Papa John's coming back to Pakistan

Papa John's coming back to Pakistan

Pizza lovers in Pakistan unite. Papa John’s, the undisputed king of Pizza in the USA, is gearing up for a major push across Pakistan this year.

Food connoisseurs here may remember that Papa John’s used to have a branch in Clifton, Karachi a few years ago. Though the branch eventually closed, it seems that things will be different this time as Papa John’s aims for a massive promotion to announce its re-entry this time.

The fast food franchise has already got people talking on social media, with posts on both Instagram and as well as their official website that promises a #BetterPizza for all:

The brand is already asking friends where do they think Papa John’s will launch their first branch. The following social media post strongly hints that it will start their operations in Lahore first, though its unconfirmed for now:

A Better Pizza for everyone

Papa John’s is the fourth biggest pizza franchise in USA, which, fun fact, is the largest pizza consumer worldwide. It was founded in Kentucky by John Schnatter.

The pizza brand has over 5,000 outlets worldwide. Its claim to fame? Papa John’s unique butter dips are a hit with its customers, just in case all that cheese doesn’t make it stand out from the rest.

Interestingly, Papa John’s Pakistan website says it will offer a ‘Create Your Own Pizza’ styled offering. You can design your pizza exactly how you like.

Hopefully, Papa John’s is relaunching here under a new management, and remind people what makes it the best. The likes of other Pizza startups will have to contend with this new competitor in town.

Papa John’s can stand out from the rest by getting its famous dough-to-sauce-to-cheese ratio just right for Pakistani pizza lovers. We won’t have to wait too long to find out!

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Pak business delegation holds productive meetings in Jeddah

Pak business delegation holds productive meetings in Jeddah

ISLAMABAD, JAN 13 – The high level business delegation is in Jeddah to explore various avenues of business cooperation.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan enjoy excellent bilateral relations and with the visit of high level business  team from Pakistan, trade and business ties would surely get a considrabe boost.

On Sunday, the Pakistani delegation met with the deputy trade minister of Saudi Arabia. Malik Shahid Saleem the President of Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry led he delegation.

Both sides discussed various ways and means to enhance and cement business ties between the two countries.

Pak business delegation holds productive meetings in Jeddah

Earlier, the Commercial Attaché of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan bid farewell to the delegation of Pakistani businessmen participating in the meetings of the Saudi-Pakistani trade mission being held in Jeddah under the auspices of the Saudi Export Development Authority.

Saudi Trade Attaché in Pakistan, Mohammad Ahmad Asiri and members of the office saw the delegation off.

A total of 65 Saudi companies and 35 Pakistani companies are interested in importing Saudi products in the food and building materials sectors.

The trade mission in Jeddah is scheduled to last for two days, 13 and 14 January 2019 and to discuss opportunities to enhance the quality of Saudi products in order to achieve greater openness to international markets and to allow local exporters to undertake many deals to develop their exports and open new markets for their products.

It may be mentioned here that Saudi Arabia had recently appointed a fully fledged trade and commercial attaché in Pakistan.

Ever since his appointed Ahmad Asiri has been engaged with various Pakistani business enterprises with a view to promoted trade and economic links between the two brotherly nations.

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Info Minister Fawad Chaudhry phone his Saudi counterpart Turki Alshabanah

Info Minister Fawad Chaudhry phone his Saudi counterpart Turki Alshabanah

ISLAMABAD, JAN 13 - Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry on Sunday called his Saudi counterpart Turki Alshabanah and greeted him  on assuming charge of his office.

Fawad Chaudhry said both countries enjoy excellent relation and hoped these relations would further be strengthened in the coming days.

He further said Pakistan was eagerly awaiting visit of Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman adding the visit would further deepen bilateral ties.

It may be mentioned here that the Saudi energy minister also visited Pakistan in order to explore various new business avenue.

He also visited Gwadar where Saudi Arabia is to set up an oil refinery. The energy minister had termed the Gwadar Port very important for the regional and global connectivity.

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AIOU’s M.Phill (Pak. Study) workshop from Jan 19

AIOU’s M.Phill (Pak. Study) workshop from Jan 19

ISLAMABAD, JAN 12 - Department of Pakistan Studies, Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) has scheduled 1st workshop of M.Phill (Pakistan Study) from January 19 at the University’s main campus here in Islamabad.

The workshop will be continued till February 3.  Information letters for attending the workshop have been sent to all the enrolled students at their given addresses.

In addition the students are advised to make sure their attendance in the workshop at the Department of Pakistan Studies from 19th January.

For further detail, the students can contact Dr. Badshah Sardar, Associate Professor, Department of Pak. Studies personally or at Phone No.051-9057226 Ex.7226.

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Saudi energy minister's visit seeks to reinforce brotherly ties between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan

Saudi energy minister's visit seeks to reinforce brotherly ties between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan

GWADAR, JAN 12 - Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy and Industry, Khalid Al-Falih visited the Gwadar port on Saturday.

The dignified guest was welcomed on arrival in Pakistan by Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Minister of State for Port & Shipping Ali Zaidi and the Deputy Ambassador of the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Habibullah Bukhari.

The aim of the visit is to reinforce the affiliation between both the brother countries, deliberating the definitive approaches of reconciliation memorandums for investment in the fields of refining, petrochemical, mining and renewable energy in Pakistan, to gain awareness on the prospects and plans existing in the Gwadar port, consider methods to increase exports between the two countries, encouraging the private sector investor in terms of investment and also making it easy for them to capitalize in Pakistan.

Soon as the Honorable Minister Khalid Al-Falih arrived, a meeting was held with the Minister of Petroleum and Minister for Port & Shipping to discuss likelihoods of economically supporting Pakistan in the arenas of energy, sanitation and mineral resources.

Hence, in order to reflect strong ties between the two countries, both parties reviewed possibilities of expanding exports amongst the two republics and the facilitating ways for Saudi investors in Pakistan too came under discussion.

Thereafter, the Dignitary visited Gwadar Port, where he received information regarding opportunities existing at the port. The VIP was also briefed by the port officials about future projects and the ongoing programs in Gwadar Port.

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Peshawar BRT project started to crumble before its completion

Peshawar BRT project started to crumble before its completion

PESHAWAR, JAN 12 - Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project has been left in a dilapidated condition well before its completion as cracks in walls of its bridges could be observed near several underpasses due to substandard material, improper maintenance and poor feasibility study of the project.

Reportedly, cost of the project started in October 2017 was evaluated at Rs 49 billion with a timeline of 6 months, however, the cost has escalated to Rs70 billion with a delay of 6 months.

Meanwhile, residents of the area fear that the structure might crumble and termed the delay and poor management of the project “failure of the government”, and urged the concerned authorities to take notice of the matter on the priority basis.

BRT-Reach 3 Project Engineer expressed his views, and said that the cracks appeared due to change of climate and as the project would proceed, the cracks would be fixed.

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Ivanka Trump among possible World Bank nominees: report

Ivanka Trump among possible World Bank nominees: report

WASHINGTON, JAN 12 - Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and US President Donald Trump’s daughter and adviser Ivanka are among possible US candidates to replace outgoing World Bank President Jim Yong Kim.

Kim abruptly announced Monday he was cutting short his tenure as the bank’s president more than three years before his second term was due to end.

In addition to Trump and Haley, who stepped down as US Ambassador to the United Nations last month, other names being floated include Treasury Undersecretary for International Affairs David Malpass and Mark Green, head of the US Agency for International Development.

Ivanka Trump in 2017 was the driving force behind a $1 billion, Saudi-supported World Bank fund to promote entrepreneurship by women.

The Treasury Department told on Friday that it had no comment in potential candidates.

The department has received a “significant number of recommendations,” a spokesperson said.

“We are beginning the internal review process for a US nominee. We look forward to working with the governors to select a new leader.”

Under an unwritten agreement, the United States, which is the bank’s largest shareholder, has always chosen its leader since the institution was founded following World War II.

But the success of a US candidate no longer appears completely assured.

Kim was the first American nominee to face a contested election for the World Bank presidency in 2012 and the bank’s board has said its selection process will be “open, merit-based and transparent,” implying non-US candidates would not be ruled out.

The World Bank Board said Thursday it would start accepting nominations for a new leader early next month and name a replacement for Kim by mid-April.

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