Karachi : FEMPACT 2026, a high level policy dialogue and awards platform, brought together senior leaders from banking, capital markets, law, corporate leadership, media and civil society to turn diversity, equity and inclusion from conversation into structured action.
Organised by Mehmood Tareen (Founder, The Professionals Network) and Xenab Ansari (Founder Project Pakistan and FEMPACT), the conference is designed as an implementation focused forum addressing systemic barriers faced by women in Pakistan’s workplaces and economy. This year’s conference centered on two core segments.
Segment 1: Domestic Violence is a Workplace Issue
The first segment examined domestic violence as a corporate, economic and policy concern rather than a private matter. The dialogue connected recent legislative progress with the role of employers in building safer systems for employees.
Key voices in this segment included:
Haya Zahid, CEO Legal Aid Society
Jameel Yusuf, Chairman TPL Holdings (Pvt) Ltd. and Founder CPLC and Panah Shelter Homes
Zubair Motiwala, Former CEO TDAP
Rabia Khattak, Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Jazz
Roofi Jamil, Former Global L&D Head, HBL
Khushbakht Shah Jillani, Founder KSJ Associates and Mehfooz.ai
Dr Irum Saba, Director IBA CEIF and Founder Women Leadership Forum
This segment also featured a fundraising fireside conversation with Masarrat Misbah, Founder Depilex Smile Again Foundation, to support survivors of violence requiring medical and rehabilitation support.
A major outcome of the conference was the Domestic Violence Workplace Policy Pledge, developed with the support of Mehfooz.ai. Companies that have pledged to adopt or strengthen workplace domestic violence policies were recognized at the event.
Segment 2: Women’s Financial Literacy as a Driver of Economic Growth
The second segment positioned women’s financial literacy as a national economic imperative, linking access to financial knowledge with productivity, participation and long-term economic resilience.
Speakers included:
Sima Kamil, Former Deputy Governor State Bank of Pakistan
Raeda Latif, Strategic leader in inclusion and financial literacy
Mashmooma, CEO Mutual Funds Association of Pakistan
Sara Sajjad, Deputy Chief Manager Financial Inclusion Division, State Bank of Pakistan
Maria Qureshi, GM HR, Security Papers Ltd
The session was moderated by Maham Wajahat, Founder HerStash, representing a new generation of women in capital markets. The segment contributed to the Women’s Financial Literacy Action Commitment, encouraging organizations to adopt internal financial literacy initiatives as part of their DEI and workforce development strategies.
FEMPACT 2026 also honored outstanding individuals like Dr. Ishrat Hussain, Mehdi Kazmi, Uzma Noorani, Dr. Masuma Hasan and more, as well as institutions whose work has advanced women’s safety, representation and economic empowerment across Pakistan with their awards segment
Community, knowledge and media partners included HerStash, Mehfooz.ai, Women Leadership Forum, Project Pakistan, CommUnityX, Harmony Moments, HUM TV and other institutional collaborators.
FEMPACT aims to work year-round toward measurable outcomes, including increased corporate adoption of domestic violence workplace policies and expanded financial literacy access for women across sectors.
