Hotshot Esports clinches Jazz GameNow Free Fire PWCQ championship title and a ticket to represent Pakistan at the Esports World Cup ‘Free Fire’

In collaboration with Jazz and GameNow, Garena Free Fire hosted a nation-wide esports league that served as a qualifier to the Esports World Cup ‘Free Fire’ happening in Riyadh this July. The Grand Finals of the Jazz GameNow Free Fire Pakistan World Cup Qualifiers (FFPWCQ), which took place on June 2, saw Hotshot Esports claim the crown to earn its slot in the inaugural Esports World Cup (EWC). Courtesy of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Lahore and Municipal Corporation Lahore Administrator, University of Punjab was lit up with roaring cheers as attendees witnessed thrilling matches between the top twelve teams.

FFPWCQ marks Free Fire’s third LAN event in the city of Lahore and the first outing at the iconic premises in University of Punjab, which was sponsored by DC of Lahore, Rafia Haider and she was among the esteemed guests at the event.

Commenting on the occasion, Rafia Haider, DC of Lahore said, “It’s always a pleasure to bring new initiatives to the youth of Lahore and provide entertainment opportunities to them of their liking. We are glad to play our part in enhancing the esports ecosystem of Pakistan. Lahore has become the hub of esports events in Pakistan and will continue to prosper Insha Allah!”

Ali Fahad, Vice President Marketing Jazz and Falak Gondal from Garena distributed the winning prize to Hotshot.

Ali Fahad, Vice President Marketing at Jazz, presented the winning team with the ticket to Saudi Arabia for the EWC and commented saying “Jazz is proud to have played a pivotal role in the remarkable growth of the country’s gaming ecosystem. Our strategic partnership with Free Fire for the Esports World Cup aligns with our commitment to fueling the growth and development of the esports landscape. By providing a platform for local talent to shine and represent Pakistan on a global stage, we’re empowering gamers to reach new heights. Our gaming superpower, Game Now, has played a pivotal role in growing the local gaming industry, and we’re dedicated to partnering with leading Esports games like Free Fire to drive adoption and foster a vibrant esports gaming community.”

After representing Pakistan in FFWS Hotshot will now represent Pakistan in the EWC. Hotshot Esports will now go on to compete at the global stage against the best teams from FFWS SEA Spring, the first splits of FFWS Brazil and FFWS LATAM, and representatives from MEA, to compete for a slice of the USD$1,000,000 prize pool. Additionally, the winner of the Esports World Cup ‘Free Fire’ will earn a ticket to compete in the Free Fire World Series Global Finals 2024 as the first team to secure a slot in Free Fire’s largest tournament.

Stay tuned to the official Pakistan Garena Free Fire Esports channels for exciting updates on their respective social media handles Facebook, YouTube & Instagram. Free Fire can be downloaded on both the Apple iOS App and Google Play store.

About Garena: Garena is a leading global online games developer and publisher. Free Fire, its self-developed mobile battle royale title, was the world’s most downloaded mobile game from 2019 to 2021, and the most downloaded mobile battle royale in 2022 and 2023, according to data.ai.

Garena is run by passionate gamers and has a unique understanding of what gamers want. It exclusively licenses and publishes hit titles from global partners – such as Arena of Valor and Call of Duty: Mobile – in selected markets globally. Garena champions social and entertainment experiences through games, enabling its communities to engage and interact. Garena is also a leading esports organiser and hosts some of the world’s biggest esports events.

Garena is a part of Sea Limited (NYSE:SE), a leading global consumer internet company. In addition to Garena, Sea’s other core businesses include its e-commerce arm, Shopee, and digital financial services arm, SeaMoney. Sea’s mission is to better the lives of consumers and small businesses with technology.

Pakistan Football League (PFL) expands international horizons following collaborations with Spain’s Giant Football Club ‘Atlético de Madrid’ Academy.

The Much-Anticipated Pakistan Football League (PFL) is all set for unveiling on 04^th June 2024 in Lahore and to add more, PFL expands international horizons following its collaborations with Spain’s Giant Football Club ‘Atlético de Madrid’ Academy.  

Spanish giants Club ‘Atlético de Madrid’ deployed from 2016 to 2020 its International Academy Project in Lahore, Pakistan, as part of its strategic international expansion plan.

For several years the ‘Atlético de Madrid’ Academy has successfully landed in over 40 countries with different development football program for young players and coaches that have had the opportunity to be trained by the ‘Atlético de Madrid’ Academy sport professionals.

Adolfo Guerrero Gunther, Manager in the Academy Internationalization Unit, ‘Atlético de Madrid’ Academy, said: “‘we at ‘Atlético de Madrid’ Academy are thrilled to have been invited to the unveiling of Pakistan Football League (PFL) and to be back again in Pakistan, as it is a huge market full of opportunities, where we wish to explore different possibilities to develop the Academy programs, thanks to the PFL and Golden Ball Global for inviting us to be a part of this tour between 3^rd June ~ 5^th June 2024”.

Melanie Grace, Director of Communications said: “we are privileged to have ‘Atlético de Madrid’ Academy among our guests and look forward to find opportunities to cooperate in the Pakistan thanks to the successful Sports and Educational programs promoted by the Academy”.

The objective of PFL is to sensationalize football in a country of 250 million population and to serve the long enduring appetite of the football loving nation. The all new franchise football league is set to create a new sports economy which will create the very first inter-city rivalry in Pakistan. With over 63 million football fans, 3.4 million registered professional football players and the government is playing an anchor role, PFL is to kick off the world’s most popular sport in Pakistan.

The three-day visit starts will commence on 03^rd June from Islamabad – the capital city of Pakistan and concludes in Karachi – The City of Lights, on 05^th June. The visit foresees a series of high profile meetings scheduled with top brass officials, fandom engagements in malls and schools, grassroots in Kakri Football Stadium in Liyari to celebrate a football carnival, recognizing the unsung heroes of Pakistan’s football and the epic unveil of franchise teams.

The Pakistan Football League is being unveiled in a ground-breaking ceremony in Lahore on 04^th June 2024, followed by a series of farewell dinners in each city celebrating its success with VVIPs and celebrities before send off by the British Deputy High Commissioner who will host a farewell send-off reception in Karachi on 05^th June 2024.

The Battle of control layouts “3-Finger Claw versus 4-Finger Claw”.

In the mobile gaming era, the choice of control layout can significantly impact the performance of a player, especially in intense fighting games like PUBG Mobile. Among the many control schemes available, the 3-Finger Claw and 4-Finger Claw layouts come out as popular choices and both have advantages and disadvantages.

In both layouts, players simultaneously use multiple fingers on their device’s screen to control game actions. In the 3-Finger Claw, the player uses three fingers for the three crucial actions: movement, aiming, and shooting. The left thumb controls movement, the left index finger handles shooting, and the right thumb is used for aiming. While the 4-Finger Claw layout involves using both thumbs and both index fingers. Thumbs typically manage movement and aiming, while index fingers control shooting, jumping, and other actions.

The 3-Finger Claw control technique is excellent for beginners as it is relatively easy to learn and adapt to. It is one of the most popular control techniques. However, the 4-finger claw is mostly used by professional gamers as it provides superior control over multiple actions, allowing for quicker responses and more complex maneuvers.

Compared to the 4-Finger Claw, the 3-Finger Claw setup offers less control over complex maneuvers and quick actions. Moreover, the 3-Finger Claw technique is more comfortable in reducing strain during long gaming sessions. In terms of aiming, the 4-Finger Claw has the upper hand due to the additional finger dedicated solely to aiming. While in the 3-Finger Claw technique, aiming while shooting can be slightly challenging as one finger handles both tasks. When it comes to movement, both layouts offer fairly good control, but with a little difference in flexibility.

Ultimately, it comes down to your comfort level.  Many players utilize both of these control layouts. However, if you’re new to the game it’s advisable to use 3-Finger Claw technique before venturing into the 4-Finger Claw. Whether you choose the 3-Finger Claw or 4-Finger Claw, you should practice regularly as it will help you adapt to the control layout and improve your muscle memory.

To improve the performance, adjust the in-game control settings to suit your hand size and preferences. This can enhance your comfort and efficiency. Also, to excel in games and get insights on claw techniques you can learn from experienced players through tutorials and game-play videos.

However, the claw technique can only yield favorable outcomes when using a high-powered gaming phone. Notably, these advanced controls are not universally compatible with all devices. The Infinix GT-20 Pro stands out as the sole phone offering a 120 FPS PUBG gaming experience, ensuring rapid frame changes that facilitate quick enemy detection and response.

Furthermore, the device boasts a dual chipset comprising the Dimensity 8200 Ultimate 4nm 5G processor and a dedicated gaming display chip. The Dimensity 8200 chip, operating at high speed and utilizing cutting-edge 4nm technology, delivers optimal performance without excessive battery consumption. This results in seamless, high-quality graphics and rapid response times.

Infinix GT-20 Pro can amplify your gaming experience with its top-tier performance and features. With Infinix you can adjust sensitivity settings to match your preferred control layout and play-style. With its powerful hardware and software enhancements, Infinix GT-20 Pro ensures smooth game-play and minimal input lag. Efficient battery management of Infinix GT-20 Pro ensures long gaming sessions without interruptions with any claw technique that you like.

‘10Pearls University’ holds Women Tech Quest 2023, Pakistan’s Biggest Tech Competition for Women.

Women Tech Quest 2023, an initiative of 10Pearls University, is a platform for women to compete, learn, network and showcase their tech talents. The 7^th edition of Women Tech Quest (WTQ) took place on June 17, 2023, and was physically held in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. Over 700 women in technology from across the three cities took part in the event.

WTQ, launched in 2017, is a competition dedicated to help women assess and showcase their tech skills, get recognition, and also win great cash prizes and exposure. Additionally, there are inspirational speaker sessions and workshops, in which leading professional women share their experiences to help other budding professionals grow and excel.

According to Syeda Sana Hussain, Head of People & Programs – EMEA, 10Pearls, “This was our 7th consecutive year of successfully conducting Women Tech Quest. As one of our flagship initiatives for gender diversity and women empowerment, WTQ has kick-started and boosted careers of 5000+ women, strengthened Pakistan’s talent pool, and provided women an established platform to gain visibility and showcase their limitless potential.”

Multiple Competition Streams: The competition comprised three streams; Coding, Testing and Design. The Coding competition included a series of problems presented to the participants; they could use any programming language to solve them. The Testing competition presented contestants with a set of objectives to test database and automation concepts; while the Design Competition required participants to solve a UI/UX challenge, and their approach towards user research, persona building and user flows was gauged.

There were two categories – Professional and Student – for each stream, in each city. Each city had 6 winners, so in total 18 winners were announced. Winners received grand cash prizes and shields, whereas all participants received swag kits and certificates of participation.

Invigorating Speaker sessions & Workshops: Apart from the Competition, WTQ also featured inspirational speaker sessions by esteemed women such as Meighan Newhouse (SVP, Transformation and Enablement, Inspirant Group); Zartaj Ahmed (Director, PSSEC); Mehvish Waliany (COO, Alkaram Studio); Alice Bhagataney (Co-Founder, Upstream); Meenah Tariq (CEO, Metric); Usra Murtaza (Senior Marketing Associate, Walee); Saba Kalsoom (Senior Manager Markets and Enterprises, Fasset); Sadia Khan (Fintech Entrepreneur); and Humna Raza (Creative Director and Podcast Host, One8nine Media).

In her opening note, Meighan Newhouse shared how empowerment and true joy comes from within; “finding yourself is a deeply personal journey and also the root of everything we do in life. To be able to empower ourselves and other women around us, we have to first know who we are, what we value, and what we seek in life. Only then can we take meaningful steps that make a true and lasting difference”.

The event also hosted an interactive workshop on Women’s Health and Wellness by Mahlaqa Shaukat (CEO & Co-Founder, Aimfit).

Endorsed by leading companies:  As the event of the year for tech women, WTQ 2023 was endorsed by top names in technology and other industries. This time, the event partners included reputed names such as CaterpillHERs, Figma Community Lahore, GDG Kolachi, MLSA Karachi, Lahore & Islamabad, WomeninTechPK, Bytewise Ltd, Growelle Labs, CodeGirls, AWS User Group Karachi, Daftarkhwan, AimFit, and Claymate.  

The event was sponsored by Careem and Testworthy.

About 10Pearls University: 10Pearls University, a Center of Continuous and Advance Learning, aims to provide a physical and virtual ecosystem for students and professionals to learn, network and upskill their knowledge. The platform is used to conduct online and on-ground courses, workshops and training sessions on advanced technologies and leadership skills, enhancing individual growth and development. It also organizes innovative technology conferences, events, competitions, hackathons and webinars in order to build community engagement, and lead the conversation in industry innovation and emerging tech. Our mission is to enable a learning platform where talent is equipped with state-of-the-art ecosystem/resources, empowering them to boost their careers and lead innovation.

The Gold Builders & Developers signs Faysal Quraishi as Brand Ambassador.

The Gold Builders & Developers, one of the rising stars in Real Estate & Property Development sector announced signing of top Pakistan actor, producer & television host Faysal Quraishi as their Brand Ambassador.

A very simple yet impressive signing ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two parties. Mr. Nasir Khawaja CEO of The Gold Builders & Developers signed on behalf of his organizations, whereas Faysal Qureshi signed on his behalf. This signing ceremony was held at Tai Pan Restaurant’s garden located inside Pearl Continental Hotel, Karachi with all relevant standard operating procedures (SOP)s being adopted to.

Signing ceremony started off with recitation of Holy Quran by Mr. Muhammad Mavia, who also is a partner at The Gold Builder & Developers.

During his welcome speech, Mr. Muhammad Mavia said; “I would like to welcome all the guests and members of media for coming out in numbers at this event. We feel honoured to be here at this signing ceremony, where we are Pakistan’s top star/actor Faysal Quraishi is amongst us to be a part of our campaign”.

He said; “Real Estate and Property Development sector is booming these days and we must thank Prime Minister Imran Khan for his vision by giving special attention to construction sector. Our sector of Real Estate and Property Development also falls under construction sector”.

He further said; “this is an excellent initiative by Prime Minister Imran Khan and should be availed by everyone”.  He further said; “a lot of investment is coming into this sector and with focus on quality & commitment, customers will come to you”.

He concluded by saying that; “a lot of positive measures are being taken but still prices of raw materials like steel, cement etc should be revised to make this sector more viable.”

Renowned Pakistani actor, producer & television host Faysal Quraishi said; “it’s a great feeling to be a part of this project and I am very excited about this project, but on the other hand it’s a responsibility too”.

On replying to a question asked, renowned Pakistan actor said; “2020 was very disruptive, not just for me but for the whole world. A lot of my projects had been halted including my film of which 50% of the work is already done”. He added; “now 2020 has gone past us and we can expect 2021 to be a better. I see a lot of projects being kicked off and finally we can proceed in a positive manner”. 

One question why they chose Faysal Quraishi, Mr. Nasir Khawaja CEO of The Gold Builders & Developers said; “we chose Faysal Quraishi because he is a very famous and well known actor, producer & television host. In much simpler words he is the most sought after Pakistani celebrity”.

Replying on a question about future projects, CEO of The Gold Builders & Developers said; “currently we are located in the capital city of Islamabad and but in future we plan to venture into Karachi and Lahore also”.

The ‘Koblumpi Music Festival’ rocked the capital city with over 8 hours of non-stop performances.

Pakistani music icon Mekaal Hasan, event expert Mehreen Rana of Origami and live sound extraordinaire Imran Mirza proudly hosted the second edition of The Koblumpi Music Festival – powered by Nescafe Basement, in the capital city of Islamabad at Bani Gala on 9^th February 2020. This music festival being one of the first ticketed music events in recent years featured over 8 hours of non-stop power-packed live performances.

The Koblumpi Music Festival’s Islamabad Chapter featured 16 amazing artists and bands from across Pakistan including Takatak, Karakoram, Maanu, Natasha Noorani, Mekaal Hasan Band, Poor Rich Boy, Keeray Makorey, Ali Noor, Jasim and The Pindi Boys, Ali Suhail, Sikandar Ka Mandar, Saakin, Amena Farooq, Haniya Alsam, Natasha Humera Ejaz and Uzair Jaswal. In attendance were music enthusiasts from Islamabad along with celebrities and personalities such as Ahmed Ali Akbar, Ali Rehman Khan, Asim Azhar and Ayesha Omar to name a few.

Ali Noor

Ali Suhail

Haniya Aslam

Karakoram

Maanu

Mekaal Hasan

Natasha Noorani

Saakin

Takatak

 

Organized in partnership with Lotus PR, The Koblumpi Music Festival, powered by Nescafe Basement, was an all afternoon family and community festival, from 12 noon to 9 pm, featuring a wide range of independent and mainstream artists from across the country with a focus on original music, added activities for kids and families, as well as a huge array of food stalls and refreshments. The Koblumpi team aimed to provide an atmospheric experience bringing people together to enjoy a great, music-filled afternoon with their friends and families.

 

Indeed, The Koblumpi Music Festival is an artist driven independent music festival which seeks to connect performers of original content with their potential audience base and isone of the first ticketed music events in Pakistan in recent years.

The Koblumpi Music Festival consists of Festival Director Mehreen Rana, Show Director Mekaal Hasan, Imran Mirza as the Audio Partner, Danish Qureshi as Lead Designer, Ali Khan as Creative Director, O Events as the event partner, with FM91 as the radio partner, News-One and TV-One as the TV partner, Careem as the technology partner, Waste Busters as the waste management partners and Lotus Client Management & Public Relations as the official communications and public relations partners.

Photography by: Tayyab Naveed