The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) hosted a high-profile corporate networking conference in Peshawar on the theme 'KP: Pakistan's gateway to economic prosperity' providing a platform to region's key stakeholders and thought leaders to engage in interdisciplinary, forward thinking conversations and encouraging collaborative action by proposing a common agenda aimed at revitalising the private sector to kick start an era of sustainable, inclusive economic growth in the province.

Taimur Jhagra, Minister for Finance, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Hassan Daud Butt, CEO, KP Board of Investment & Trade, Mujahid Saleem, Advisor on Economic Growth, USAID, and Assad Hameed Khan, Market Head, ACCA were among the keynote speakers who shared their insights and proposed tips for organisations to become future-ready.

"It's a source of pride to see the city opening up again and providing a platform for thought leaders to engage in meaningful conversations. The province is a large consumer market and offers exciting opportunities for investors. We strongly believe that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is our country's gateway to economic prosperity."

Commenting on the theme of the conference, Director of National Incubation Centre (NIC) Peshawar, Faisal Jamil said, "Around 60pc of all the investments and funding raised by the start-ups at NIC Peshawar have been raised by women-led start-ups. The key takeaway from the conference is that the stakeholders of this region need to focus more on sustainability to drive the business forward."

Recognising the aggregated impact of the conference, Mujahid Saleem said, "Today's event will go a long way in chalking out a clear path forward to promote sustainable economic development in this region. We look forward to working with ACCA on similar initiatives in the future for the benefit of this region."

"The conference offered great insights into developing future-ready talent and preparing the youth of our country for the challenges ahead," said Dr Sahibzada Ali Mahmud, Chief Strategy & Information Officer, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company (KPEZDMC).-PR