Promotion of women entrepreneurs: setting up of research department inevitable

Chief Executive Officer, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Tariq Iqbal Puri has said the establishment of well-equipped research and development department is inevitable to promote women entrepreneurs in the country.
He was addressing a joint meeting of the Standing Committees of the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PFCCI) on SMEs, special education and women development at the FPCCI Regional office, here on Saturday. He asked the country's chambers of commerce and industry to provide complete data of the women entrepreneurs. Women have great potential in business sector but they needed to be channeled. The TDAP is supporting women entrepreneurs at national and international level, he added.
For international exposure, he said the next WEXNET exhibition for the women entrepreneurs, would be held in Dubai. It would definitely attract the international customers and clients and would be helpful for women in getting international exposure. He further gave the details of the skill development programme, tailored for the promotion of skills especially for females so that they could produce their goods according to the requirement of international markets.
Regional Chairman, Muhammad Tariq Shafi and Chaudhry Aamer Ata Bajwa, Dr Shehla Javed Akram, Vice Presidents FPCCI while speaking on the occasion said the FPCCI believes in collective consultation so that problems could be resolved with communal approach and in the current scenario, relief could be given to the business community. They said the role of women in society could not be denied. Women have proved themselves in every field.
The formation of Handicraft Association of Pakistan was also announced on the occasion. Shireen Arshad Khan, MNA, would be the chairperson of the association. Addressing the meeting Shireen Arshad Khan talked about her efforts in getting the association registered as a trade body and expressed hope that all departments and trade bodies would support this association at each and every platform.
Dr Shehla gave a detail presentation on SMEs problems and reiterated that she would continue to support SMEs at all levels. She further said that core objective to constitute women chambers all over the country is to strengthen the women entrepreneurs with great wisdom. Women chambers must be taken on board while policymaking transparently, she said. It would be convenient for all the male stakeholders to implement and follow the policy in the larger interest of Pakistan. "We are ready to co-ordinate and cooperate with this sector in the interest of national economy," she maintained. Former President FPCCI, Iftikhar Ali Malik also spoke on the occasion and hailed the formation of handicrafts association.