1) PAKISTAN BANKING SECTOR Overview:

The Banking sector is an integral part of the country s financial services industry. The sector witnessed a phenomenal growth in 2001-03 where deposits rose by almost 100%. There are 39 scheduled banks (including 11 foreign banks) operating in Pakistan. Opportunities for foreign banks, especially in consumer and retail banking, are greater than ever before. In the financial year of 2004-05, the banking sector experienced growth rates of 21% and 36% in its deposit and advances portfolio respectively, which in turn, has increased the banks stability as compared to the preceding year. A significant shift of focus from industrial lending to consumer products has allowed the banks to enjoy enormous spreads. However, the manufacturing sector is still enjoying the highest share in credit facilities extended by the banking industry. 80 percent of the banking assets are held by the private sector banks and the privatization of nationalized commercial banks has brought about a culture of professionalism and service orientation in place of bureaucracy and apathy. The banks that were burdened with the non-performing and defaulted loans have cleared up their balance sheets in an open transparent, across-the-board manner. Contrary to the popular myth the main beneficiaries of the write-offs of the old outstanding and unrecoverable loans have been from almost 25 percent to 6.7 percent by Dec. 2005. Small individual borrowers the ratio of non-performing loans of the Commercial Banks to total advances has declined. Recruitment is done through a highly competitive process and promotions and compensation are linked to training, skills and high performance. The banks now routinely employ MBAs, M.Coms, Chartered Accountants, IT graduates, economists and other highly educated persons rather than Clerical and Non Clerical Workers. The banking industry has become the preferred choice of profession among the young graduates. Banking Technology that was almost non-existent in Pakistan until a few years ago is revolutionizing the customer services and access on-line banking, Internet banking, ATMs, mobile phone banking and other modes of delivery have made it possible to provide convenience to the customers while reducing the transaction costs to the banks. Credit Cards, Debit Cards, Smart Cards etc. are a thriving and expanding business in Pakistan. (http://www.scribd.com/doc/18676156/Pakistan-Banking-Sector) (ishrathusain.iba.edu.pk/speeches/.../Pakistan_Banking_Sector.doc)

2) A Pakistani 17-year Boy [Jawwad Iqbal Gaba] Set a World Record of Spinning A Fry Pan on Finger for More Than 30 Minutes (3 Jan 2011) A Pakistani boy of age 17 years set a world record of spinning a fry pan on his one finger for almost 30 minutes and 34 seconds. He said that he was extremely nervous because he never faced media and cameras before. He has broken the previous world record by an Italian who did the same task for 17 minutes and 47 seconds. The entire TV channels covered this performance and watch him live at Expo centre Karachi. The engineering student had a clever plan to keep away from any kind of interruption. For that he had synchronized the spinning of Pan with the music on his mp3 player that he was attached with earplugs. The music was absolutely timed to the previous world record to have an idea of time, so it ended after 17 minutes and 47 seconds. During Jawwad s attempt, people highly praised at every fleeting minute after the first 17 minutes. But the coordinators were trying them not to clap until he was done with the record. As soon as the host broadcasted that congratulation the world record was beaten, Jawwad dedicated a song to his mother and kept on spinning the frying pan. The reason that he continued spinning for an additional 17 minutes, he said that he wanted to make such a record that must be much harder for any person to beat. After the flawless performance of Jawwad, the crowd at once jumped on the stage, lifted and tossed him in the air to rejoice. For the moment, some people tried to clutch the star frying pan to take home as a memento.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeExmGYYe_E)

3) Pakistan has Doubled its Nuclear Weapons as Compared to India (Jan 31, 2011) Pakistan has Doubled its Nuclear Weapons as Compared to India, Pakistan has doubled its nuclear weapons stockpile over the past several years, increasing its arsenal to more than 100 deployed weapons, edging ahead of India, The Washington Post reported .

Citing US non-government analysts, the newspaper said that only four years ago, the Pakistani nuclear arsenal was estimated at 30 to 60 weapons. They have been expanding pretty rapidly, the report quoted David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security, as saying. Based on recently accelerated production of plutonium and highly enriched uranium, Islamabad may now have an arsenal of up to 110 weapons, Albright said. India is estimated to have 60 to 100 weapons. (http://viewstonews.com/index.php/pakistan-has-doubled-its-nuclear-weapons-as-comparedto-india/pakistan) http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-01-31/news/28425793_1_hans-mkristensen-science-and-international-security-nuclear-arsenal

4) Pakistan Successfully test Hataf 7 Misile (on Feb 10th, 2011) Breaking News: Pakistan Successfully test fires long distance Hataf 7 Misile, cruise missile has range of approximately 600 KM. ISPR The missile can carry conventional and other warheads, the ISPR said. Photo by AFP

Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, officers and scientists witnessed the test. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani congratulated the scientists and engineers for successfully conducting the test.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI2jLhpCySU ) (http://www.dunyanews.tv/index.php?key=Q2F0SUQ9MiNOaWQ9MTk5NTE=)

5) Nust Students Made Hybird Car That Can Run 250 km In One Liter Fuel (on 24-07-2010 )

Pakistani students made a hybird car which can run up to 167 miles (250 km) in just onequarter of a gallon (one litre) of fuel. The petrol engine produces a constant energy of 3.5 British horsepower & more power comes from the super capacitor banks. Prodigy has a fiber glass body and can go up to 250 km in just one liter of fuel & its the 1st hybird car designed is Pakistan. The single-seater Prodigy has a gasoline-run combustion engine that works in conjunction with electric motors that makes it run more efficiently. It harvests energy lost during breaking and reuses it for moving. Energy is stored in supercapacitor banks through a microcontroller based Energy Management Unit.

(http://omgshots.com/31-nust-students-made-hybird-car-that-can-run-250-km-in-one-literfuel.html) (http://www.daily.pk/nust-students-design-pakistan%E2%80%99s-first-ever-hybrid-car-18215/) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDB4dTpyPs0)

6) JF-17 Thunder FC-1 Xiaolong

The Joint Fighter-17 (JF-17) Thunder, also known as the Fighter China-1 (FC-1) Fierce Dragon (Xiaolong) in China (initially known as Super-7), is a single-seat multirole fighter aircraft codeveloped by China and Pakistan. Currently four prototypes are flying. A joint venture between CAC and Pakistani Aeronautical Complex (PAC) will begin initial production of 16 aircraft in 2006. The designation of the aircraft in the Pakistani Air Force (PAF) is Joint Fighter-17 (JF-17) Thunder. It is still not clear whether the Pakistan Air Force (PLA) Air Force will eventually acquire any of this aircraft. If they do introduction can be as soon as 2007. A JF-17 Thunder of the Pakistan Air Force takes off during an aerobatics display at the Zhuhai Air Show 2010. National origin: Manufacturer: Islamic Republic of Pakistan People's Republic of China Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation

First flight:

Pakistan Aeronautical Complex 25 August 2003

Introduction: 12 March 2007 Status: Operational with the Pakistan Air Force as of 18 February 2010[1] Primary user: Pakistan Air Force Produced: In China: June 2007 present In Pakistan: January 2008 present Number built: Prototypes: 6 Production: 14 Program cost: US$ 500 million[2] Unit cost: US$ 15 million (estimated) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwYZszpT09o) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzQw0V9pbhQ) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAC_/_PAC_JF-17_Thunder) (http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/fc1xiaolongjf17thund/)