The Enlighten Online - isacakarachi.org · 10. Pakistan : A Favorable Economy, World Bank Report 12 11 ... Mr. Sami Askari, Chairman, ... In collaboration with HRM Services Pakistan

Bi-Monthly Newsletter The Enlighten Online

May – June 2008 Edition

For Feedback & Suggestions

Absar Khan Chair Publications,

ISACA Karachi [email protected]

This bimonthly newsletter focuses on ISACA Karachi Chapter’s activities, achievements & announcements. It also highlights major news events happening in the IS/IT/Telecom & related sectors of Pakistan.

Marriott Hotel, Karachi

Table of Content

1 The President’s Message 3 2 Celebrating 30 Years of CISA 5 3. IT Security & Audit Conference, Islamabad 6 4. Orientation Session for CISA & CISM Candidates 7 5. Presentation by Mr.Ahmar Azam MD Hanagrove LLC 8 6. Workshop on B.C.P & Disaster Recovery 9 7. Workshop on Web Application Security 10 8. ISACA offers Online Learning Course 11 9. Pakistan’s Annual IT Export Reached $175m: 12 10. Pakistan : A Favorable Economy, World Bank Report 12 11. Pakistan’s Largest e-Sporting Event “Lagan” 13 12. Pakistan’s IT Sector on verge of taking off: Microsoft 13 13. French & Cuban Scholarships for Pakistani Student 14 14. ISACA International Schedule of Conferences 15 15. ISACA 36th Annual Conference, Toronto, Canada 16 16. Contacts of Board Members, ISACA Karachi Chapter 17

-----------------------------

Dear Member, Last month I was invited to speak about the Chapter and its activities at the IT Security & Audit conference organized by the Ministry of IT. Your chapter was given a speaker slot and Mr. Mansoor Qadri, Co-Chair CPE Committee gave a small presentation on ‘IT Audit in Pakistan’. The 2008 Global Leadership Conference is being held in Toronto on 25-26 July at which Mr. Irfan Iqbal, Treasurer, Mr. Inamullah Siddiqui, Chair Research Committee and myself will represent Karachi Chapter. Upon my return I will give a feed back of this conference to the Chapter members at the members networking meeting. CPE Events during May and June During the month of May and June the following CPE activities were conducted: 15th May 08 – Presentation by Mr. Ahmar Azam CFA (M.D. Hanagrove LLC) and exam techniques on CISA and CISM – 2 CPE hours Mr.Ahmar Azam CFA Managing Director of Hanagrove LLC, gave a presentation on Six Sigma. This was followed by exam techniques on CISA and CISM which was conducted by Mr. Tariq Mehmood, CISM Coordinator. Mr. Imran Gaya who was the top scorer from Karachi Chapter in December 2007 exam was also invited to share his experience. 7th June 08 – Workshop on Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery – 8 CPE hours This workshop was organized by School of Business Studies. The Chapter was offered 10% discount to members and three free seats. Mr. Mansoor Qadri, Irfan Iqbal and myself attend this workshop. 11th June 08 – Course on Web Application Security – 5 CPE hours The workshop was conducted by HRM Services, the chapter was offered one free seat and 10% discount for chapter members. A great news for you is that ISACA is introducing first time e-Learning Campus which will offer “online courses”, through which you can study virtually from any part of the world directly from ISACA International e-Learning Campus. Detail are given in this newsletter.

Conti ……

President’s Message

Pakistan’s Largest e-Sporting Event

(LAGAN)

ISACA Karachi Newsletter – May – June 2008 Edition Page 3 of 17

For Detailed Report

See Page 13

For those interested, or if you know someone that might be, the 13 December 2008 CISA, CISM and CGEIT certification exams are now open for registration. After this December date, June 2009 will be the next opportunity to sit for an exam. To register for the December exam, please visit www.isaca.org/examreg. For additional information on ISACA’s world-class certifications, visit www.isaca.org/certification. The following four new members have been inducted as co-chairs and are now part of the Board. 1. Mr. Azfar Mazhar Hussain – Co-CISA Coordinator 2. Mr. Rehan Ahmad Khan – Co-CISM Coordinator 3. Mr. Kashif Qadir – Co-Webmaster 4. Mr. Faisal Hassan Siddiqui – Co-chair Membership Committee As always, we welcome input and feedback from our chapter members so don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected]. I look forward to meeting you at the Chapters networking meeting. Warm regards, Huma Pasha President, ISACA Karachi Chapter.


President’s Message

Celebrating 30 Years of CISA The ISACA was founded in the USA in 1967. ISACA serves its members to provide a community of IT governance professionals whose collective strength increases your knowledge and value and adds to your career development. Now ISACA has more than 70,000 members in 140 countries. The job titles of members are such as IS auditor, consultant, educator, IS security professional, regulator, chief information officer and internal auditor. They work in nearly all industry categories. There is a network of ISACA chapters with 170 chapters established in over 60 countries. Chapters provide education, resource sharing, advocacy, networking and other benefits. The CISA certification was established in 1978. This year ISACA is celebrating “30th Year of CISA”. ISACA Karachi Chapter congratulates you as a valuable member of ISACA community arround the world. As a part of celebrations, ISACA Karachi Chapter board is planning to hold celebration ceremony in August 2008.


Ministry of IT & Telecom, Government of Pakistan.

IT SECURITY & AUDIT CONFERENCE - 2008 JUNE 28, 2008

Holiday Inn Hotel Islamabad

A high profile workshop on "IT Security & Audit in Pakistan " hosted by IT & Telecom Ministry in Islamabad on 28th June 2008. Ministry of IT & telecom invited Ms. Huma Pasha (President ISACA Karachi Chapter) She along with Mr.Mansoor Qadri (Co-Chair CPE Committee ISACA Karachi Chapter participated in the conference. She delivered a comprehensive presentation and highlighted the role of ISACA Karachi Chapter in serving of Pakistani IT/Telecom and related communities. Meanwhile Mr.Mansoor Qadri conducted a brief presentation on "IT Audit in Pakistan".


INAUGURAL ADDRESS: Mr. Qamar Zaman Kaira. Honorable Federal Minister of IT & Telecom, Government of Pakistan. SESSION I : (ENABLING ENVIRONMENT) Mr. Saleem Rehmani, Director Payment Systems, SBP Mr. S.M. Anwar, Chairman ECAC, Ministry of IT & Telecom Mr. Syed Ammar Jafri Deputy DG, FIA, Head of Project NR-3 C SESSION II: (TECHNOLOGY & SOLUTIONS) Mr. Hifzur Rahman, Secretary IT & Telecom Division Ms. Jehan Ara, President PASHA Mr. Sami Askari, Chairman, Computer Society of Pakistan Ms. Huma Pasha, President ISACA Karachi Chapter. Mr. Imran Qureshi Access Group e-Security Mobile Payments

Honorable Speakers


ISACA Karachi Chapter conducted

Orientation Session for CISA & CISM Exam Participants

On Thursday 15th May, 2008 at SBS, Karachi.

A Free orientation session for June 2008 CISA / CISM exams held on 15th May 2008. All chapter members were invited. The major theme of the session was to how to prepare for these exams, which included

preparatory tips & techniques with Hi Tea / Networking

The President Karachi Chapter presented an update on chapter activities. Later on Mr.Tariq Mehmood – CISM Coordinator, conducted a presentation, which guided the audiences to how to get physically and mentally fitness for the exam. The Session also included Question and Answers from the audiences.

CISA top scorer from Karachi Mr.Imran Gaya expressed his experience of exam and answered the questions

from audiences.

This event entitled 2 CPE hours.


ISACA Karachi Chapter Invited

Mr. Ahmar Azam, ACA, Managing Director Hanagrove LLC. On Thursday 15th May, 2008 at SBS, Karachi.

On occasion of orientation session for June 2008 CISA / CISM exams ISACA Karachi Chapter

arranged a presentation from Mr.Ahmar Azam, ACA, Managing Director Hanagrove LLC.

Mr.Ahmar Azam started his professional career at Horwath Clark Whitehill Chartered Accountants UK in 1994, a Top 10 accounting firm, where he gained accounting and auditing experience in a well diversified industry sector. then he worked as a manager at Deloitte, New York (auditing and advisory), he also served as a Corporate Financial Controller for a leading publicly held clinical research company (Life Sciences Research Inc.), and subsequently as the Head of internal audit and Sarbanes-Oxley expert for a multi billion publicly held real estate finance company (Centerline Capital Group, previously CharterMac Corp.). He also served as a G.M of the NBP Wall Street Branch as the Head of Enterprise-wide Risk Management, Americas Region. He has also served as a member of the Legal & Regulatory Committee of the Institute of International Bankers, USA (IIB) and several other risk management and auditing organization. Ahmar is an active part of the banking and professional community in the Tri-State. This experience eventually led to the birth of Hanagrove.

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ISACA Bookstore’s Best Sellers for 2007-8

• COBIT Security Baseline, 2 nd Edn * • COBIT Quickstart, 2nd Edition* • Auditor’s Guide to Information Systems Auditing • IT Auditing: IT Governance • Best Practices in Policies and Procedures • ISO 9001:2000 The Quality Management Process • ISO/IEC 20000: A Pocket Guide * Published by ISACA or ITGI Search the Bookstore online at www.isaca.org/bookstore for the complete descriptions by product title or category.

Contact ISACA Bookstore [email protected] or

+1.847.253.1545, Ext. 5650.

SBS - School of Business Studies Karachi Offered a Full-Day comprehensive workshop titled

Business Continuity Planning and Disaster Recovery

on June 7th 2008

at Pearl Continental Hotel Karachi

This workshop has been endorsed by ISACA & offered 8 CPE Hrs

ISACA Karachi Offered Three Free Seat & 10% Discount


One Day Workshop On

Web Application Security In collaboration with HRM Services Pakistan

on 11 June, 2008

at Karachi Marriot Hotel

ISACA Karachi Offered One Free Seat & 10% Discount

• CISA® Review Manual 2008 (English, Italian, Japanese and Spanish editions) • CISA® Review Questions, Ans. & Explanations Manual 2008 (English, Italian, Japanese and Spanish editions) • CISA® Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Manual 2008 Supplement (English, French, Italian, Japanese and Spanish) • CISA® Practice Question Database v8, CD-ROM or web site download (English and Spanish editions) • CISM® Review Manual 2008 (English, Japanese and Spanish editions) • CISM® Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Manual 2008 (English, Japanese and Spanish editions) • CISM® Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Manual 2008 Supplement (English, Japanese and Spanish editions) • CISM® Practice Question Database v8, CD-ROM or web site download (English only)

Book Store Update


ISACA International launched

e-Learning Campus

The campus offers online learning courses to IS and IT professionals.

The initial campus offering is the CISA Online Review Course.

The CISA Online Review Course offers several unique learning opportunities including:

* Effective assistance to CISA candidates preparing for the CISA exam * Enhancement of skills for current CISAs and IS/IT professionals * CPE credits toward meeting continuing education requirements * An ideal way to train new IS auditors. * Discounted pricing! A choice of six modules is available, covering the scope of information systems audit and review activity.

Course Modules:

Module 1 – The IS Audit Process Module 2 – CISA’s Role in IT Governance Module 3 – CISA’s Role in Systems & Infrastructure Life Cycle Module 4 – CISA’s Role in IT Service Delivery and Support Module 5 – CISA’s Role in Protection of Information Assets Module 6 – CISA’s Role in Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Modules can be purchased separately or all six at a bundled price savings.

Additional courses will be added to the e-Learning Campus over the next few months.

Register today!

To view a course demo, register for the CISA Online Review Course, or for more information,

visit http://www.isaca.org/elearningcampus

or e-mail [email protected]

NEW YORK : The US State Department has steadily increased the number of visas granted to students from Pakistan and two other Muslim countries Saudi Arabia & Egypt. A survey conducted by NBC News channel revealed that overall, the three countries received 134,015 visas in 2000, before dipping to 34,781 in 2003, the lowest year in recent memory. Since then, the numbers have risen dramatically, to 109,878 last year, the first year of 100,000 or more visas since 2001. Those numbers represent an 18 per cent drop from the peak year of 2000, but a near tripling since 2003.

U.S. increased VISAS for Pakistani Students


ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's annual IT exports have reached $175 million during the outgoing financial year against $162 million last year. "We are satisfied with the pace of progress of the local IT sector and ambitious about its further growth in future. This is the only industry in Pakistan that has registered a remarkable growth during the last five years," Managing Director Software Export Board (PSEB) Talib Baloch said here yesterday. Pakistan IT exports of $116 million for the FY 06-07 were also in excess to the set target of US$108 million, he disclosed. "This sector has consecutively registered 50 per cent annual growth in exports for the last five years showing its tremendous potential. If nurtured fully the IT industry could result in voluminous economic & commercial benefits." Information Technology had also been instrumental in the growth of various other industrial verticals, facilitating them with the technical capability and automating their processes, and thus increasing their operating margins, the PSEB MD said.

Pakistan has been ranked as one of the top favorable economies in the world, states “Doing Business 2008”, a recent report released by the World Bank in 2008. According to the report, Pakistan ranks second compared to other South Asian countries based on certain economic indicators such as; ease of doing business, dealing with licenses, and protecting investors as identified by the analysts. The following countries include Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. Pakistan has comparatively better business environment in terms of paying taxes and registration of assets, the report adds. With its fast paced IT industry, Pakistan is emerging as a powerhouse in the South Asian region due to the government’s friendly policies. These include 100 percent foreign equity ownership, 100 percent repatriation of profits for foreign investors and tax exemption for the sector till 2013. The availability of a large pool of English-proficient skilled professionals, affordable connectivity rates and competitive infrastructure and operational costs are some of the other benefits that Pakistan enjoys. Due to same, an increasing number of foreign IT companies prefer Pakistan for their outsourcing operations and setting up development centers. Doing Business 2008 is the fifth in a series of annual reports that evaluates the regulations that directly impact economic growth. The data is collected across 178 countries.

Country Highlights IT, IS, Telecom & related sectors

Pakistan's annual IT exports reached $ 175 m,

Khaleej Times reports

NADRA gets CMMI Certification

Pakistan – A favorable economy,

World Bank reports


Pakistan’s National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has become the first-ever Capability Maturity Model Integrated (CMMI) certified organization in the public sector of the country. NADRA has been appraised successfully for CMMI®-Dev, Maturity Level 2 of Software Engineering Institute’s (SEI), Carnegie Mellon University, USA. Pakistan’s NADRA has already been placed amongst the ‘Top 21 System Integrators’ and ‘Top 50 ID Solution Providers’ in the World for three consecutive years from 2005-2007.

Si3 was the exclusive sponsor to the country’s largest e-sporting event of the year which was hosted by Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) The event is called ‘LAGAN’ (LUMS Annual Gaming Arcane Nationals). For the first time in the history of Pakistan’s e-sporting all the top teams from all regions of Pakistan were engaged in a head to head combat. Whether they were CS players or the best in Warcraft Dota, all were put to test. LAGAN 2008 was a three day event, Si3 being the exclusive sponsor was present at the venue for all three days and had good interaction with the student body. “LAGAN powered by Si3” is the first ever sponsorship of a LUMS event on such a large scale by a blue chip IT services company. Speaking at the awards ceremony, Mr. Amer Hashmi, President & CEO Si3, gave an eye-opening presentation to the audience, sharing with them where the global IT industry is headed, what the fastest growing segments are and how today’s generation can capitalize on the offering and work for the establishment of IT industry in the Pakistani market.


Pakistan’s largest e-sporting event (LAGAN) @ LUMS

sponsored by Si3

Pakistan’s IT sector on verge of taking off:

Microsoft

The country is on the verge of taking off in the information technology (IT) field, following the telecom revolution, says Microsoft Pakistan Country Manager Kamal Ahmed. "I am very hopeful that the explosion in the IT sector will be just like the one we have seen in the country's telecom sector," he told a TV news channel. He said that software, hardware and technologies are also getting cheaper day by day. So, people are buying more and more personal computers (PCs). To remain competitive, the country's businesses must adopt latest technologies, which provide quality controls & operational efficiencies. He said that Microsoft is very much active in the corporate social responsibility area. The company has set up an 'IT academy' in cooperation with the 'Zindagi Trust'--an organisation being run by pop singer Shehzad Roy--where the undeserved school children are taught IT to enable them realise their full potential. In his message to the youth, Kamal said, "Our young generation should make best use of the time it has at its disposal and study very hard." Secondly, they should never compromise on ethics, he said, and stressed: "Focus on becoming a better human being first and then a better professional."


Pakistan’s largest e-sporting

event (LAGAN)


US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson launching Apple Computers in Pakistan. "The partnership between Apple and Raffles Systems - representing our two countries - will promote growth and prosperity in Pakistan," said the Ambassador. "Information technology, especially in the personal computer sector, has grown phenomenally in Pakistan," said the Ambassador. "The combination of internationally competitive costs and high-speed connectivity make Pakistan an attractive destination for IT investment." More than 80 US firms currently operate in Pakistan, employing more than 41,000 people directly and an additional one million indirectly Since 1977, Apple Computers has been a global market leader for personal computers, portable media players, cell phones, computer software and other electronic products.

French Scholarships for Pakistani Students

Cuban Scholarships for 1000-Pakistani Students

French Consul-General Pierre Seillan has hopes that the recent collaboration between the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the French Embassy in Pakistan will open new vistas of educational and friendly relations between France and Pakistan. Seillan was speaking at a dinner party hosted Saturday by the Alliance FranÁaise in honour of the students who were awarded the French Scholarships for higher studies at different French universities. The students are selected by the HEC and interviewed by French Professors before beginning their six-month (January to June) French language course at one of the four French Cultural Centres in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Faisalabad. After this course they go to France and undergo further two-month (July-August) training of French Language Course in various institutes. The students then go to their respective universities for their higher studies and research. Students selected for Aerodynamics, Biotechnology, Information Technology, teaching, Research & Development and other areas.

Next batch of Pakistani students who have been selected by Higher Education Commission for medical studies has started leaving Cuba for Medical education. A spokesman of Cuban embassy here said the second group of 644 Pakistani students should arrive in Cuba in the course of next weeks, joining the other 330 Pakistani students who are already in Cuba for last one year. Cuba is very well known around the world for its Human Development Indicators, among the first in the world, mainly in the sectors of education, health, culture, sport, among others. On February 2006, Cuba offered to the government of Pakistan 1000 fully funded scholarships for young Pakistanis to study Medicine in Cuba. The selection process has been carried out by the HEC under the guidance and instructions of the Pakistani government. The international collaboration of Cuba is quite wide, and there are 29,000 Cuban professionals providing assistance to more than 60 countries, mostly in Latin America and African nations. Nowadays, 27,500 foreign students coming from 120 countries are studying in Cuba, out of them 21 000 study Medicine. Cuba has reached in the spheres of education and health, as well as to provide them information related to living and studying conditions that the Cuban government provides to all the foreign students.


ISACA International Up Coming International Conference / Training Week

Calendar Jul – Aug 2008

Int’l Conference

e-

Symposium on

Security & Compliance

Unite

Latin

America CACS

Network Security

Conference

Date

27 to 30

July 2008

29

July 2008

17 to 20 August 2008

08

September 2008

Location

Toronto, Canada

e-Symposium Free - Live (On-Line)

Santiago,

Chile

Las Vegas,

USA

New 2008 ISACA conference and educational event dates have been released.

For the latest information, please visit www.isaca.org/conferences

Applications for Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT™ (CGEIT™) are now being accepted under the grandfathering provision. The application is available at www.isaca.org/cgeitgfapp Additional information about the certification can be found at www.isaca.org/cgeit

CGEIT Certification


ISACA Karachi Chapter participating in the Leader Conference Three board members will represent the Chapter are:

Ms. Huma Pasha – President, ISACA Karachi Chapter

Mr. Irfan Iqbal – Treasurer, ISACA Karachi Chapter Mr. Inam Ullah Siddiqui – Chair Research Committee, ISACA Karachi Chapter


Huma Pasha President

[email protected]

Kamran Nishat Vice President

[email protected]

Musharraf Zaman Khan Secretary & Arrangements Committee

[email protected]

Muhammad Irfan Iqbal Treasurer

[email protected]

Waqar Ahmed Khan [email protected]

Tariq Mahmood Ismail & Rehan A. Khan CISM Coordinator

[email protected]

Abdul Rasool Hoodbhoy & Azfar M. Hussain CISA Coordinator

[email protected]

Ghazali Wasti & Mansoor Qadri CPE Committee

[email protected]

Arshad Sattar & Faisal H. Siddiqui Membership Committee

[email protected]

Kashif Alam Khan Audit Committee

[email protected]

Absar Khan Publication Committee

[email protected]

Kashif Malik Education Committee

[email protected]

Abdur Rehman Andani Standards Liaison

[email protected]

Asif Mumtaz Academic Relations

[email protected]

Fazal Karim [email protected]

Shamsuddin Surani & Kashif Qadir Website Committee

[email protected]

Inamullah Siddiqui Research

[email protected]

Hussein Haji Past President

[email protected]

List of Board Members, ISACA Karachi


The Enlighten Online - isacakarachi.org · 10. Pakistan : A Favorable Economy, World Bank Report 12 11 ... Mr. Sami Askari, Chairman, ... In collaboration with HRM Services Pakistan

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