Handicrafts, ready-made garments and jewellery: KP women entrepreneurs' fair concludes in Multan

A three-day exhibition of female entrepreneurs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa concluded here on Sunday. A large number of women and couples visited the exhibition to see the skill of women belong to hilly areas of KP. Women entrepreneurs of Peshawar installed 40 stalls of handicrafts, dresses, jewellery, products of skilled workers of Peshawar in the exhibition jointly organised by the National Productivity Organisation (NPO) and the Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI).
As the number of female fashion designers increases in Peshawar, platforms and opportunities to showcase their talent remain limited. MCCI President Mian Iqbal Hassan appreciated the hard work and the interest of members for using their skills to produce high standard goods. He said that these developmental activities would not only provide job opportunities to women in their areas but it will also end their deprivation in the society. He said that such exhibitions and festival would play a key role in bringing the women of KP closer to the women of south Punjab. NPO has given an opportunity to women of Peshawar to display their work, 40 stalls were set up featuring jewellery, modern and traditional readymade garments, handbags, decoration pieces and bed sheets. "The designers in Peshawar are not behind as compared to other cities when it comes to talent, but they lack opportunities like south Punjab," said Mian Iqbal Hassan. He added that MCCI not only helps them organise exhibitions but also in other cities in order to increase their exposure on a national level.
Mrs Rumana Tanvir also plans to expand into the international market soon. She said that a delegation of Multan's women entrepreneurs would be sent to Peshawar to show case their skill. Mrs Rabia Shehzad said that women entrepreneurs of Multan took part in different national and international fairs and exhibitions with the co-operation of Multan Chamber. Recently they had taken part in an exhibition in India. Organiser and NPO in charge Ali Ahsan, Mirza Ali Ahmed, Vice President of MCCI, Mrs Sidra Bakhtawar, and Khawaja Nadeem Shehzad also spoke on the occasion.