KARACHI – Noted female entrepreneur of Islamabad Farida Rashid has been elected President of the Islamabad Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IWCCI) for the year 2019-2020.
Annual General Meeting of the IWCCI was held here in which Farida Rashid was elected unopposed as President IWCCI, Afsheen Zeeshan was elected Senior Vice President and Shahida Mazhar was elected as Vice President.
Member National Assembly Sajida Zulfiqar of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf took oath from the newly-elected office bearers while MNA Shamim Aftab was also present.
Speaking at the occasion, Sajida Zulfiqar, Shamim Aftab, and founder president IWCCI Samina Fazil said that entrepreneurship is the best way to empower women.
Pakistan can only become a developed nation when women are encouraged to take part in economic activities and their skills properly utilized, they said.
The speakers lauded the women empowerment initiatives by the government and stressed that more should be done for social and economic development.
Samina Fazil paid glowing tributes to outgoing office bearers and lauded their services and asked the newly-elected officials to try best to serve the women.
Farida Rashid said that she will try to increase economic opportunities for women through different capacity building initiatives, while safeguarding their rights and uplifting their status.
She said that gender equality is the key to progress as the majority of our population comprise of women but they are deprived of opportunities and discouraged to demonstrate their skills.
The newly-elected president of the chamber said that government departments and private sector institutions can play a positive role in strengthening women’s economic capacities which can guarantee accelerated social and economic growth.
