Nokia Pakistan and Intel Pakistan Get Verified Pages on Facebook

Apparently, Nokia Pakistan and Intel Pakistan have become only Pakistani brands to get verified page status on Facebook.

Facebook rollout this new feature of verifying well-known public figures and Pages with huge fan-followings – for example celebrities, journalists, government officials, popular brands and businesses – back in May 2013. Company said that verified page status will be extended to a limited and select profiles and pages in the start.

A rather straight-forward copy of Twitter verified accounts, with similar attributes, Facebook also marks the pages and profiles with small blue checkmark to indicate that a person or business is indeed the legitimate account holder. This blue checkmark is displayed across the website, search results and feeds to distinguish the verified pages from regular ones.

Facebook, however, hasn’t made public the criteria through which large-scale pages or celebrities can get verified page statuses. Also to note that no one can request to get verified page status, and this is something Facebook bestows itself based upon an unknown algorithm.

It merits mentioning here that Nokia Pakistan is number 2 Pakistani brand on Facebook in terms of fan-following after OLX Pakistan. However, Intel Pakistan stands pretty much down the line with 592,471 fans on its page.

It is assumed that global association of these brands might have played a role in getting verified page status. But it is anticipated that more brands are likely to get the same treatment in coming days.

Here are some of the top brands from Pakistan on Facebook:

• OLX Pakistan: 1,937,728 likes
• Nokia Pakistan: 1,456,860 likes
• Ufone: 1,315,424 likes
• 14th Street Pizza: 1,012,632 likes
• Pizza Hut – Pakistan: 943,968 likes
• Zong: 920,804 likes
• Samsung Pakistan: 858,490 likes
• Pepsi Pakistan: 780,146 likes
• Mobilink: 734,623 likes
• Pantene Pakistan: 718,719 likes
• Intel Pakistan: 592,471 likes

Huawei Hints a Manufacturing Facility in Pakistan Against Tax Exception

Huawei has said that it can open a manufacturing facility in Pakistan if government of Pakistan facilitates them with custom duty and taxes.

Tang Qibing, Vice President, Huawei Technologies, said this during a meeting with Mr. Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan when he was travelling from Beijing to Shanghai through high speed train.

Huawei high-up, while showing his concerns over the taxes and duties, was confident about the viability of a manufacturing facility in Pakistan.

Tang Qibing said that company is engaged in various telecommunication projects with Mobilink and Ufone, hinting that company will be interested in locally manufactured telecom equipment in the long run if facilitated by the government.

Pakistan’s skilled force is long hoping for investments in manufacturing sector, however, very limited interest from government, energy crisis and high taxes confine the opportunities for multinational firms.

Huawei chief also briefed the PM with Pak-China Optic Fiber project, detailing the cost and timeline of the work.

Mr. Nawaz Sharif urged Huawei to open a research centre in Pakistan to facilitate Pakistani students.

It merits mentioning here that Huawei – in collaboration with Zong – opened a GSM Lab at NUST by investing around USD 1.3 million in hardware. Company also remained engaged with UET Lahore for datacom trainings and various scholarships for the students.