By Commerce Reporter
LAHORE: A seminar in connection with Women Entrepreneurship Day and campaign to enhance access to finance for women entrepreneurs was organized by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with United Bank Limited.
The highly impactful seminar was the result of untiring efforts of LCCI Executive Committee Members Amina Randhawa and Firdous Nisar for the cause of women entrepreneurs. LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad was the Chief Guest while District Head of UBL Syed Amir Abbas, Khawaja Waqas, Amina Mohsin, Tayyab Masood also spoke on the occasion. The event brought together women entrepreneurs, financial experts and business leaders to discuss challenges and opportunities in empowering women-led businesses.
In his address, LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad appreciated the efforts of Amina Randhawa and Ms. Firdous Nisar in organizing the seminar and emphasized the critical role women entrepreneurs play in Pakistan’s economic growth. He said that empowering women entrepreneurs is essential for achieving inclusive and sustainable development. This seminar is a testament to LCCI’s commitment to fostering gender equality and providing women with the tools they need to succeed.
The LCCI President also highlighted LCCI’s initiatives to advocate for policy reforms that facilitate women’s entry into the business world and enhance their access to financial resources. He urged financial institutions to develop women-centric products and called on the government to reduce regulatory hurdles that disproportionately affect women-led businesses.
Amina Randhawa, a successful entrepreneur and LCCI Executive Committee Member, stressed the importance of addressing systemic barriers that hinder women entrepreneurs from accessing finance. She called for innovative solutions to foster their growth and integration into mainstream business sectors.
Firdous Nisar, another LCCI Executive Committee Member, highlighted the economic potential of women entrepreneurs and urged stakeholders to collaborate in creating a supportive ecosystem. She added that this initiative is not just about financial access; it’s about empowering women to lead and contribute significantly to the economy.
Representatives from United Bank Limited presented their suite of financial products tailored for women entrepreneurs. They showcased innovative loan schemes, mentorship programs and digital tools designed to support women-led enterprises and shared inspiring success stories of women transforming their businesses through these solutions.
The seminar featured engaging panel discussions with industry leaders and policymakers, focusing on overcoming cultural and institutional challenges to women entrepreneurship, exploring technology-driven solutions for market access, Strategies for creating sustainable and scalable women-led businesses.
President Mian Abuzar Shad concluded the seminar with a strong call to action for all stakeholders. He emphasized the need for deeper collaborations between financial institutions, chambers of commerce and policymakers to support women entrepreneurs, policy reforms aimed at reducing barriers to credit and business operations for women and the importance of fostering innovation and capacity building among women-led businesses.
Participants of the seminar praised the event as a crucial platform for addressing systemic issues and sharing actionable solutions. The organizers Amina Randhawa and Firdous Nisar, along with President Mian Abuzar Shad, pledged their commitment to support women entrepreneurs through continued advocacy, mentorship and financial inclusion initiatives.
