
CDC facilitates ICMA international elections
The elections were conducted seamlessly across six strategic locations-including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Faisalabad-marking a milestone in cross-border digital governance.
Held on a single day, the elections unified the ICMA International community through a secure, transparent, and fully digitised voting process. Leveraging CDC's robust digital infrastructure, the initiative exemplified how strategic technology partnerships can transform institutional governance-enabling professional bodies to operate with greater inclusivity, efficiency, and integrity.
Electronic voting was made available through an enhanced, state-of-the-art e-Voting platform by CDC, accessible both online and via designated ICMA institute booths. Voters received real-time support throughout the process, ensuring accessibility and participation regardless of geography or technical familiarity. The platform was specifically upgraded to meet ICMA International's requirements, including the display of candidate names alongside photographs and built-in controls to ensure accurate ballot submissions aligned with the number of eligible candidates. CDC has been offering e-Voting service to multiple listed companies through its wholly-owned subsidiary CDC Share Registrar.
Commenting on the achievement, Badiuddin Akber, CEO of CDC, has said that this successful execution reaffirms CDC's commitment to supporting democratic processes across diverse sectors. 'By enabling a cross-border election through secure and inclusive digital means, we continue to demonstrate the far-reaching impact of Pakistan's capital market infrastructure. Our vision extends beyond the conventional role of a depository—towards shaping institutional trust, accountability, and governance at every level', he added.
This collaboration not only reflects CDC's technological leadership but also underscores its role as an enabler of institutional transparency, innovation, and inclusive governance. As the sole securities depository of Pakistan, CDC has continually expanded its mandate-introducing a range of transformative digital solutions including Emlaak Financials, Asaan Connect, eIPO, CDC Access, Dividend Repository, and e-Meeting.
These platforms are designed to simplify investor access, digitize market processes, and enhance operational efficiency across the financial ecosystem. Anchored in trust, resilience, and forward-looking partnerships, CDC remains committed to building platforms that meet the evolving needs of stakeholders-both within and beyond the capital market.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Business Recorder
5 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Disrupting the two-party system: Can Elon Musk spark a US political reboot like Imran Khan did in Pakistan?
The dispute between Republican President Donald Trump and his main campaign financier Elon Musk took a fractious turn this weekend with the announcement of the 'America Party' - looking to upend the long-reigning two-party system in the United States, not quite unlike what Pakistan's Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) did in 2018. The announcement is already stirring anxieties within America's entrenched political class, where Musk, with his growing influence and vast capital could upset the Republican-Democrat duopoly, which has reigned for 160 years. What Musk is proposing isn't entirely new. Third-party bids in the US have historically fizzled due to structural constraints like ballot access, the Electoral College, and winner-take-all voting. But what's different now is the context: rising polarization, a generation of disillusioned voters and a growing appetite for disruption. Trump's approval ratings in polls in his second term have generally held firm above 40%, despite often divisive policies, the US dollar dropped to its lowest valuation in a decade and the fiscal deficit is set to climb to $2.5 trillion. Who is Zohran Mamdani, New York's presumed next mayor? To understand the potential of such a political moment, analysts are increasingly looking abroad – to Pakistan, where a two-party order collapsed in 2018 under the weight of youth frustration and populist momentum. PTI's disruption and the youth vote For decades, Pakistan's politics revolved around two dominant forces: the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). This duopoly, characterized by dynastic leadership and rotating tenures in power, left many voters - particularly the young and those in urban city centres - disillusioned. Enter Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), led by former cricket captain Imran Khan. Founded in 1996, the party remained on the fringes for over a decade before gaining traction through a combination of populist messaging, anti-corruption rhetoric and savvy digital campaigning. By the 2018 general elections, the landscape had changed. Pakistan's youth, which makes up over 64% of the population, played a decisive role. According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, 45% of voters aged 18–35 participated, with PTI capturing a dominant share of that demographic –particularly in urban centres like Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and Peshawar. 'PTI's message resonated with young voters who were tired of family politics and business-as-usual governance,' said analyst Ayesha Siddiqua. 'It was a party that spoke their language - literally and digitally.' PTI's campaign leaned heavily on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, broadcasting rallies live and bypassing traditional media gatekeepers. A parallel movement in the US Back in the US, the political landscape appears similarly fatigued. Gallup polling in 2025 shows that over 42% of Americans now identify as independents, while just 27% identify as Democrats and 26% as Republicans. Among voters under 35, support for a third-party or independent alternative is rising sharply. It's in this environment that figures like Elon Musk, Bernie Sanders, and Zohran Mamdani are gaining attention - albeit from vastly different parts of the ideological spectrum. While Sanders, a democratic socialist, has mounted two powerful challenges to the Democratic establishment, his influence has reshaped the party's internal debates. Mamdani, the progressive New York lawmaker recently nominated as the Democratic candidate for mayor, represents a growing class of insurgent politicians willing to openly criticize party orthodoxy. 'People are increasingly rejecting the binary,' Mamdani said during his nomination speech earlier this year. 'They want a politics that reflects reality - not party lines.' Observers note that while Sanders and Mamdani are working within the Democratic Party, their popularity reveals how far removed the establishment has become from younger, more diverse, and more economically anxious voters. In contrast, Elon Musk's ambitions remain ambiguous. He has previously endorsed both Republican and Democratic candidates, often on contradictory grounds. But his ability to command attention, resources, and followers - he has over 180 million followers on X - gives him a unique base of political leverage. A global shift? From Pakistan to the U.S., from France's Emmanuel Macron to Italy's Five Star Movement, the last decade has shown that political duopolies are not as unshakable as they once seemed. Youth-driven movements - often organized online and outside traditional party structures - have reshaped political possibilities across the globe. But the obstacles in the U.S. remain formidable. Third-party candidates face significant ballot restrictions in key states. The Electoral College system inherently favours the two main parties. And media coverage often dismisses outsiders as spoilers. Still, Musk's timing may be strategic. The 2024 and 2028 US elections exposed deep voter dissatisfaction with both major parties, and rising digital activism has created new tools for political organization - much like PTI's use of WhatsApp groups and YouTube in the 2018 election. While such efforts have historically fizzled, the mood is different now. A generation disillusioned with establishment politics, a fractured media ecosystem, and growing polarization have opened up new space for outsiders.


Business Recorder
13 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Youm-e-Ashura marked with solemnity, reverence
LAHORE: Youm-e-Ashur, the 10th of Muharram-ul-Haram, was observed across the country on Sunday with solemnity and reverence in commemoration of the supreme sacrifice rendered by Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his devoted companions in Karbala. The unmatched sacrifice of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions conveyed a powerful message of protecting the true spirit of Islam. Mourning processions were taken out in all cities and towns of the country to remember this eternal martyrdom of the grandson of Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAW). Ulema and Zakireen highlighted the bright and candid teachings of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and various aspects of Karbala tragedy. Elaborate security arrangements had been made across the country to maintain law and order, and avoid any untoward incident during the mourning processions. In Lahore, the main Zuljinnah procession was taken out from Nisar Haveli inside Mochi Gate of old Lahore Walled City and after passing through traditional route culminated at Karbala Gamay Shah near Data Darbar Complex Sunday evening where Shaam-e-Ghareeban was held. Meanwhile, Inspector General of the Punjab Police, Dr Usman Anwar, told media that over one hundred thousand officers and jawans of Punjab Police are providing security cover to over five thousand four hundred mourning processions and 2,772 Majalis throughout the province. Punjab Secretary Home Dr Ahmad Javed Qazi visited the Central Control Room of the Home Department in Lahore. Provincial Minister for Information and Culture, Azma Zahid Bukhari, visited Faisalabad to inspect the arrangements made for the observance of Ashura. During her visit to various procession routes and Imambargahs, she lauded the efforts of the local administration and security forces in ensuring peaceful and organized Muharram-ul-Haram observances. Speaking to the media, she emphasized that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had issued clear directives to make exemplary arrangements for Youm-e-Ashur. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025


Business Recorder
13 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Youm-e-Ashur observed with religious devotion, solemnity
KARACHI: Like the rest of the country, Karachi observed the 10th of Muharram, Youm-e-Ashur, with religious devotion and solemnity on Sunday as thousands of mourners took to the streets to commemorate the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions in the battle of Karbala. The megacity's central procession began from Nishtar Park, under the guidance of Pak Hyderi Scouts. Before the procession set off, senior cleric Allama Shahenshah Hussain Naqvi addressed a large gathering at the park, shedding light on the trials of Karbala and the significance of Imam Hussain's (RA) stand for truth and justice. Later, participants, clad in black and carrying religious symbols marched solemnly through their traditional route. Security remained extremely tight throughout the day. More than 20,000 police and Rangers personnel were deployed across the city to ensure peace, while rooftop sharpshooters, sniffer dogs, drones, and hundreds of CCTV cameras kept a close watch on the entire procession route. Mobile phone services were partially suspended in sensitive areas, and a city-wide ban on pillion riding was imposed as a precautionary measure. Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah joined the mourners at Sea Breeze, a gesture that reflected the government's resolve to facilitate peaceful religious observance. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025