By Commerce Reporter
LAHORE, March 25 — The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) organized an awareness session on “Government Policies Related to Women,” where detailed discussions were held on women’s economic empowerment, protection, and promotion of business opportunities.
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The event was attended by LCCI President Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol and Parliamentary Secretary of the Punjab Women Development Department Salma Saadia Taimoor as the chief guest. Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmed Sheikh, Vice President Khurram Lodhi, former Vice President Tahir Manzoor Chaudhry, Executive Committee members Amna Randhawa, Firdous Nisar, Amir Ali, Umar Sarfaraz, Vice chancellor LEEDS University Nadeem Bhatti, Vice chancellor Nur University Dr. Farooq Anwer and several business and social personalities also participated. Among the attendees were Riffat Malik, Syeda Rozi Rizvi, Salma Bukhari, Gul Khan, Ayesha Haroon, Mian Khalil Abeer, Raja Hassan Akhtar, Shahid Baig, Arshad Baig, and others.
Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol said that women are a vital part of society and play a key role in the development of any country. He announced that a special ceremony related to International Women’s Day will be held at the Lahore Chamber on Friday. He added that LCCI has always taken practical steps to guide and support its women members so they can actively participate in business activities.
He said that today’s women are not only managing household responsibilities effectively but are also proving their capabilities in business, industry, education, and many other fields. However, he emphasized that women still face challenges such as lack of information, limited access to financial resources, and insufficient professional guidance in business.
He explained that the purpose of the awareness session was to inform women about facilities, schemes, and policies offered by the government and financial institutions. According to him, women’s economic independence improves not only individual lives but also strengthens the national economy, as equal opportunities enable women to contribute actively to national development.
Chief Guest Salma Saadia Taimoor said in her address that Pakistani society has traditionally been male-dominated, but women have proven their abilities in every sector through their talent and determination. She stated that under the leadership of the Chief Minister of Punjab, women’s development, protection, and economic empowerment have been given central importance in government policies, and all departments have been directed to introduce special programs for women.
She highlighted several initiatives taken by the Punjab government for women’s safety and facilitation, including virtual police stations, a panic button system under the Safe City project, women desks in police stations, a dedicated women’s helpline (1043), free travel in electric bus services, e-taxi and e-bike schemes, easy business financing programs, skill development initiatives, and women incubation centers.
She further said that working women hostels, daycare centers, training programs, IT and vocational education, bank account facilitation, and legal support services aim to create a safe and empowered environment so women can actively participate in economic activities.
At the end of the event, speakers agreed that the government, private sector, and all segments of society must work together to promote women’s development and create an environment where women can pursue education, employment, and business opportunities without fear.
