ISLAMABAD: Pakistani telecom operator, Zong, has announced a special call offer for Saudi Arabia and reduced tariffs ahead of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, the company said on Friday.
Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and requires every adult Muslim to undertake the journey to the holy Islamic sites in Makkah at least once in their lifetime if they are financially and physically able.
Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims this year, of which around 70,000 people will perform the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the rest will use private tour operators.
Zong said Pakistani customers may subscribe to its special IDD Saudi Arabia offer at just Rs2+tax per day and enjoy pulse-based calling at Rs0.70/second.
“The offer will assist Pakistanis to stay in touch with their loved ones performing Hajj during 2024 or residing in KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia),” the telecom operator said in a statement.
“Continuing to address the needs of our customers, we will continue to expand our International Dialing portfolio for our clients by offering more innovative products and services.”
This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14 till June 19. Pakistan’s pre-Hajj flight operation, which began on May 9, will continue until June 9.
Zong said its international dialing services have allowed Pakistanis to stay in touch with friends and families living abroad. “These bundles have been a major help to Pakistani in cross-border communication, especially during Eid-Ul-Adha 2024,” it added.
Eid Al-Adha, which begins on the 10th of the Islamic month of Dhul Hijjah, is one of the two biggest festivals of the Islamic calendar. Muslims around the globe mark the three-day festival by slaughtering animals such as sheep, goats and cows, and sharing their meat among family, friends and the poor.
Pakistani telecom operator reduces call tariffs for Saudi Arabia ahead of Hajj pilgrimage
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Pakistani telecom operator reduces call tariffs for Saudi Arabia ahead of Hajj pilgrimage
- Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and requires every adult Muslim to undertake the journey at least once in their lifetime
- Pakistan has Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims this year, of which around 70,000 people will perform pilgrimage under government scheme
Pakistan mulls 'Super App' for public services, document verification in major technology push
- Pakistan has been urging technology adoption in public, private sectors as it seeks to become a key tech player globally
- The country this month launched the Indus AI Week to harness technology for productivity, skills development and innovation
KARACHI: Pakistan is planning to launch a “Super App” to deliver public services and enable digital document verification, the country's information technology (IT) minister said on Sunday, amid a major push for technology adoption in public and private sectors.
Pakistan, a country of 240 million people, seeks to become a key participant in the global tech economy, amid growing interest from governments in the Global South to harness advanced technologies for productivity, skills development and innovation.
The country's information and communications technology (ICT) exports hit a record $437 million in Dec. last year, according to IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja. This constituted a 23% increase month on month and a 26% increase year on year.
Pakistan's technology sector is also advancing in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing, marked by the launch of Pakistan’s first sovereign AI cloud in November, designed to keep sensitive data domestic and support growth in the broader digital ecosystem.
“In developed countries, citizens can access all government services from a mobile phone,” Fatima said, announcing plans for the Super App at an event in Karachi where more than 7,000 students had gathered for an AI training entrance test as part of the ‘Indus AI Week.’
“We will strive to provide similar facilities in the coming years.”
Khawaja said the app will reduce the need for in-person visits to government offices such as the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
The Indus AI Week initiative, which ran from Feb. 9 till Feb. 15. was aimed at positioning Pakistan as a key future participant in the global AI revolution, according to the IT minister.
At the opening of the weeklong initiative, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that Pakistan would invest $1 billion in AI by 2030 to modernize the South Asian nation’s digital economy.
“These initiatives aim to strengthen national AI infrastructure and make the best use of our human resource,” Khawaja said, urging young Pakistanis to become creators, inventors and innovators rather than just being the consumers of technology.
