Karachi: Live on Snapchat

5^thNovember, 2015, the day that gained immense highlights. This is the day when the city Karachi went live on Snapchat. Pakistanis, especially Karachiites, were in extreme delight as Karachi made it to Snapchat’s live story. Karachiites were informed a day before about this news through snapchat and it was something no one could wait for.

Snapchat aims to showcase insights from different cities around the world that come from the very own residents of that particular city. Just like every other city, Karachi gained much popularity through Snapchat’s initiative.

The story was all about things that perfectly define Karachi. The sun shining bright early in the morning, the beauty of the Arabian Sea, the famous monuments like Frere Hall and our founder’s tomb,traditional food and the very special ‘chai’ are some of the various highlights of the story. It proved to the people around the world that Karachi iscertainly ‘the city of lights’.

As much as we enjoy visiting other cities from all over the world virtually(thanks to Snapchat), we are sure the rest of the world had a great virtual tour of our beautiful.The Karachiites participated actively in sending in their stories to be featured on the live story. Snapchat could not feature each one of them for apparent reasons but we hope thatSnapchat comes back to our country and the world gets to explore the truer Pakistan.

Social media is a key part of today’s era and absolutely anything can be conveniently passed on for the rest of the world to see. We should get inspirations from Snapchat’s initiative that wants to promote the goodness of the world. As Pakistanis, we must take the responsibility of representing the bright side of our country and be optimistic about it.

How to Stay Motivated at Work

Jovago has come up with a list of things to do which can help you stay motivated at work:

1. Exercise before you work!Exercising before you work activates your neurons and is the perfect alarm. Wake up half an hour early, and perform a short work out routine. Whether its yoga, lifting or cardio, push yourself and get your body moving!

2. Create a to-do list for the dayCreate your list upon arrival and continue adding tasks that can be both related to work and unrelated. Physically writing your goals helps increase the responsibility felt to complete them on time!

3. Plan to have frequent meeting with your mentorHaving a mentor who supervises you and updates you on your progress and areas that can be improved is truly empowering. It helps to establish a relationship with them, and helps you understand your workplace and what is expected of you!

3. Take 10 minutes off, for every 50 minutes you workThe key to maximizing your hours at work is to take as many breaks as possible! Short breaks can be set aside for a walk, a powernap, and a time to write or eat. These breaks can be viewed as rewards for completing your work on time!

5. Build a relationship with a reliable colleague Getting to know your colleagues is essential. Grab lunch or go for coffee with them after work! This will help you stay motivated during your working hours, as surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals is a great form of inspiration.

5. Set goals, and celebrate your milestones!Setting short-term and long-term goals about your career path and future aims helps you to map out your personal road to success. Once achieved, celebrate your winnings and accept any moments of failure as points of learning along the way.

5. Sleep wellAfter a long day, it is important to energize yourself. Sleep early, or take a nap after work. Help to maintain a balance so you do not over work yourself.

Finally, do not forget to utilize your leaves and plan a trip to Murree to ease your hectic routine and continue working with full vigor.

Plan a Trip to Neelum Valley!

The best kind of trip is the one where you can actually relax – no messages, no phone calls, no whatsapp, no instagram – let go of technology and embrace your surroundings. Although it is very hard to find WiFi and signal free zones, Neelum Valley fulfills these requirements!

We have created an itinerary for you to have a relaxing trip, where you can just enjoy the company of people you travel with, and of course, yourself.

Day 1:

To start the Neelum Valley excursion, you will have to drive from Islamabad to Muzafarrabad.  Muzaffarabad is the cultural and financial capital of Azad Kashmir in Pakistan. It lies on the banks of the Jhelum and Neelum rivers. When in Muzaffarabad, visit Jovago’s top three sights, and for more information click here.

Aim to leave Muzaffarabad by 11am, and drive towards Keran. You will reach Keran by 3pm.

Keran is a village in Neelam Valley. It is situated 59 miles from Muzaffarabad and lies on the banks of the Neelam River at an altitude of 5,000 ft. The view from the tourist rest houses in Keran is phenomenal. Snow-capped mountains surround the resorts as well as snow kissed trees. Spend the night in Keran, and find your perfect resort through Jovago!

Day 2:

In the morning drive from Keran to Kutton. Kutton is also known as Jagran Valley. It is a village in Neelam Valley that is located amongst vast strips of greenery and snow. There is a beautiful waterfall in Kutton, which is worth a visit. After seeing the waterfall, proceed deeper into Neelum Valley and visit Sharda.

Sharda is one of the two administrative centers (tehsil) in the Neelam district. When in Sharda, visit the ruins of Sharada Peeth a famous temple and Hindu pilgrimage site. It was dedicated to the goddess Sarasvatī (Sharda) who represents learning. Kashmir was once a place where Hindu was taught and learnt.

Other historical monumentsthat must be visited include the Sharda fort, and Kishan Ghaati.

Spend the night in Sharda, and your comfortable stay is only one click away!

Day 3:

Go from Sharda to Kel, hiking to Arang Kel and then coming back to Sharda at night.

Kel is a village in Neelam Valley, situated at an altitude of 6,879 feet. Upon reaching Kel, trek to Arang Kel which is only a 2 kilometer hike away. It is situated at an altitude of 8,379 feet and is a popular tourist spot. Arang Kel is a hill station surrounded by lush green trees, and fields of greenery. The view from the hilltop features the serene mountains surrounding Neelum Valley, as well as the beautiful stream itself.

After this visit, you will notice how traveling without technology is a charm on its own.  Enjoy Neelum Valley!

Careem raises US$ 60 million in new funding with The Abraaj Group as lead investor

Careem is the leading app-based car service in the region covering 20 cities from Morocco to Pakistan

New investment from Abraaj, Al Tayyar Travel Group (Al Tayyar) and other investors will drive growth into new markets and cement Careem’s leading position in region’s major cities

Careem, the MENA region’s locally founded app-based car service, today announced a Series C investment of US$ 60 million with The Abraaj Group (Abraaj) as lead investor. This funding represents one of the largest investments in the region’s emerging technology sector and will be used to accelerate market expansion and innovation in Careem’s car service across its core markets in MENA, Pakistan and the wider region.  It marks the third round of fundraising by Careem and sees Abraaj join other leading investors including Al Tayyar, STC Ventures, Beco Capital, Impulse (a subsidiary of Kuwait Investment Authority), Lumia Capital and Wamda Capital. Al Tayyar remains the largest institutional investor in Careem.

Founded in Dubai in 2012, Careem is an app-based car service currently operating in 20 cities from Morocco to Pakistan. As a home-grown pioneer of MENA’s technology sector, Careem’s mission is to simplify people’s lives through reliable and affordable urban transport. In the last three years, the company has witnessed strong growth month on month of over 30% across its core markets of the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Having delivered millions of successful rides with tens of thousands of ‘Captains’ (drivers), this new investment will further strengthen Careem’s leadership position in the region. Careem plans to continue growing by partnering with regulators and governments to create jobs, improve livelihoods and empower women.

Careem will use the funding from Abraaj to invest in further growth in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, introducing key new hires, accelerating its pace of entry into new markets, and developing innovative new products and services. The company was founded by Magnus Olsson and Mudassir Sheikha, both former consultants at McKinsey & Company, and Dr. Abdulla Elyas. It aims to become the biggest consumer logistics business in the region.

Abraaj’s investment in Careem through its Funds builds on its thesis of investing in enterprises that cater to rising levels of urban demand in global growth markets and recognises the relevance of technology-led, “sharing economy” businesses with strong management and growth trajectories.

Commenting on the investment, Mustafa Abdel-Wadood, Partner at The Abraaj Group, said, “The transport industry is witnessing a positive disruptive revolution from the use of technology. The headroom for growth in the ride-share and taxi-app industry continues to be substantial and is proving out globally – and with our markets being no exception. We strongly believe that the combination of Careem and its management team with Abraaj’s track record of supporting regional champions will drive scale, efficiency, and produce significant public policy benefits. We intend to equip this business fully to rise to the challenge – and take leadership of this segment”.

Mudassir Sheikha, Careem’s co-founder and Managing Director, added: “As we successfully close our third round of funding, we welcome our new investors and partners into Careem. The Abraaj Group brings unique regional insights, proven execution capability, and global resources we consider critical to realizing our mission of simplifying the lives of people in the region. We will continue to innovate our product, expand through the region, bring greater income generating opportunities to even more of our Captains, and recruit outstanding talent to serve a growing customer base across our cities”.

Fun facts about tourism in Pakistan

Pakistan is inclusive of four provinces which house a population of 199 billion. Pakistan is a country that is endowed with many exquisite and unique landscapes. It is a cultural centre, birthing many civilizations and religions that have flourished in this nation for over thousands of years. Pakistan’s tourism potential is phenomenal, however, hardly only two percent has been explored. If these resources are utilized and promoted efficiently Pakistan’s economic revival will begin. The declining tourism industry of Pakistan is finally on a rise now, attracting 1 million tourists in 2012with its diverse cultures, people and landscapes.

Pakistan was ranked 47 out of 200 countries in an analysis of the World Travel and Tourism Council’s.The top five tourist sites of Pakistan are Lahore, Taxila, The Karakoram Highway, Karimabad and Lake Saiful Muluk.

The seasonal bus service of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation recorded that on a daily basis over 2,000 tourists enter Naran on weekdays and over 20,000 on weekends.

In 2009, The World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report ranked Pakistan as a part of the top 25% tourist attractions for its World Heritage Sites. Famous archaeological and historic sites in Pakistan are ranging from mangroves in the South, to the 5,000-year-old cities of the Indus Valley Civilization that included Mohenjo-daro and Harappa.

Other famous monuments include the ruins of Taxila from the Gandhara Civilization, the Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens in Lahore, as well as the Historic Monuments of the ancient city of Thatta and the ancient fort of Rohtas.

The IATA (International Air Transport Association) forecasts that Pakistan domestic air travel will grow at least 9.5% per year, more than 2X faster than the world’s average annual growth rate of 4.1% over the next 20 years.

In 2013, the total contribution of Travel & Tourism to employment, including jobs indirectly supported by the industry, was 6.2% of total employment (3,562,500 jobs).

It was recorded that 81% chose a double room, 15% chose single rooms and 4% chose other types of rooms. 63% of bookings are made less than a week before travelling, and 26% are made less than a day before. 97% of Pakistani’s opt for payment on arrival, and only 3% opt for pre-payment. Top Hotel prices in Pakistan range between Pakistani Rupees 15,000 to 20,000.

Celebrating Iqbal Day

Iqbal Day is an annual national holiday, celebrated in Pakistan and is locally known as Yōm-e Welādat-e Muḥammad Iqbāl. Iqbal Day celebrates Sir Muhammad Iqbal who was born on the 9th of November 1877 in Sialkot. He is commonly known as Allama Iqbal and passed away on 21st April 1938. He was a poet, a philosopher and a politician who influenced the Pakistan Movement.

Allama Iqbal was knighted by King George V, and hence obtained the title of ‘Sir’. His famous literary works are Asrar-e-Khudi, Rumuz-e-Bekhudi, Payam-e-Mashriq, Zabur-e-Ajam, and Javed Nama. Every year the whole world pays tribute to Allama Iqbal, the “Poet of the East”. The Pakistan government has officially declared him as the national poet.

The Pakistan Movement also referred to as Tehrik-e-Pakistan aimed for the independence of Pakistan and Bengal from the British Empire. Iqbal harnessed his talent in literature and wrote powerful poetry as a tool for spreading political awareness. The Pakistan Movement is taught to students in Pakistan and mentioned in both school and universities textbooks.

One of the famous quotes said by Allama Iqbal in reference to the Pakistan Movement is, “I would like to see the Punjab, North-West Frontier Province, Sindh and Baluchistan amalgamated into a single State. Self-government within the British Empire, or without the British Empire, the formation of a consolidated North-West Indian Muslim State appears to me to be the final destiny of the Muslims, at least of North-West India.”

Learn about K-2

K-2 is located on the border between China and Pakistan. K2, is locally also known as Chhogori/Qogir, Ketu/Kechu, and internationally Mount Godwin-Austen.

It is said to be the “Mountain of Mountains”, and is considered more challenging than Mount Everest. It is the second highest mountain in the world after Mount Everest, at 8,611 meters. K2 is the highest point of the Karakoram Range and the highest point in Pakistan.

T.G. Montgomerie discovered the peak in 1856 when surveying India. The British initially named it Godwin Austin, however it was eventually changed to K2. The first attempt to climb K-2 was in 1902 by Oscar Eckenstein, a British chemist. His attempt along the northeast ridge was not completed and this route was not attempted again for seventy-four years.

K2 is centered in the heart of the Karakoram Range and can be seen in its entirety from Concordia. It is the largest concentration of the highest peaks anywhere on earth.

K2 has four major ridges the Abruzzi Spur to the Southeast, the Negrotto Pass and the Angel Peak in the Southwest, the Juncton Peak in the Northeast and the Savoia Pass in the Northwest.

K2 is considered to be one of the world’s greatest treks with breathtaking scenery and an amalgamation of some of the finest natural pyramids in the world.

The trek on the Baltoro Glacier is surrounded by the scenic mountains Masherbrum (7750m), Uli Biaho Tower (6190 m), Trango Towers (6300m) Grand Cathedral (5228m) and Mustagh Tower (7284).
From Concordia you can see K-2 as well as Broad Peak (8044m), Gasherbrum Group, Golden Throne (7365m) and Chogolisa (7686m).

The trek up K2 is thrilling, however precautions must be taken before the execution of this journey. One of the factors that make K2 so challenging is that the climbers themselves must do all of the work of carrying and setting the ropes and high camps. Steep slopes of ice and limestone can only be tackled if climbers secure their ropes typically up to 2,500 meters of rope on the south side routes, and up to 5,000 meters of rope on the north ridge route.

Another factor to remember is when to climb! Although the weather is unpredictable the forecasted best months to climb are June, July and August. The extreme weather can differ from one side to the other, with pleasant weather on one side of the mountain, contrasted with life-threatening conditions on the other.

In order to survive K2 a diverse set of skills will be required. Information and procedures regarding medical and altitude problems will have to be memorized and practiced since there are limited possibilities for rescue or medical attention on K2.