The first-ever inter-provincial trade fair for women entrepreneurs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa started on Saturday. The basic objective of the two-day trade fair, organized by the Women Business Development Centre (WBDC) is to promote women entrepreneurs and help them establish their businesses. The trade fair is an exclusive event for women and allows them to display their creativity and the products manufactured by them. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Social Welfare and Women Development Sitara Ayaz inaugurated the trade fair. The trade fair will remain open for visitors from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour will be the chief guest at the closing ceremony to be held at 5:00 pm on Sunday. Addressing the opening ceremony Sitara Ayaz said that the women of the province are talented and their work has demand in foreign markets. She said that women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are manufacturing quality products and a large number are sustaining their entrepreneurial ventures. She said that the provincial government is making efforts for the promotion of women entrepreneurs and home-based women workers. Sitara Ayaz said that a chamber for women has already been established in the province and the products of women entrepreneurs will not only be marketed at national level, but also at an international level, which will promote the culture and identity of Pakhtuns in the world. She said that women are playing an important role in the national economy and such exhibitions will promote a culture of healthy competition amongst women entrepreneurs resulting in better quality products. She urged the women to not only continue with their entrepreneurship, but also fulfill their roles in the capacity of a mother, sister, wife and daughter to foster a peaceful environment for the coming generations of Khyber Pakthunkhwa. In her speech WBDC Project Manager Nabeela Farman said that the centre is working for building the capacity of women entrepreneurship, adding that the establishment of such an institute was the need of the hour. She said that women entrepreneurship can play a major role in employment generation adding that women are a key factor in the per capita income of several developed countries. She said that several women of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have proved to be successful proprietors.
