International Women’s Day: LCCI President wants more incentives for women

LAHORE, March 27 — The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) organized a prestigious ceremony in connection with International Women’s Day, chaired by LCCI President Faheem ur Rehman Saigol. Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmed Sheikh, Vice President Khurram Lodhi, and a large number of local and international diplomatic and business personalities attended the event.

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Turkish Consul General Mehmet Eymen Simsek attended the ceremony along with his wife. Parliamentary Secretary for the Women Development Department Punjab Salma Saadia Taimoor, Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka Yaseen Joiya, TDAP Director General Rafia Sayed, former Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Asghar, former Vice President Haris Ateeq, Women Committee Convener Firdous Nisar, Executive Committee Members Amina Randhawa, Aamir Ali, Manzoor Hussain Jafri, Karamat Ali Awan, Shaban Akhtar, Fayyaz Sheikh, Irfan Qureshi, Umar Sarfraz, Rana Nisar and Riffat Malik, along with other prominent personalities, were also present.

Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Faheem ur Rehman Saigol said that the Lahore Chamber is organizing the International Women’s Day ceremony for the second time, reflecting its strong commitment to women’s economic empowerment and progress. He emphasized that women play a vital role in bringing positive change to society and that Pakistan can achieve rapid development by utilizing women’s potential.

He noted that around 65 percent of Pakistan’s population consists of youth, with a large proportion being women, making skill development and training essential. He added that women have a significant share in agriculture, textiles, and other economic sectors, while more than 3,000 women-member companies are registered with the Lahore Chamber.
Faheem ur Rehman Saigol also stated that Punjab’s Chief Minister is a woman and the province has made progress under her leadership. He further said that Lahore’s air quality has improved significantly this year and the Chamber will continue taking initiatives for women’s development and business opportunities.

Women Committee Convener Firdous Nisar said that LCCI has established a Women Entrepreneurs Lounge where guidance and business support programs are being provided. She paid tribute to hardworking women who have achieved success despite challenges.

Former Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Asghar said that women’s workforce participation in Pakistan stands at only six percent and must be increased to at least fifty percent. He added that all CEOs in his companies are women and that he strongly believes in women entrepreneurship.

Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmed Sheikh said successful women serve as role models for others and assured that LCCI will work on recommendations provided by women members.

Parliamentary Secretary Salma Saadia Taimoor said women have earned their place in society through education and skills, and the Women Development Department aims to empower women socially and economically.

At the end of the ceremony, leadership awards were presented to women for their outstanding contributions in various fields. Award recipients included Salma Saadia Taimoor, Salma Shaheen, Sofia Waraich, Rafia Syed, Tabina Islam, Mrs. Mehmet, Dr. Shahina Asif, Dr. Bushra Usman, First Secretary of the British High Commission Claire Hailey, Sundas Khalid, Seerat Hashim, Nadia Nabeel, Sonia Soori, Humera Nasir, Shaista Riaz, Tauqeer Fatima, Zartashia Umar, Ambreen Askari and Fareeha Kamal.
The ceremony concluded with a renewed commitment to promoting women’s economic