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ISLAMABAD, Nov 19 (APP):Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan on Wednesday said the first-ever National Women Entrepreneurship Policy would soon be introduced, as the government was committed to resolving women’s issues, making them self-reliant and enabling them to play a more active role in national development.
He made this announcement while addressing the International Women’s Entrepreneurship Day ceremony organized by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA).
He said the new policy would help transform systems and enable women to move beyond simply finding space in the economy to fully advancing as business leaders.
Haroon said that under the leadership of the prime minister, women had been placed at the centre of economic progress. Pakistani women, he noted, were rising from their homes to the global marketplace and establishing themselves as emerging business leaders.
The SAPM emphasized that today’s woman was not seeking help but demanding a fair opportunity, adding that women were not merely joining the economy — they were already pushing it forward.
“Women’s entrepreneurship stands at the frontline of national development and industrial transformation,” he stated.
Haroon stressed that economic leadership by women was essential for Pakistan to remain competitive internationally. “A nation can only reach new heights when its women progress alongside it,” he said.
The special assistant expressed confidence that Pakistan would become a country where every woman could turn her idea into reality, contributing meaningfully to the nation’s economic future.
FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh said women are not only participants in the economic arena but also the driving force behind innovation and sustainable development.
He lauded SAPM Haroon support for empowering women in SMEs and the broader business sector, and also acknowledged the efforts of FPCCI Vice President Qurat-ul-Ain for promoting women’s empowerment.
He said Pakistan cannot progress by leaving behind half of its population, adding that the country’s economic future and sustainable development depend on women’s full participation.
Women-led businesses, he noted, are transforming industries, breaking barriers, creating jobs and developing new brands despite facing numerous challenges.
He said FPCCI remains committed to capacity building and training women entrepreneurs in collaboration with SMEDA.
SMEDA CEO Nadia said the government is taking concrete steps to economically empower women through SMEs by offering loans and skill development opportunities.
The ceremony was attended by Vice President FPCCI Qurat-ul-Ain, Tariq Jadoon, Chairman Capital Office Karim Aziz Malik, and Chairman Coordination and President Hafizabad Chamber Malik Sohail Hussain.