Ahsan Maykan: The new CMO
Ahsan Maykan has been assigned on taking the role of Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Telenor Pakistan.
He has been heading the entire Marketing value chain and helped do a turn-around of the business performance of Telenor over the last one year. Due to his relentless efforts, Telenor Pakistan has shown strong performance over the last year with double digit revenue growth.
Along with the Product, Revenue, Pricing and Brand Communication area, Mr Ahsan has been responsible for leading the Digital Transformation effort, and with building advanced data analytics & AI capabilities. Under Ahsan Maykan's stewardship, the company's future looks promising.
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Business Recorder
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- Business Recorder
Budget 2025-26: Rs1trn planned for PSDP, says Ahsan Iqbal
Planning minister Ahsan Iqbal said on Monday the government would propose Rs1 trillion for Public Sector Development Programmes (PSDP) in the upcoming federal budget for the financial year 2025-26. The development came as the Annual Plan Coordination Committee (APCC) met in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Ahsan Iqbal to review the progress of the PSDP 2024–25 and finalise recommendations for the upcoming PSDP 2025–26, said a statement from the Planning ministry. The meeting brought together high-level federal and provincial representatives, including secretaries, principal accounting officers, and planning officials from Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir. Due to fiscal discipline agreed with International Monetary Fund, the government is constrained to not increase PSDP While addressing the participants, Planning minister emphasised that despite limited fiscal space and competing demands, the government 'remains fully committed to sustaining development momentum through strategic realignment of resources and policy reforms'. 'The Finance Division, after consultations with the IMF, has firmed up an Indicative Budget Ceiling of Rs1 trillion for the federal PSDP, including Rs270 billion in foreign aid,' Ahsan said. He noted that when the current government assumed office in early 2024, it inherited an economic landscape marked by 'constrained revenues, pressing foreign obligations, and structural imbalances'. Budget 26: govt looking to boost export of 'made in Pakistan' mobile phones, say assemblers During the meeting, a review of PSDP 2024–25 was presented. It was noted that the National Economic Council had approved a National Development Outlay of Rs3.79 trillion, which included Rs1.40 trillion for the federal PSDP, Rs2.09 trillion for provincial annual development programes, and Rs196.9 billion for state-owned enterprises (SOEs). 'However, due to financial constraints, the federal PSDP was later reduced to Rs1.100 trillion.' As of May 31, 2025, Rs1.036 trillion had been authorised for release, and Rs596 billion had been utilised. A total of 1,071 projects were included in the PSDP, with an approved cost of Rs13.427 trillion, of which Rs3.216 trillion had already been spent by June 2024. 'A throw-forward liability of Rs10.216 trillion remains, underscoring the urgent need for project rationalisation and financial discipline.' The minister highlighted that there was a dire need to increase the development budget of the country, which had direct bearing on growth and job creation. 'However, due to fiscal discipline agreed with International Monetary Fund (IMF), the government is constrained to not increase PSDP. The only way to increase development spending is to increase the revenues by increasing tax/GDP ratio from 10% to 16-18%,' he said. 'By being lowest tax paying economy we can't aspire to grow'. The minister informed that the government had undertaken reforms to overhaul tax administration. 'To ensure maximum value for the investment in development sector, the ministry has taken multiple reviews of project performance, including quarterly and mid-year reviews for better investment efficiency.' Over 118 slow-moving or redundant projects, mostly approved at the Departmental Development Working Party (DDWP) level, were recommended for capping or closure, potentially 'saving Rs1.000 trillion and freeing resources for high-impact initiatives'. Moreover, the Planning Commission facilitated re-appropriations of Rs84 billion to fast-moving projects and critical interventions, while Rs80 billion were reallocated through TSGs for emergent national priorities such as the solarization of tube wells in Balochistan. Looking ahead to FY 2025–26, the minister announced that the proposed PSDP had been restructured in line with core principles of sustainability', impact, and equity'. 'The Finance Division, after consultations with the IMF, has firmed up an Indicative Budget Ceiling of Rs1.000 trillion for the federal PSDP, including Rs270 billion in foreign aid.' The PSDP 2025–26 portfolios have been developed following extensive consultations with ministries and provinces through Priority Committee meetings and high-level reviews chaired by the deputy prime minister and advisor to the prime minister. 'The final recommendations reflect a strict prioritisation of ongoing high-impact, foreign-aided, and near-completion projects. 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He acknowledged the dilemma faced by the government: choosing between critical national defense and the developmental needs of the people. However, he reassured participants that the government remained committed to maintaining a careful balance. The minister stated that the strength of a nation 'lies not just in its defense capabilities, but also in the health, education, and economic empowerment of its citizens'. 'The government will not allow Pakistan's development journey to be derailed. Instead, it will adopt innovative planning, smart budgeting, and rigorous monitoring to ensure that the needs of both defense and development are addressed.' The APCC also deliberated on critical policy reforms. It endorsed the proposal to stop at-source deduction of Cash Development Loans (CDL) from the PSDP funds, saying the practice hampered project cash flows and delayed implementation. 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Business Recorder
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- Business Recorder
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Business Recorder
13-05-2025
- Business Recorder
Telenor Pakistan wins OICCI Women Empowerment Award
ISLAMABAD: Telenor Pakistan has been honoured with the prestigious OICCI Women Empowerment Award in the category of Work-Life Balance and Integration at the 7th OICCI Women Empowerment Awards. Organised by the Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), the awards celebrate corporate leadership in advancing gender equality and empowering women, in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5). The OICCI Women Empowerment Awards have become a flagship event, spotlighting organizations that are driving real change through progressive policies, impactful programs, and a strong commitment to fostering women's leadership and inclusion in the workplace. Commenting on the achievement, Areej Khan, chief people officer at Telenor Pakistan, said: 'We are deeply honored to receive this recognition from OICCI. Our focus on work-life balance, flexible policies, and continuous support mechanisms enables our employees, to seamlessly integrate their personal and professional aspirations. This award reaffirms our dedication to cultivating a diverse and equitable workplace where everyone has the opportunity to lead, inspire, and thrive.' As a modern and inclusive workplace, Telenor Pakistan is advancing gender empowerment through initiatives that support women at every stage of their careers. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
