Islamabad Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IWCCI) on Sunday said law and order situation and energy outages have taken their toll on women entrepreneurs, who badly need government’s support to revive their businesses.
Businesswomen should be given relaxations so that they can play their due role in development of society, said Samina Fazil, founder President IWCCI, while speaking at a hurriedly called meeting.
Newly elected President IWCCI Alia Akram, VP Naima Ansari and members of the executive committee Mumtaz Akhtar, Sajida Anwar, Munazza Arif, Shereen Jaweed, Samina Akhtar, Farida Rashid, Shamim Aftab and others were also present on the occasion.
Samina said that different government departments, including the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and its women entrepreneur section have always claimed to facilitate and promote women entrepreneurs, but the facts are otherwise.
“We don’t get any support, through promotion and facilitation, which amounts to denying us of the right to expand and grow,” she said.
She said that women entrepreneurs were the victims TDAP’s neglection. She blamed TDAP for inefficiency, lack of direction and commitment by business community. Heavy amounts are collected in the name of the Trade Development Fund, but its proper utilisation remains questionable, she said.
TDAP has disappointed many exporters who have started participating in important international exhibitions on their own, Samina said, adding that the ministry of commerce should see why TDAP is spending the huge budget without producing results.
She demanded that TDAP should provide subsidy to women entrepreneurs and include them in domestic and international trade exhibitions, otherwise it will be difficult for women to participate in such events.
