FAISALABAD, Jun 10 (APP):The Faisalabad Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FWCCI) will establish a Women Export Display Centre at Faisalabad in collaboration with the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) to facilitate ‘Access to Market’ for women products.
These products, particularly handmade articles, are high in demand in traditional and non-traditional markets abroad, said Mrs. Rubina Amjad, President FWCCI and Chairperson of FPCCI Standing Committee on Think Tank.
She was addressing the participants in a symposium on ‘Digital Transformation of Women Businesses in Pakistan’, organized by Think Tank Committee in collaboration with the FPCCI here today.
She said that Pakistan’s export volume can go further high if we are able to facilitate and fetch best prices for women products, particularly handmade products, in international markets.
She said that as founder and current President of Faisalabad Women Chamber and now Chairperson of FPCCI Think Tank Committee, her main emphasis is that women dong business or start-ups must be facilitated and equipped with digital transformation that offers a pathway to overcome traditional barriers and achieve sustainable growth. By embracing digital tools and strategies, women entrepreneurs should enhance their competitiveness and market base in this planet of more than 200 countries, she added.
She said that ‘Access to Market’ is the most important step for attention of policy makers and the government and policy makers should take it in letter and spirit. By supporting women entrepreneurs on this front is her missionary zeal. We have worked day and night in collaboration with the FPCCI and in consonance with State Bank, SMEDA and others, to bring under one roof experts from E-Commerce digital platforms, IT companies, Banking Industry, Cellular companies and Non-Banking organizations to promote digitalization, freelancing accounts, digital marketing zero interest loans and web-based development, she added.
She said that at the FWCCI, we have already established first ever ‘Business Incubation Centre’ which is now upgraded to ‘Women Resource Centre’ in collaboration with Industries Department, government of Punjab. Our Women Entrepreneurs can take benefit of the enriched training programs and business development opportunities organized time to time.
We are striving for establishment of exclusive women entrepreneurs block and women skill development centre at M-3 Allama Iqbal Industrial Estate, Faisalabad, she added.
Ms. Qurrat-ul-Ain Vice President FPCCI appreciated role of FPCCI Chairperson Think Tank Committee/President FWCCI for organizing the most important Symposium on ‘Digital transformation of Women Businesses in Pakistan’ and congratulated her for this milestone success.
She said that empowering women entrepreneurs both in access to finance and access to market is the dire need and the FPCCI and Think Tank Committee/FWCCI will work together in this respect.
She said that women products must receive facilitation for market access to domestic and international destinations. She said that women entrepreneurs must be supported for delegation visits as well participation in international trade fairs on subsidized rates by the government.
She emphasized on the industry-academia linkage as prime importance and educated female graduates must opt for business as career as job providers instead of job seekers.
She quoted examples of various women entrepreneurs as successful businesswomen today.
She assured full cooperation from FPCCI for future ventures of Think Tank Committee and FWCCI.
Mrs. Quratulain Bilal, Deputy Chief Manager Financial Inclusion Division, State Bank of Pakistan, BSC Faisalabad, talked about various initiatives taken for promoting digitalization and foreign exchange regulations for IT companies and freelancers.
It was informed that for opening of freelancer accounts, foreign proceeds are a must while enormous facilities and incentives are available to the account holder in this context.
With the help of slides, it was also informed that exporters can open foreign currency accounts and they are allowed to retain USD 5000 per month or 50% of the export proceeds whichever is higher in ESFC accounts.
IT companies, the balances, held in the ESF Accounts may utilize for making all types of payments of current account nature. Renowned professionals from Information Technology, Non-banking micro finance, E-Commerce and Cellular sectors took part in panel discussions organized separately for each sector for knowledge and professional guidance of the participants.
Ms. Kanwal Saeed, Chairperson of FPCCI Skill Development Committee and Chief Executive IBKA, conducted all the three panel discussion sessions.
Distribution of Certificates to the Symposium Panelists was made by Ms. Qurrat-ul-Ain, VP FPCCI, Ms. Rubina Amjad, Chairperson FPCCI Think Tank & President FWCCI, Mr. Javed Afzal, SMEDA Provincial Chief Punjab, Mr. Muzammal Sultan, President BOM, PVTC Faisalabad and Mr. Umer Ali Sheikh, Regional Chief AB, Faisalabad.
Ms. Tasghira Tajammal SVP FWCCI offered vote of thanks while Mr. Faiz Muhammad Buzdar, Director TEVTA, Faisalabad and Chinot, Dr. Sajjad Ashraf, SVP and Mr. Aslam Bhalli, VP FCCI, Mr. Sohaib, Project Director WRC, PISC Lahore, Mr. Moazzam Saeed, Regional Chief Meezan Bank Ltd, Mr. Aqeel Ahmad, Area Manager, Bank Islami, Mr. Zamir Ul Hassan, Region Retail Lending Head, FSD, Dr. Saira Akhtar, Associate Professor ORIC Agriculture University, Dr. Afraz Gillani, Manager BIC, GC University and Heads of other institutions as Social Welfare Department, Punjab Small Industries Corporation participated in the symposium in addition to about over 200 women entrepreneurs and business start-ups.
