No country can progress without active participation of women: SAARC Chamber President

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LAHORE:  President SAARC Chamber Iftikhar Ali Malik Friday said no country in the world can progress in any sphere of life without active participation of women in main streams of national development.
Talking to a delegation of presidents of various women of chambers of commerce and Industry led by Ms Samina Afzal President Women Chamber Islamabad he said women entrepreneurs have been designated as the new engine of economic growth and rising stars of the economies in developing countries to bring prosperity and welfare. He said they contribute and support the economy extensively in different ways by being employed in several sectors.
Other participants included Zulikha Mandokhel,Shabnum Zafar,Saeeda Banu,Rukhsana Nadir,Izra Jamshedpur,Naeema Andrabi Farida Rashid,Farzana Burney,Farzana Khan and former Ambassador,founder General Secretary SAARC chamber and nationally acclaimed SME expert Rehmat Ullah Javed.
He said many successful businesses are run by women and some of them are highly skilled in entrepreneurial activities.He said it’s fact that many of the world’s largest enterprises are owned and run by women who are aware of correct application of theory in business.He said women constitute 48.54 percent of total population in Pakistan and since motherland inception this segment has been neglected outrightly what we need is to fully harness their potentials and properly utilise them in all sectors especially in SMEs on the pattern of European Union.
He said Pakistan economy consists of 3.3 million SMEs comprising services providers,manufacturing units and starts up. SMEs make up over 30 percent of Pakistan GDP,account for approximately 25 percent of export generation and provide over 70 percent industrial employment.He said while in EU,Europe’s 25m SMEs are the backbone of the EU economy and provide two out of three industrial jobs in the region.-
About rural women Iftikhar Ali Malik said they also play a catalytic role towards achievement of transformational economy,environmental and social changes required for sustainable development.He said major chunk of rural women can be self employed in food,livestock,agriculture health ,education sectors and SMEs by offering them interest free loans on easy instalments payable after five to ten years.
Iftikhar Ali Malik said short duration technical courses must also launched across the country to impart basic knowledge to women in various trade to meet the ever increasing demands of skilled workers in industry.
Group leader of the delegation Samina Afzal thanked Iftikhar Ali Malik for getting established 11 women chambers in Pakistan and assured him to contribute their share in national development.

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