Women are half of the total population of Pakistan, who are endowed with immense talents, but due to lack of better opportunities, women are currently unable to play an active role in the economic development of the country, so the government should take favorable policy measures for the economic empowerment of women, which will pave way for Pakistan to move towards sustainable economic development. This was said by Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry while talking to a delegation of Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry during its visit to ICCI led by Rizwana Asif President.

Ahsan Bakhtawari said that developed countries have achieved rapid economic development by focusing on better development of women, but in Pakistan, women still do not have better opportunities to participate in economic development, although our women are second to none in terms of talent and capabilities. He emphasized that the government should address the key issues being faced by women entrepreneurs on a priority basis and provide them with maximum ease in doing business so that more women feel motivated to start their own business, which will not only reduce poverty and unemployment from the society, but the economy will also move towards fast recovery. He assured that ICCI will cooperate with IWCCI to solve the problems of women entrepreneurs.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Rizwana Asif, President, Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that getting a loan for business is the major problem for women, due to which many of them are unable to start their own business. She said that the SBP has increased the policy interest rate to 22 percent, which has made it almost impossible for women entrepreneurs to take loans from banks. She demanded that the government should introduce a new scheme to provide easy loans to women for business startups, which will boost business activities and increase prosperity. She further said that the government has made a significant hike in the prices of electricity and gas, which has also increased the difficulties of business women. She demanded that the government should review the utility prices and bring down the interest rates to single digits, which would significantly reduce the cost of doing business and strengthen the economy by increasing business activities.

Dr. Sonia Saleem, Senior Vice President, Dr. Joharia Azhar, Sadaf Abbasi Executive Members of IWCCI and others were in the delegation.