The two-day Inter-provincial summer trade fair, organised by Women Business Development Centre (WBDC), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa concluded here successfully. The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), took step with financial support of Khyber Pakhtunkwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KP-CCI), aiming to develop linkages between women entrepreneurs across the country.
Though, Women entrepreneurs from Multan, Bahawalpur, Rawalpindi, Lahore had also participated in two-day trade fair, but most of stalls were put on display by women entrepreneurs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. More than 40 stalls of handmade embroidery cloths, ladies leather bags, jewellery, decoration pieces, traditional pots, and bridle stuffs had displayed in the exhibition, out of which 60 percent included of women businesspersons to Khyber Pakhtunkwa.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Senior Minister, Bashir Ahmad Bilour was chief guest at the closing ceremony. Besides Javed Iqbal Khattak, provincial chief SMEDA, Usman Bilour, President Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KP-CCI), Nabeela Farman, project manager WBDC, Sajida Zulfiqar, president Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KP-WCCI) were present on the occasion.
Bashir Ahmad Bilour visited different stalls and appreciated women entrepreneurs handmade embroidery work and active participation in the two-day summer trade fair, especially from other parts of the province. While speaking at closing ceremony, he said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa women have the potential to recognise their skill work at national and international level, saying that such kind of artistic embroidery stuffs had never seen in the world. He appreciated the efforts of SMEDA and WBDC for organising such event despite prevailing situation of the province.
He asked the SMEDA to carry on such creative events for promotion of women business and development of linkages between women entrepreneurs in the country, and assured that the government would extend all kind of support in this regard. Senior minister said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has allocated 30 percent quota for women in Bacha Khan Akpal Rozar Scheme, which was launched last financial year. He further said that the government has decided to continue programme in current fiscal year.
"Our main objective is to maximum facilitate poor segment of the society, especially women to provide financial assistance on easy term to start business small scale to stand their own feet and earn livelihood for their family, he maintained. He observed that women role is vital in economic development of the country, saying that there was a need to provide maximum opportunities and facilitation to them.
Referring the ongoing spate of terrorism and insurgency, he said that women had confined to houses due to immense terrorists' acts and threats, but situation got better following the counter-terrorism efforts of the government. He said that Pakhtuns women have playing great role for brining to-gather 52 percent of women for sole objective of peace and stability in the country.
He said that the government is being facing enormous challenges, like terrorism, load shedding, unemployment, health and education issues. However, he said that such events would helpful to overcome with the prevailing situation and maintenance of lasting peace in the country, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Javed Iqbal Khattak, SMEDA provincial chief, offered vote of thanks and extended special gratitude to KP-CCI along with co-sponsors the Professionals Academy of Commerce (PAC) R-sheen and Pepsi for supporting and financing the event. He said that the basic aim was to convey a positive message to the world that there is more conducive environment for business as compared to last three years. He said that event would handy to develop soft image of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said that the development of women entrepreneurs' linkages was another objective of two-day inter-provincial summer trade fair, saying that the accessibility of women products to market was also a goal of the event. Khattak said that WBDC had played a pivotal role for women business development in the country, saying that a large number of women entrepreneurs got training and running different business at lower and high level. He informed that they are going to establish a WBDC at Swat in next month. He said that SMEDA had engaged horticulture sector development and different technological projects in the province.
Nabeela Farman, project manager, WBDC said that they had received incredible response from women entrepreneurs and achieved maximum goals for the two-day women business promotion event. She stressed need of women economic empowerment in the country. President KP-CCI, Usman Bilour also spoke on the occasion, assured that they would continue co-operation and support to arrange such event in near future.