KARACHI: Atif Ikram Sheikh, President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI), has requested the Director General of the Directorate General of Trade Organizations (DGTO) at the Ministry of Commerce, Islamabad, for a 50 percent reduction in the fee required for amending the Memorandum and Articles of Association for Women Chambers.
He has urged immediate relief for these vital trade bodies representing women-owned and run businesses across Pakistan – whereas, women account for 52 percent of the total population of the country.
Atif Ikram Sheikh elaborated that the appeal comes in response to a recent notification that fixed the fee for documentary amendments at PKR 100,000 across all trade bodies.
FPCCI clarified that the trade organizations are not initiating these changes voluntarily; rather, they are revising their constitutional documents purely to comply and conform to the new regulatory instructions issued by the DGTO.
Following the above announcement, FPCCI has been receiving numerous representations from various Women Chambers of Commerce and Industry across Pakistan – all seeking financial relief from the newly-prescribed fee.
Atif Ikram Sheikh explained that the apex trade body reminded the regulator that Women Chambers generally operate with limited financial resources and modest revenue streams; which are primarily dependent on membership subscriptions. Despite these financial constraints, these chambers play a crucial role in promoting women entrepreneurship; facilitating capacity-building and strengthening women-led businesses at both the grassroots and national levels. Therefore, a special concession of a 50% fee reduction is essential to support these chambers under Schedule ‘E’ of the TOR 2013.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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