Islamabad, November 19, 2025, SMEDA and FPCCI jointly celebrated Women’s Entrepreneurship Day in Islamabad, bringing together more than 21 Women Chambers of Commerce and Industry from across Pakistan. The event highlighted the expanding role of women entrepreneurs in driving inclusive and sustainable economic progress. SMEDA played a crucial role in empowering women-led enterprises and presenting their contributions at the national level, reaffirming its longstanding commitment to promoting grassroots entrepreneurship and enabling local businesses to grow into industries.

Addressing the ceremony and later speaking to the media at FPCCI headquarters, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries & Production, Mr. Haroon Akhtar Khan, commended the determination and innovation of Pakistani women. He stated that women in Pakistan did not wait for opportunities but created them, turning constraints into catalysts and reshaping the economic landscape. He emphasized that today’s women are not asking for assistance but for fair opportunities, adding that women are not only part of the economy but already driving it forward. He announced that Pakistan will soon introduce its first-ever National Women Entrepreneurship Policy to further support this transition, noting that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, women have been placed at the heart of economic development.

Mr. Haroon Akhtar Khan further said that from homes to the global market, Pakistani women are emerging as business leaders and that the time has come to move beyond facilitation and provide them with leadership roles. Reflecting on the broader economic outlook, he mentioned that many small businesses in Pakistan have transformed into industries without receiving formal financial support. He projected that, this year alone, economic facilitation measures are expected to exceed USD 40 billion. He added that with enhanced access to new markets, especially if Pakistan gains trade openings in an additional 25 countries, these figures could significantly improve.

He highlighted that the government has introduced an Export Facilitation Policy to support entrepreneurs in expanding globally and that increased access to digital platforms and mobile connectivity now allows Pakistan to shape a new economic model aligned with modern-day needs. Sharing an anecdote from internal discussions, he noted that when the Prime Minister asked who crafted the plan, he responded that it was developed through the Economic Implementation Cell (EIC), demonstrating the government’s openness to innovative planning. Mr. Haroon Akhtar Khan stressed that entrepreneurship among women stands at the frontline of industrial transformation and that if Pakistan aspires to compete internationally, women’s economic leadership is indispensable. He concluded by saying that no nation can achieve its full potential unless women progress alongside it and expressed confidence that Pakistan is becoming a country where every woman will be able to transform her ideas into reality.

The event reinforced the government’s commitment to advancing women-led businesses through targeted policy support, expanded market access, digital acceleration and collaborative initiatives. SMEDA and FPCCI pledged continued partnership to drive economic transformation and position Pakistani women at the forefront of entrepreneurship and industrial development.

SMEDA CEO Nadia stated that the government is committed to economically empowering women through SMEs, providing loans, and developing skills.

The ceremony was attended by notable business leaders, including Vice President FPCCI Qurat-ul-Ain, Tariq Jadoon, Chairman Capital Office Karim Aziz Malik, and Chairman Coordination and President Hafizabad Chamber Malik Sohail Hussain.