Punjab governor Lieutenant-General Khalid Maqbool (Retd) has appreciated the idea of organising women's expo that would provide a platform to all stakeholders working for the development and empowerment of women. He expressed these views while speaking at the concluding ceremony of Women's Expo here on Sunday.
He also appreciated all the previous and present governments, especially President General Musharraf's, for doing efforts for women development.
He said the Khushali Bank was basically built for the betterment and convenience of women, especially rural women, and 60 to 70 percent of loan had been given to them up till now. The governor opined today women were leading in every field.
The governor visited halls of the exhibition and showed keen interest in handmade products. He appreciated organisers' efforts for providing highly discounted stalls to women entrepreneurs.
He along with other guests visited the "Hunarrang pavilion" in the exhibition, which had been created in collaboration with the Department of Women Development, Punjab for the promotion and projection of cottage industry, as well as to provide women artisans chance to exhibit their handmade products for the end-consumers.
Speaking on the occasion women development minister Ashifa Riaz Fatyana said Pakistani women manufacture best quality handmade products that could be exported to earn foreign exchange.
She said such events would promote skills of Pakistani women and provide them the chance to contribute in the economy.
Women's Expo is being organised at Fortress Expo Centre where around 150 booths are available. Corporate sector exhibitors, women artisans, women entrepreneurs, NGOs, educational and training institutes are participating in the exhibition.
The three-day exhibition was organised by 4th Dimension Pvt Ltd in collaboration with Department of Women Development, Government of Punjab, German Agency for Technical Co-operation (GTZ) and Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) along with several other government and non-government organisations.