ISLAMABAD: 17^th August 2009. A declaration calling for the ratification of United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) was endorsed at the National Leadership Conference for Persons with Disabilities. Held at the National Institute for Special Education (NISE) from 12-14 Aug 2009, the conference was organized by Special Talent Exchange Program (STEP) in partnership with Telenor Pakistan’s flagship corporate initiative “Khuddar Pakistan.” The conference witnessed an unprecedented attendance of 50 Disabled Persons Organizations, key leaders from the disability rights movement, state officials, disability advisors, volunteers as well as Telenor Pakistan management.

Managing Director Pakistan Bait ul Maal, Zamurd Khan, Ex Director General Special Education Khalid Naeem, Country Director Sightsavers International Mr. Niazullah Khan, President STEP Atif Sheikh and Syed Hasnat Masood, Director Corporate Communications & Responsibility, Telenor Pakistan, termed the declaration a historic document because of the consensus behind it. The International panelists included Director of Japenese Society of Rehabilitation of Disabled persons, Masako Kuhira, Director International Foundation For Electoral Systems, Susan Palmer, Diasability advisor, Handicapped International, Virginia Robson and motivational speaker, Dr. Todd Shea.

Commenting on Telenor Pakistan’s support for the conference leading up to the declaration, Hasnat said: “Telenor Khuddar Pakistan is an initiative that promotes awareness, integration, and inclusion of persons with disabilities in the corporate sector as well as in the overall society. We are blessed with partners who are committed to consolidate grass-roots initiatives such as this declaration, which would hopefully help the rights movement of persons with disabilities in Pakistan. Only through a dignified acceptance of the rights of persons with disabilities, can we progress.”

The document titled “Islamabad Declaration on Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2009” was devised after panel discussions that spanned three full days and enjoyed active participation from the attending audience. The declaration urged the government to consider all Persons with Disabilities as full and responsible citizens of the country and to ensure that they enjoy the same rights, privileges, and opportunities as other citizens.

The declaration called upon the government to take necessary measures to ensure access to justice for persons with disabilities and reflect their issues in judicial policy, governance reforms and administrative structures. The declaration devised that this constituency of citizens of Pakistan also needs representation by persons with disabilities in the political arena. It was petitioned that a mechanism be developed for implementation of the 1981 ordinance on disabled persons and the 2002 policy on Disability and National Action Plan 2008, in addition to the cabinet decision of 8th June 2009 and Directives of President of Pakistan issued on 1st July 2009.

Civil society organizations were prompted in the declaration to include programs for persons with disabilities in their development agendas. It was suggested that they should work with electronic and print media to highlight and communicate issues of disability and generate awareness.

The corporate sector was asked to ensure employment according to the stipulations of the 1981 Ordinance of Disabled persons. It also endorsed accessible inclusion in employment environments and provision of assistive technologies. Most importantly, the declaration pressed upon persons with disabilities to educate and apprise themselves of existing laws and regulations relation to persons with disabilities.

About Telenor Pakistan

The Telenor Group is an international provider of high quality tele, data and media communication services with mobile operations in 13 markets across the Nordic region, Central and Eastern Europe and in Asia. The Telenor Group is among the largest mobile operators in the world with over 168 million mobile subscriptions and a workforce of more than 40,000. Telenor Pakistan is 100% owned by Telenor ASA and adds on to its operations in Asia.

For more information please visit: www.telenor.com.pk/pressCenter/press.php

ISLAMABAD: 16^th August 2009. The Telenor Pakistan Ambassador program came to an end with a Certificate Awarding Ceremony at a local hotel, here in Islamabad. Through this program, interns experience one of the most educationally enriching internship programs in the corporate sector. University students from all over Pakistan get together on this platform and are actively engaged in real time projects that provide them with ample learning opportunities.

Telenor Pakistan Ambassador Program Convocation is an event that takes place, every year to appreciate and commemorate the participation of interns in the internship program at Telenor Pakistan.

CEO Telenor Pakistan Jon Eddy Abdullah, Vice President Human Capital Division Telenor Pakistan Nayab Baig and senior officials from Bahria University, NUST Business School, Air University and NUMUL were present at the occasion. The ceremony began with a welcome note from the management of Telenor Pakistan, followed by a presentation about HR initiatives aimed at “Shaping the Professionals of tomorrow”. Later, in the evening certificates were awarded to the interns of 2009 that marked the end of the Ambassador program.

During his address at the Certificate Awarding Ceremony, CEO, Telenor Pakistan, John eddy Abdullah said, “Every year Telenor Pakistan provides internship opportunities to 200 students from all over Pakistan. We look at our interns as valuable resources and believe them to be a part of the Telenor Pakistan family. We welcome their input in terms of fresh ideas, innovative solutions and fast paced execution. The interns at Telenor Pakistan transition deeply into our unique culture and become advocates of our vision and values. We would like to wish the Ambassadors of Telenor Pakistan 2009, a world of learning and opportunity to reshape the future as competent, dedicated professionals.”

In 2009, 200 interns have undergone the Telenor Pakistan Ambassador’s Program and graduated from their apprenticeship with a holistic taste of the demands of the corporate world, Having been selected from a large University base, through a competitive sifting process, the interns at Telenor Pakistan take with them amplitude of learning, knowledge and experience.

The Telenor Pakistan Ambassador’s program can be applied for, from the Telenor careers website: www.telenor.com.pk/careers. The careers page enables applicants to apply for more than one job at a time and update resumes as and when required. The applicants’ database is browsed every year by a team of trained recruiters to filter resumes as per the internship requirement.

About Telenor Pakistan

The Telenor Group is an international provider of high quality tele, data and media communication services with mobile operations in 13 markets across the Nordic region, Central and Eastern Europe and in Asia. The Telenor Group is among the largest mobile operators in the world with over 168 million mobile subscriptions and a workforce of more than 40,000. Telenor Pakistan is 100% owned by Telenor ASA and adds on to its operations in Asia.

For more information please visit: www.telenor.com.pk/pressCenter/press.php

Like always, Telenor Pakistan has brought new and exciting services for its subscribers who have a chance of winning Mobile Phones, Free air time and a whole lot more. Our services include Song dedication, Wallpaper animation downloads and Patriotic songs and their tunes that can be downloaded.

Telenor has always celebrated national events with zeal and fervor. Keeping Telenor’s trend alive, this year Telenor Pakistan is organizing mega events which would be accessible for everyone. Telenor has expressed its love for Pakistan by turning the cities of Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi green. Banners, ‘streamers and hoardings’ and buildings have been branded to make Independence Day of 2009 a day to remember.

Lahore will be the focal point of Telenor’s activities. You can be a part of ‘Telenor Float’ which will travel on the roads of Lahore that include Jail road, Main boulevard road, Ferozpur Road, Arshi Road and Canal road. These activities will start on 13^th August after Maghreb. The caravans will start from MALL road and head towards different locations to make sure everyone gets a chance to be a part of our celebrations.

Besides these caravans there are going to be cultural activities going on at seven different spots:

• Liberty Round About
• Canal Chowk
• Zafar ali More Mall road
• Assembly Chowk
• Regal hall road
• High court road (GPO)
• Town Hall road

Karachi would be having Telenor’s Azadi Carvan which would having two bands performing starting at 4pm on Tariq road. Hyderabad Gym khana would be having a Family Concert of Ahmed Jahanzeb and Shazia Khushk all sponsored by Telenor.

The activity in Rawalpindi would be a weeklong event with touch points being:

• Satellite Town
• Commercial Market
• Saddar
• Chaklala Scheme III
• Lalkurti Bazaar

Additional Activities that have been planned are:

• Comment Space (white Flex)
• Small PA system for singing patriotic songs
• Giveaways
  • National Flag
  • T-shirts (telenor)
  • Audio cassettes (patriotic songs)

Details on the special services are as follows:

• 1700 – Song Dedication

• Dial 1700 and express your love for your country and win Nokia 3500 Classic Mobile Handset.
• Also you can dedicate patriotic songs to your friends & loved ones on Independence Day ”
• Charges: Rs. 10/ min + tax

• 1704 – Content Download

• Dial 1704 to download patriotic ringtones, exciting wallpapers & animations. 10 lucky winners will receive free airtime of Rs. 100 on the 14^th of August.  IVR Charges: Rs. 5/ min + tax

• WAP Content Download & Dedication – Youth Websites as WAP push require GPRS access.

Enjoy Unlimited Downloads of Independence Day’s latest ring tones, animations & wallpapers through WAP push.  SMS “Y” to 3006 to receive a WAP Link. Charges: Rs. 15 + tax .You can also dedicate the content to your friends & loved ones Charges Rs. 10 + tax.

• Music Box – 444

• Dial 444 and listen to full National Patriotic tracks for Independence Day. You can also download the ringtone of your favorite song or add it to your playlist. 10 lucky winners will receive 100 free minutes upon Music Box Subscription from 7^th August till 14^th of August!
• Also experience special transmission of 14^th August & get chance to get interviewed via LIVE Calls by our RJs.
• Charges: Rs 3+tax/min

• Telenor Smart Tunes – 230
  • Dial 230 and Press 2 to enter Smart Tune code for the top patriotic songs.

1. National Anthem Various Artists                              501414
2. Amar Kahani Najam Sheraz                              501401
3. Mera Paigham Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan               501810
4. Hum Aik Hain Shehzad Roy                                501407

• For more exciting patriotic songs dial 230.
• For more details visit www.telenor.com.pk

Bloggers Gathering turns out to be the exclusive demonstration of Telenor weblounge. Miscommunication or misunderstanding whatever it was, it provided me the opportunity to meet some of my old friends.

The presentation was about to end when I entered in the meeting room, and it was about Telenor new feature Weblounge[Surprise for me]. As far as I understood Weblounge is a web interface for customers to manage their data. User does not have to go to Telenor customer service centers anymore, almost everything can be done via Internet.  The gentleman on the presentation also demonstrated how users can control their data via web. According to him it was realtime system but it looked more like an online system to me.

So whats new in weblounge?

Right now in Pakistan no telecom company is providing the web interface so that their customer can fully control their data. Telenor Weblounge will provide customers to control their data.

Weblounge is for both postpaid and prepaid customers.

You can purchase a number of your choice from the web and SIM will be delivered within 48 hours.

You can shift from any other network to Telenor, make payments online or subscribe for exciting add-ons, special offers and value added services and many more by using this feature.

Telenor does not stop here, as told by the presenter It is phase one… there are also phase two and three.

Weblounge is definitely a smart move by Telenor. It will not only save the time of their customers but also they would require less people in their customer service centers, managing data would be more easy. My only concern is security, if their servers are compromised than this would be a catastrophe for Telenor.

I am excited and waiting for more details, as soon as I get them I will definitely share.