with a 10,000mah capacity. 30 Watts means that it is going to charge at quite a fast pace, thus the name of ‘Dart’. It is not only easy to carry but can be used multiple times. Your realme 6, in particular, can charge in just under an hour. It has dual ports (USB-A and USB-C) and can handle a lot of power.
It is currently being sold at Rs.5,499/-
Image Source: saamaan.pk
5. N1 Sonic Electric Toothbrush:
Don’t you just feel that wave of laziness when you are brushing your teeth? If you wish to boost that experience, we recommend that you go for this product. It is quite impressive and cleans teeth with utmost efficiency. It has a staggering battery life of 130 days, so you don’t even have to count them on you fingers! Additionally, it has three cleaning modes and is also water resistant.
Its price on the realme store is Rs.2,499/-
Image Source: smartprix.com
6. The realme Smart Scale:
If you wish to keep track of your health and watch the progress, this product is fit for you (pun intended). It has the ability to break down your health into components and analyzes it within the scale. This includes weight, fat rate, BMI, shape as well as bone mass, muscle rate, moisture rate, etc. It is a product with a 360-day long standby capability.
It is currently at a price of Rs.5,499/-
7. realme Band:
This is one of the most affordable alternatives to flagship smart watches. It may not be as impressive or full of many features, but it has a lot to offer. From a real-time heart rate monitor, sleep quality monitor, notification tracker, all the way up to an intelligent sports tracker, the watch has it all. In a price that this is being sold at, the watch seems like an extremely good investment.
According to a study, 9 out of 10 parents complain that their teenage kids spend too much time playing games. Parents need to instill healthy gaming habits in their kids. Children, particularly in their adolescent years, get more rebellious. It can get challenging to make them understand the importance of a healthy life. You should introduce a healthy gaming lifestyle for them when they are young.
However, you should talk to your teenage children about what’s best for them. You must let them know the limits. Let them know that even though playing games is fun but they should balance it with their physical activities.
Here are five healthy gaming habits for parents of teens:
1. Set a time limit
You should set a limit on the time your kids spend playing games. Don’t allow your teens to spend more than one or two hours while playing video games. Games are designed, in a way, to attract players and get them hooked. Hence, you must be firm on your time limit.
Additionally, you should make it clear to your kids that they are not allowed to play games in school time or study time at home. You must keep in mind that mobile gaming has made it easily accessible for kids to play games anywhere and anytime.
2. Playing outside is important
Children need to play outside. It is because a healthy human body requires physical movement. When kids play games, their mind regularly works, but their body does not. A non-active body can fall prey to sickness and exhaustion easily. Workout with your kids as it will instill healthy gaming habits in your family.
3. Get them to spend quality time with family
Spending time with family is a great way to relax. Children who develop gaming addiction or unhealthy patterns have a terrible relationship with the family. These kids isolate themselves only in their gaming world.
4. No gaming consoles in the bedroom
Image Source: notjustgaming.com
Follow this rule strictly with your kids. If they have the gaming console in their bedroom, it will likely tempt them to play games before bed or at night. This will disturb their sleeping routine.
5. Get them to socialize
As I mentioned above, kids who do not interact with their friends and family are more likely to get gaming addiction. You must not only spend time with them but also make sure that they have a good relationship with their siblings. You can also invite over their friends to study or just hang out with them.
6. Don’t let gaming consoles babysit
One of the most common parenting mistakes is that parents let mobile phones and games babysit their kids. If your kids are feeling bad or are stressed, do not let them play games to get better. Instead, talk to them yourself.
Do you have more to add? Let us know in the comments below.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.
One can say that life is quite variable. It has its ups and downs and moves exactly like a roller coaster. Of course, the amount of transistions can vary from person to person. There can come a time of great fortune in one’s life. It may not just be financially but spiritually or mentally too. Just like this, there is a second side of that coin.
One may be faced with stressful times too. There can come a time when a person is under a lot of strain, mentally or financially. Financially, it can be quite a presure to try and make savings. Budget cuts can become a necessity and keeping a track becomes vital. So what are some things to NEVER do when you are trying to save money?
Image Source: https://propakistani.pk
1. Avoid Pricey Vacation Trips:
Vacations are usually considered a luxury. In this day and age of constant work and responsibilities, it can be quite difficult to take a vacation. That is how it is recommended! When saving money, it is better to never take a vacation that can be considered pricey. Vacations require one to dedicate. Dedication of time, resources, expenditure are all part of taking a vacation.
That being said, it is not completely out of the question to want to change locations to de-stress. It is better to look for cheaper and shorter alternatives, until such a time when saving is not as the top priority. If you feel your budget cannot allow you to go on a Pakistan tour, look for alternatives. Visit ‘Kund Malir’, ‘Gorakh’ or ‘Ranikot’ instead. Maybe take a stroll through time in ‘Moenjodaro’ or enjoy a picnic by ‘Keenjhar Lake’.
Image Source: https://activities.marriott.com
2. The Cost of Entertainment:
Going to the cinema to watch a movie can be costly, in today’s age. It alone costs Rs.900/- to watch a film here in Pakistan. When that includes food and drinks, then dinner after the film, it can easily go beyond Rs.1500/. All for a single night of fun? The same entertainment results can be obtained by having a movie marathon with friends at home. Getting chips and drinks is not out of the question either. At a time of saving, every Rupee can be considered precious. In this day and age of quarantine, a Netflix watch party is not out of the question too!
It is better to avoid activities that are quite costly and look for cheaper alternatives. Instead of going out for a steak or BBQ to an expensive restaurant, try having a BBQ of your own where the cost is evenly divided between friends. The writer of this article has organized BBQs of more than 14 people, where the per head cost was at Rs.350/-. Not only that, there was food leftover to take home too! Alternate options reveal themselves upon exploration. Another way to save money.
Image Source: https://mindfulofthehome.com
3. Constraint of Clothing and Gifts:
If a friend’s birthday is coming up, it is better to not go with a gift that can get you into financial trouble. The main gesture behind birthday gifts is not about how costly they can be, rather how much thought has been put into them. Not only this, it is better to not go for expensive clothes at a time of saving. Endorsing the local produce of the country can be quite useful in this regard. Markets like ‘Zainab Market’ or ‘Saddar’ can be quite useful in such times.
These establishments provide good quality clothing if one knows where to look. They may not have branded clothing but that does not mean a huge compromise on quality. After all, Pakistan is known for its clothing products as well. It can be a good way to save money.
Going for higher education, owning a car, or getting a house, are tasks that are not doable for every citizen. But banks in Pakistan allow you to be able to afford all these necessities of life. Today, we are covering a few of these banks that are providing house financing.
Meezan Bank only requires PKR 40,000 to be your gross income for you to apply to Easy Home. Moreover, if you make your spouse your co-applicant, you can club 100% of his income to show on the documents.
Through this bank, you have five options to use the house financing on. Easy Buyer allows you to buy a house you can instantly move in. In the Easy Builder option, you can build the house you want. Easy Renovate allows you to repair your existing home. There is an east replace option as well where you can transfer your existing mortgage to shift to another house. Lastly, there is Easy Enhancement which allows you to enhance your place.
Image Source: MENAbytes
2. Allied Bank
Usually, when it comes to loans be it house, car, or studies, almost all banks have the same features. So, what makes the house loan scheme for Allied Bank different is the bank’s requirement to have a consistent relationship with it before they can term you eligible. If you have maintained it with ABL, you only need to show a one year relationship, but if it is with some other bank, you need to have a minimum 2-year relationship with it.
Moreover, the primary applicant also needs to have a net income of PKR 75,000.
3. HBL
With HBL Islamic Home Finance, the bank can provide financials ranging from PKR 2 million to PKR 75 million. The bank provides up to 70% of the property value. Hence, you will need to come up with the 30% yourself. As for the equal monthly payments, they can be spread over the span of somewhere between 3 and 25 years.
Image source: flickr.com
4. Faysal Bank
A PKR 100,000 salary allows you to be eligible to get a house loan from Faysal Bank. This amount is only for approved companies’ employees. For the rest, the minimum amount is PKR 150,000. Self-employed people need to have a monthly income of PKR 200,000 and a non-resident Pakistani needs to show a minimum of USD 4,000.
5. Habib Metro
An easy to avail opportunity that does not have you confused in the required documents. All you need is your CNIC, your income documents, the details of the property, and the application form. You can further consult the bank but they will also confirm that with Habib Metro, the bank can provide 80% of the financing required.
Image Source: The News
6. Bank Al Habib
The loan at Bank Al Habib is available from PKR 3 lac all the way to PKR 50 million. Alternatively, you can also look for a loan based on the purchase value percentages. Bank Al Habib is willing to share up to 75-85% of the appraised value for a built-up house or apartment or land, whichever is lower.
7. National Bank Of Pakistan NBP
NBP calls this feature Saibaan. Under this umbrella, be it for house purchase, construction, purchase, and construction, or Balance Transfer Facility, NBP provides PKR 35 million. NBP shares the debt to equity burden as 70:30 which you can repay anywhere between 3 and 20 years, of course in equal installments.
Image Source: Arab News
8. JS Bank
JS Bank labels its house loan scheme as Ghar Apna. The bank loan here can range anywhere from PKR 0.5 million to PKR 100 million. In case, you want to go solar for your electricity, you can get a loan for that as well under the umbrella of renovating the house.
Getting house financing from Bank Alfalah is a good option because this particular bank has it all covered upfront. You do not need to call representatives to find out how much the bank provides for house construction if you are going for a purchase and build option. They have every possible detail listed on their website. I will strongly suggest browsing their webpage for a better idea.
So, tell us, which bank are you going to, to get house ownership?
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates!
‘Tis the season for hot chocolates with your loved ones because the cold of December has started cracking. Moreover, as we move towards the holiday season and New Year, we need something warm, delicious, and sweet to drink that feels joyful. In that case, here are the top 5 places you need to visit for your hot chocolate fix.
1. Cafe De Como
The first on the list has to be Cafe De Como because their hot chocolate not only looks out of this world good but also tastes like that. They use the most premium chocolate to make the cuppa for you and it is loaded with marshmallows and whatnot. Moreover, the crockery is to die for which just adds to the visual appeal and feel of the cup. It’s a must-try and the ambiance is swoon-worthy.
In Lahore, you can trust every dessert by Vanilla by Hafsa Zulfiqar because the baker focuses on simplicity. How to make the most delicious items without overly doing them or complicating them is her speciality. Her hot chocolate also speaks for itself because the most premium chocolate is used. It’s not fancy but it’s to die for.
This ice cream joint also specialises in hot chocolate. Their hot chocolate comes in a smaller cup, sadly, but is also worth the trouble of going to their place. They throw on a dollop of freshly made marshmallows on top and then torch it and stick a KitKat inside! It already sounds delicious and you know it.
It’s the coffee joint everybody goes to and so of course, they’re bound to have a hot chocolate on them too. Many people have said that Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s hot chocolate is actually the best in Lahore and we are yet to test this claim. However, if you’re already in love with the place for their coffees, you have your answer!
Deja is all things cute and delicious. This cafe in Sui Gas Society is worth visiting for its food and interiors but also more so for their hot chocolate. The cafe can be trusted with anything sweet and the hot chocolate is no exception. Try it out today with one of their famous brioche doughnuts!
Image Source: Deja By Khadija
Have you tried any of these places? Let us know in the comments below.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.
Pakistan Super League is arguably the biggest cricketing event of the year for the cricket-crazed nation and the seventh installment of the league is no different.
The tournament kicked off with a brief but vibrant opening ceremony held at the National Stadium, Karachi.
The proceeding was graced with the likes of Atif Aslam & Aima Baig who entertained the crowd with a live performance of the official PSL 7 anthem “Agay Dekh” along with a group of Austrian Skydivers— Florian Greger, Paul Steiner, and Stefan Muller — who landed inside the National Stadium from 5000 ft above.
The paragliding act from the Austrian trio who are Redbull Athletes, lasted for period of three minutes in which they made a grand entry into the stadium handing over the official match ball to kick-start the first match of PSL 7 between the defending champions Multan Sultans and home team Karachi Kings.
PCB Chairman, Ramiz Raja & Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recorded message to PSL teams and the fans was also displayed during the ceremony, followed by an eye-catching fireworks display.
The ceremony was subject to people’s praise, here’s how they reacted to the proceedings.
Lucky Motor Company (LMC) has finally revealed the prices & specifications of the Peugeot 2008 crossover in Pakistan with bookings open as well. Available in two variants, namely Active and Allure, the Peugeot 2008 has been priced at PKR 52.5 lac and PKR 58.5 lac respectively.
The Peugeot 2008 is launching in Pakistan on 28 January 2008 and the vehicle will be available for booking as well. However, the exact date for delivery of the vehicle is yet to be confirmed by the company along with more information regarding the complete specifications of both variants as well.
The key difference between the two variants is the presence of 6 airbags in Allure while Active has 4. There is a chrome front grille in Allure vs gloss grille in Active. Allure contains a 10-inch 3D cluster compared to the 10-inch Quartz instrument cluster in Active. TEP seats are present with contrasting stitching in Allure vs fabric seats in Active. Meanwhile, the panoramic sunroof, rain-sensing wipers and cruise control fingertip steering control are all present in Allure but are not available in the Active variant.
Dimensions
Length – 4158mm
Width – 1740mm
Height – 1557mm
In addition, the automobile has a 170mm Ground Clearance.
Image source: teckleck.com
Specifications
3 Claw LED Headlights
Signature Rear LED Headlight
Panoramic Sunroof
Spacious Interior
3D I-COCKPIT
17-inch Alloy wheels
7-inch Infotainment System
Smart Key with Push Start
Cruise Control
Engine And Transmission
The car will be introduced with a 1200cc MPI Turbo Engine that produces 130hp and 230Nm of torque. In addition, a 6-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive will be standard on the vehicle (FWD).
This is fascinating since, even though Peugeot has only defined one engine size for the incoming 2008 model, an image of the hybrid LCD metre is available on the website. In addition, “fitted with efficient petrol engines to fulfil the demands of experts” is mentioned in the text.
Headlights and DRLs will be equipped with 3-claw complete LEDs. 17-inch Alloy Wheels are the standard wheel size for this vehicle. The Panoramic Sunroof, which will undoubtedly be a terrific feature, will also be offered by the company.
Interior
A 7-inch Floating Infotainment Touchscreen and a Single-Zone Auto Climate Control will be included in the crossover SUV. With a Push Start button and Cruise Control, it boasts a Smart Key entry system. It has a wide range of current options and features, as evidenced by these features.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.
Samsung has confirmed a date and time for its next Galaxy Unpacked event in February.
The event’s invitation includes a large “S” along with the phrase “The Epic Standard”, suggesting Samsung plans to unveil the next-generation Galaxy S22 series – something it’s been hinting at for a while. Samsung is expected to announce the 2022 Galaxy S phone series, which will likely be called the Galaxy S22.
TM Roh, Samsung’s president and head of its mobile experience business, first announced the event in a blog post a few weeks ago. He mentioned that the company plans to introduce “the most noteworthy S series device we’ve ever created”. The post was littered with references to the Galaxy Note series, hinting it will be a focus during Samsung’s event.
Image source: larepublica. Com
The Event Details
Samsung will hold the next Galaxy Unpacked on Wednesday 9 February 2022 at 10am ET. Here are the different times around the globe.
San Francisco – 07:00 PDT
New York – 10:00 EDT
London – 15:00 BST
Berlin – 16:00 CEST
New Delhi – 19:30 IST
Tokyo – 23:00 JST
Sydney – 01:00 AEDT 10 February
Where To Watch
Samsung will be hosting a live stream for its viewers. Meanwhile, the event will also be available on the official Samsung website. Samsung’s YouTube page will supposedly premiere the livestream too as they have been doing that in previous years.
Sometimes the only way forward is to break the rules that hold us back. Break through the night and experience the epic standard at #SamsungUnpacked on February 9, 2022.
The firm introduced a slew of merchandise at its 5 Unpacked occasions last year. In January (the identical week as CES 2021), the corporate took the wraps off the Galaxy S21 lineup with a customary Galaxy S21, S21 Plus and S21 Ultra mannequin.
The flagship line was unveiled alongside the Pro earbuds and SmartTag object tracker. Then in March, Samsung introduced the cheaper Galaxy A smartphones, adopted by new Book laptops in April.
Later in August, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Z Flip 3, G. Watch 4 and G. Buds 2. New choices to customise Samsung’s foldable telephones had been then introduced in October.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.
It’s been 15 years since Apple iPhones have been in the market and this year has been one of their wildest, most successful yet. This year marked the tech giant’s strongest sales ever and made them become the first company to ever hit trillions on the stock market. Here’s the phone that’s been making it all happen:
iPhone 13’s Charisma
iPhone 13 is the one that pushed the company’s greatest sales yet. Despite coronavirus and the tumultuous supply chains issue, the phone has everyone wrapped around their finger. Apple CEO noted that iPhone 13 held top market-share spots around the world. This includes the US and Australia, China, and even the UK.
Image Source: Deccan Herald
The team felt from the very start this iPhone was going to be “fundamentally transformative.” iPhone 13’s sales have pushed past all previous company records and sale has increased for iPhones by a strong 9%. The phones range from the $699 iPhone 13 Mini to the $1,099 iPhone 13 Pro Max but the price tag is not a factor. Total sales for them have amounted to $71.6 billion.
Apple’s stock has also been on the up and up. It rose more than 3%, to $163.73 per share, before its regular closing of the day. Not too long ago, investors of Apple pushed the company’s shares above $3 trillion. This made Apple Inc. the very first company to have hit this market cap value in all of the stock market’s history.
Image Source: Bloomberg
The company’s revenue this year increased to $123.94 billion, moving up from double digits entirely.
It’s Everything Basically
Image Source: WRED
However, it’d be unfair to say iPhone has been stealing the sunshine. The company has reported that the sales of its Mac computers were also very strong and profitable. They rose more than 25%, to nearly $10.9 billion, because of the redesigned MacBook Pro laptops. Apple has also added that this new demand is for the new M1 chip. The chip was meant to replace the microprocessing brains that Apple used to rely on from Intel. It’s been responsible for greater efficiency and smoother control. As a result, “customer satisfaction is off the charts.”
House of Oud was founded with a vision of bringing two worlds together, the East and the West. In collaboration with a Bahraini Perfume House – Junaid Perfumes, House of Oud has been created to deliver products that speak to you.
As perfumers, we have always been fascinated by the art of blending aromas and creating unique stories of our own. We draw inspiration by collecting memorabilia that has lived through different ages. We leave no stone unturned in our efforts to select only the finest perfume ingredients and raw materials from around the world to create fragrances that make you dream.
Who are Junaid Perfumes?
Junaid Perfumes is a Bahraini Perfume House with over a century of experience in the field. With over 100 outlets in the GCC, Junaid Perfumes has entered numerous international markets in the past, and has provided them some of their fan favorites such as Oud Junaid, Taariikh Gold, Moattar Dhahab, Hajar, Nazeeh, Thulooj, Futaina, and many others. Through this new collaboration, House of Oud is a means of delivering the products you love to your doorstep.
As the world shrinks into a global village, the demand for our perfumes – specifically by the millions of Pakistanis that live and travel between the GCC and abroad – has inspired us to revive our presence in the country.
Our Perfumes
After carefully selecting the most sought out perfumes for Pakistan, we are launching fifty and more of our finest perfumes for you. Amongst these popular fragrances are some of our fan favorites that you may have come across, like Hajar, Futaina, Nazeeh, Sakura, Solitaire, Banafsaj, Thulooj, and Tabahy; as well as others. These products are known to go well with all seasons, ages and genders. The Musk Collection is a treat for the senses, and our flagship product ‘Oud Junaid’, has a class unparalleled by all others.
How to Order?
To make your order problem-free and safe, we are introducing our online store for Pakistan, www.houseofoud.pk
Visit our website, order your favorite fragrances, and have them delivered to your doorstep for FREE within 1-3 working days.
Islamabad – January 27, 2022: Etisalat has been ranked as the world’s strongest telecom brand and is the first in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region to achieve this milestone recognition by Brand Finance, the world’s leading brand valuation authority.
With a telecom portfolio of well over US$ 12.5 billion, Etisalat not only retained its AAA brand rating but also its position in MEA as the strongest brand across all categories and the most valuable brand portfolio.
Committed to customer value creation
Eng. Hatem Dowidar, CEO, Etisalat Group, said: “To be recognised as the world’s strongest telecom brand and as the most valuable telecom brand portfolio in MEA underline the success of our strategic initiatives to build a robust telecom infrastructure that creates added value for our customers wherever we serve. With our relentless focus on being customer-centric, we continue to push our horizons by investing in next generation technology that enhance our service offering and help shape the digital future.”
He added: “In this digital-first era, our focus is to be agile to meet the evolving requirements of our customers and deliver relevant and flexible services. Since our inception in 1976, we have been led by a vision to create a world-class telecom infrastructure that is central to economic progress.”
Astute brand leadership
Brand Finance also named Eng. Hatem Dowidar to the Elite List of Brand Guardians globally, jumping 4 places compared to last year’s ranking. This recognises the ground-breaking initiatives that he launched since he joined Etisalat in September 2015, which played a key role in propelling Etisalat’s business growth. Assuming the role of Group CEO in 2020, he stewarded the company’s growth through the fast-changing telecom and technology landscape following the COVID-19 pandemic. His astute brand stewardship served as the foundation for enhancing Etisalat’s brand reputation as well as employee engagement.
David Haigh, Chairman and CEO, Brand Finance, said: “Guided by the vision to ‘drive the digital future to empower societies’, Etisalat is the world’s strongest telecoms brand of 2022, as well as retaining its status as the strongest brand in the Middle East and Africa for the second consecutive year. Etisalat’s brand focuses on togetherness and plays its part by providing a first-class telecoms infrastructure across its footprint. The exceptional rollout of 5G technology has also meant that the Etisalat Group’s portfolio of brands is the most valuable amongst telecoms organisations in the Middle East.”
Attributing the success to his team at Etisalat, Dowidar added: “Our significant brand value growth is the result of the contributions and dedication of our employees across all the markets where we operate. Alongside our partners, they are the cornerstones of our efforts to be a digital-first company that is future-ready, while upholding our vision to empower societies, and turn challenges into opportunities.”
Path-breaking achievements
Etisalat’s robust fibre-optic infrastructure enhances the customer experiences across all business operations. Etisalat raised the benchmark as the world’s fastest network by delivering the best 5G experience at Expo 2020 Dubai as its official telecommunication and digital services partner, surpassing the expectations of millions of visitors. Etisalat has built a dedicated network for Expo 2020, which is the first 5G commercial site in MENA with more than 8,000 Wi-Fi access points, 8,500 mobile access points, and 700 km of fibre-optic cable.
Etisalat has leveraged its 46 years of telecoms experience and its investment in telecom infrastructure to enable the progress of the people and business alike, in addition to supporting vital sectors such as healthcare and education, especially following the pandemic.
Empowering the digital future
As the telecom sector continues to evolve at breakneck speed, Dowidar is focused on strengthening Etisalat’s strategic role in empowering the communities it serves in global markets. “Our proven ability to deliver seamless connectivity is our differentiating strength. We are fully equipped to unlock the potential of digital technologies to drive digital transformation at all levels – from government to business to individuals. Our recognition as the world’s leading telecom brand further fuels our ambition to expand to new geographies and build innovative partnerships, underpinning Etisalat as a brand that makes a positive difference.”
Etisalat’s digital arm has already made great strides in its digital B2B services, particularly in cybersecurity, the Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud connectivity. Help Ag, Etisalat Enterprise Digital’s cybersecurity arm, protects customers against identity theft and serve as an effective digital transformation vehicle.
Brand Finance is the world’s leading independent branded business valuation and strategy authority. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in the City of London, it aims to ‘bridge the gap between marketing and finance.’ Brand Finance evaluates over 5,000 brands across all sectors and geographies every year. The 500 most valuable brands are included in the Brand Finance Global 500 report.
Earlier, Brand Finance also declared PTCL, an Etisalat subsidiary and the leading telecom operator in Pakistan as the fastest growing brand in Pakistan at a special ceremony held in Barcelona during the Mobile World Congress 2018.
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rollout of 5G technology has also meant that the Etisalat Group’s portfolio of brands is the most valuable amongst telecoms organisations in the Middle East.”
