The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) along with the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), Kauffman Foundation and Junior Chamber International is observing the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW). Speaking on the launching ceremony here on Wednesday, ICCI President Yassar Sakhi Butt said Pakistani youth possessed immense potential and talent that must be exploited to the maximum. He informed the gathering that the ICCI had established Entrepreneurship Development Center with the support of CIPE to provide guidance to prospective business starters and existing businessmen in expanding their businesses. The former vice president and chairman of ICCI Young Entrepreneurship Forum, Shaban Khalid, highlighted the activities of the ICCI’s Youth Forum and said that celebration of GEW was another effort of ICCI to promote entrepreneurship culture in the country.
Brain I McCleary, the commercial counselor of the US embassy said many young people around the world shared the belief that entrepreneurship could help them realize their dreams and improving their lives. He said it was better than ever to start a business because most of the governments had made it easier. Hammad Siddiqui, the deputy country director of the CIPE highlighted the role of the CIPE in promoting entrepreneurship and said that CIPE had been actively engaged with chambers and associations to promote entrepreneurial culture in Pakistan.
He said that due to prevailing economic situation job opportunities were shirking so there was dire need to encourage youth to enter into entrepreneurship field.
Ali Salman, the executive director of the Development Pool, Qasim Shiekh, the Innovation and Entrepreneurship director of the NUST and Jehan Ara, the NUST president also highlighted the importance of entrepreneurship on the occasion.
Key impediments to entrepreneurial culture in Pakistan were discussed by the participants.
