ISLAMABAD - Associate Professor, School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) Dr Umar Saif has been recognized by MIT Technology Review as one of the top 35 innovators (TR35) in the world.
He is the first Pakistani scholar to have been selected for the prestigious TR35 award in the last decade, says a press release.
“The TR35 recognizes the world’s top 35 young innovators that are radically transforming technology as we know it. Their work – spanning medicine, computing, communications, energy, electronics and nanotechnology — is changing our world”, according to MIT Technology Review.
Dr Saif has been honoured for his work on technologies for the developing-world. Technologies developed by Dr Saif’s research group and startups are used by millions of people in the developing world, especially BitMate, that enhances the speed of Internet in the developing-world using peer-to-peer technology, and SMSall.pk, Pakistan’s largest SMS Social Network which has sent close to four billion SMS for users in Pakistan.
Dr Saif joins an elite group of researchers and entrepreneurs selected over the last decade. Previous winners include Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the co-founders of Google, Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, Jonathan Ive, the chief designer at Apple, David Karp, founder of Tumbler; Harvard Professor Alán Aspuru-Guzik for his work on Quantum computers, and MIT Neuroscientist Ed Boyden, one of the inventors of the emerging field of optogenetics, which makes it possible to control neurons with light.
MIT Technology Review selects the top innovators after a rigorous evaluation process. The judges, who are leading experts in their fields from universities such as MIT, Stanford and Harvard, consider hundreds of high-impact researchers and entrepreneurs from all over the world, out of which top 35 are chosen for the award.
“This year’s group of TR35 recipients is driving the next wave of transformative technology and making an impact on the way we live, work and interact”, said Jason Pontin, editor-in-chief and publisher of the MIT Technology Review.
Dr Saif has won numerous awards for his innovative technology solutions for the developing-world. He was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2009. He is a recipient of the MIT Technovator Award, Mark Weiser Award, Digital Inclusion Award from Microsoft Research and the IDG Technology Pioneer Award.
Before moving to Pakistan, Dr Saif worked at MIT and received a PhD from the University of Cambridge. He is a Fellow of the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust.

Families of the Indian sailors are thankful to Pakistan for the efforts Pakistan made for their freedom from the Somalian pirates.

ISLAMABAD: The exports of Pakistan in May 2011 increased by 33 percent over the exports in May 2010, according to the provisional trade statistics released by Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

For the first time, country’s exports for the 11 months of the financial year2010-11 are reported at Rs1.95 trillion (US$ 22.7 billion) which is well above this year’s targets of US $ 21.2 billion.

The exports as percentage of imports have increased by 6 percent in the current year trace over last year.

It is expected that the country, for the first time would be able to export goods worth $ 25 billion in this year, said a statement issued by Ministry of Commerce here on Thursday.

On the other hand imports increased at a rate of 16 percent and were reported at US $ 36.5 billion in July-May 2010-11.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011

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No one can deny the dynamic and positive role of Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan in producing quality professionals in Pakistan from last few years. Pakistan has produced more PHDs in last few years than it produced in 50 years. A lot of research work in being done and its due to this facts that Pakistan has been rated a ‘Rising Star’ in research multiple times over the last couple of years by ScienceWatch.com, a Thompson Reuters website which tracks trends and performance in research by analyzing its database of scientific papers and citations.

We strongly protest against the devolution of HEC, and request Government of Pakistan to withdraw its decision.

Pakistan Hockey team has defeated Malaysia in Asian Games of 2010 in Guangzhou by 2-0 score. This long awaited victory has sparked widespread celebrations all over Pakistan. The last time Pakistan had won the Asian Games was in 1990, in Beijing when Pakistan Hockey team defeated India by 3-2.
Malaysia had gone into the final as the only unbeaten team in the competition with four wins and a draw.
This is the second Asian Games Gold medal for Pakistan in a day, interestingly Pakistan Squash team also defeated Malaysia to hold the top position on victory stand of Squash.
With this victory Pakistan has qualified for Olympics. This is the same team who was ranked at 12 in previous Hockey World Cup and Hockey was not even include in the national games of Pakistan in 2010.
Sohail Abbas was the one to score first goal in the 28th minute when he converted from a penalty corner whereas Rihan Butt scored second and decisive goal in the beginning of second half of the match when he hit a close-range goal from open play.
But Salman Akbar, goalkeeper of Pakistan Hockey team, is considered to be the actual hero and main character in this victory. He saved two definite goals for Pakistan in the final match. It was his extraordinary performance in the semi finals against South Korea who brought Pakistan in the finals when he saved 4 out of 7 penalty strokes.  He was no doubt the best player of this tournament.
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China has agreed to provide four trainer aircraft to the Pakistan Air Force and 60 million yuan ($9 million) for training the country’s armed forces.
An agreement to this effect was signed Monday by Pakistani Defence Minister Ahmad Mukhtar and his Chinese counterpart Gen. Liang Guangile, Online news agency reported.
Earlier, a 17-member defence delegation led by Liang called on Mukhtar and exchanged views on bilateral defence cooperation, the strategic situation in the region and Pakistan’s anti-terror efforts.
Both sides agreed to further increase military cooperation and strategic communication at all levels to overcome the challenges being confronted by the two countries.
It was also decided to hold joint exercises to promote and increase interaction and ensure closer collaboration between the armed forces of the two countries, by the three forces of the two countries.
Liang assured his counterpart that China would continue to provide military and economic assistance to Pakistan so as to make it a stronger and prosperous country. He assured that his country would continue to support Pakistan’s stance on different issues at every international forum.
Appreciating the unflinching support provided by China to Pakistan, Mukhtar said Pakistan was highly indebted to China for supporting Pakistan in difficult times and specially its role in developing and strengthening the defence sector. source

Lost of a scholar is no doubt one of the biggest lost in the world. The renowned Islamic scholar and thinker Dr. Israr Ahmad (Bani e Tanzeem e Islam) passed away last night making us all very sad (Inna Lillahe Wa Inna Elyhi Rajion). His Nimaz-e-Janaza will be offered today after Asar prayer in at Central Park, Model Town, Lahore. May Allah accept all his struggle and service for Deen-e-Islam, give him a place in Jannat-ul-Firdoos. (Ameen)

A new JF-17 Thunder fighter plane, first of its kind made in Pakistan, is unveiled at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Kamra, some 60 kilometers northwest of the Pakistani capital Islamabad, Nov. 23, 2009. JF-17 is a kind of advanced multi-role jet fighter jointly invested and developed by China and Pakistan.

The Pakistan Air Force has so far received eight JF-17 jets from China that are being used for testing and evaluation. The PAF plans to raise its first squadron of JF-17 jets by the end of this year.

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has developed a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) information system to address associated risks on security and to ensure subscription regulations in cellular sector.

The objective of the project is to provide a consumer-based facility to mobile subscribers in Pakistan by which they would be able to find out the total number of SIM(s) registered against their respective CNIC number with each mobile operator.

Process is very simple. Check here to open SIM Information System page, enter your CNIC number in the text field provided there, and press Submit button, you will get the information of the number of SIMs registered with your CNIC number.

BlackWater started its operations in 2007 in Pakistan. Since then, it has been involved in many under cover operations and establishment of offices in Pakistan. After changing its name to XE Worldwide, the mercenary army has penetrated in Peshawar, Islamabad and Karachi. This report reveals the covert operations that Blackwater is performing in Pakistan.

Government closed her eyes on this very serious matter. Its time for all of us to stand yet again for the safety and the people of Pakistan and for the safety of Pakistan. Raise your voice so that it can be heard by our Government and by rest of the world. Do share it with everyone. Long Live Pakistan.