Faisalabad Mentioned as Best Mapped City on Google Maps: ProPakistani

Faisalabad Mentioned as Best Mapped City on Google Maps
Telenor to Provide Info Services to Farmers in Punjab
Ufone Sponsors Tent-Pegging Competition

Faisalabad Mentioned as Best Mapped City on Google Maps

Posted: 08 Jun 2012 12:05 AM PDT

Faisalabad has been mentioned as best (user-contributed) mapped city on Google Maps, thanks to millions of inputs from enthusiastic mappers from Pakistan.

Pakistan has been featured many times before as an example of user-contributed mapping, but Faisalabad has now been termed as best mapped city on earth.

Google (naturally) couldn't reach whole of the earth to map it at street level, hence in 2008 Google introduced a way for users to contribute to Google Maps through Google Map Maker.

Brian McClendon, VP of Google Maps, during a press event this week said that Faisalabad is so well mapped that it is now more detailed mapped city than any American city.

You can watch below video of Brian McClendon's notes during the event. Faisalabad is mentioned at 10:14 seconds.

Telenor to Provide Info Services to Farmers in Punjab

Posted: 08 Jun 2012 12:00 AM PDT

Telenor Pakistan, in partnership with the Livestock and Dairy Development Department Punjab, will be providing livestock information to farmers in the province.

Through this collaboration, farmers will be able to receive regular information about livestock best practices through mobile phones via SMS, training videos and other IVR services.

Secretary Livestock & Dairy Development Department Punjab Hamed Yaqoob and Vice President Financial Services, Telenor Pakistan Roar Bjaerum signed the MoU at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), Lahore,in the presence of Livestock & Dairy Development Minister Ahmad Ali Aulakh and Vice Chancellor UVAS Dr. Talat Naseer Pasha.

Speaking about the project, the Punjab Livestock & Dairy Development Minister Ahmad Ali Aulakh said, "This project aims to address the need of relevant information in the livestock sector, thus enabling small farmers, living in rural areas to make well informed decisions about livestock planning, trading and rearing."

Roar Bjaerum, in his comments, highlighted the importance of building communication channels with the Livestock sector. He said, "We consider this MoU an important step towards building channels of communication with the Livestock sector which contributes significantly to the national GDP. Now farmers will be able to receive timely information about livestock rearing and trading through their mobile phones among other channels.At a later stage we will also be introducing mobile branchless banking solutions for farmers that will help them carry out transactions right on their mobile phones through Easypaisa."

Earlier Secretary Livestock & Dairy Development Department Punjab Hamed Yaqoob delivered the welcome keynote. Introducing the project, he said, "The aim is to bring timely and relevant livestock updates to farmers- especially small farmers – enabling them to raise hardy and healthy livestock.A pilot project will initially be run in Bahawalpur district."

Ufone Sponsors Tent-Pegging Competition

Posted: 07 Jun 2012 09:26 PM PDT

Ufone sponsored two-day tent-pegging competition and horse show on the 115th Urs of Pir Lakhi Shah that kicked-off yesterday in the premises of darbar.

Horsemen from all over the Punjab displayed their skills of tent- pegging as the crowd of Jhang and adjoining areas cheered them.

For the last couple of weeks, this event had become the talk of the town as 20,000 people are expected to attend the colorful two-day celebrations.

Tent Pegging is considered a difficult game and a lot of skill and precision in picking wood with the lance is required. The specific game involves a mounted horseman riding a horse at lightning speed hurtle and picking up a small ground target (a symbolic tent peg) with the help of a sword or a lance. This ancient origin sport is one of only ten equestrian disciplines officially recognized by the International Equestrian Federation.

The area is famous for its love for animals especially horses. Tent pegging requires elaborate arrangements and for that purpose a large tract has been cleared of stones and pebbles, besides making elaborate security arrangements.

The colorful gala commenced at 8:15 pm after recitation of Holy Quran. The tent-pegging singles competition started at 8:30 pm which continued the whole night. The Animal Show started at 10:00pm.

Akbar Khan, Chief Marketing Officer Ufone said that as a company Ufone has been conscious of its responsibility to support sports in the country. 'To reaffirm this commitment this tent pegging competition and horse show has been organized to support the local talent,' said Akbar Khan. 'We will continue to support such activities in the future as well', he added.

Finals of tent-pegging competition will kick-off at 8:30 pm today (Thursday) and will continue till 10:00 pm whereas finals for horse competition will be held at 10:30 pm in which best ten horses will be judged and prizes will be given away. There will be a spectacular firework display between 10:15 pm to 10:30 pm the same night. Team of Four Tent Pegging Section Competition will start at 10:00PM which will continue till Fajar prayer. Prize Distribution for all Ufone Challenge Cups will take place in the wee hours of June 8.