PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has extended support to several proposals by the Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Peshawar Division (WCCIPD), aimed at strengthening women-led businesses, entrepreneurship, access to finance and institutional capacity in the province.
The announcements were made during a recent visit to the Women Chamber by Finance Advisor Muzammil Sahib, who expressed support for key proposals presented by WCCIPD. The measures include funding for the Chamber’s capacity-building functions, an endowment fund and initiatives to improve access to finance and business incubation for women entrepreneurs.
Under the proposed measures, PKR 5 million will be provided for the upgradation of WCCIPD, particularly to strengthen its capacity-building and facilitation services. A PKR 50 million endowment fund has also been proposed to support economic development activities targeting women entrepreneurs.
The government has further supported a proposal for a reduced interest-rate subsidy under access-to-finance schemes, while plans also include establishing a Women Incubation Center at WCCIPD to provide entrepreneurs with support for enterprise development, skills, capacity building and business growth.
WCCIPD highlights policy advocacy
WCCIPD President Qurat-ul-Ain welcomed the government’s support and acknowledged the role of Muzammil Sahib in engaging with the Chamber’s proposals.
She said the developments demonstrated the importance of structured dialogue between the private sector and government and showed how policy proposals could be translated into practical economic interventions.
Qurat-ul-Ain said WCCIPD had continued to raise issues affecting women-led businesses, particularly access to finance, market opportunities, capacity building, entrepreneurship development, institutional infrastructure and economic inclusion.
She added that the Chamber’s role extended beyond policy advocacy, with efforts focused on developing practical links between government institutions and women entrepreneurs so that public initiatives could generate tangible economic opportunities.
Chamber members identify sector opportunities
During the visit, WCCIPD Founder President Sajida Zulfiqar highlighted challenges and opportunities related to industrial development and the effective use of available assets for economic activity.
Shamama Arbab also highlighted sector-specific opportunities for women, particularly in food processing and agriculture-related businesses. She stressed the importance of targeted facilitation and sector-based initiatives to help women enter and expand businesses in these areas.
WCCIPD said it would continue working with the provincial government and other stakeholders on the implementation of the proposed measures.
The Chamber said its focus would remain on improving women’s access to finance, strengthening entrepreneurship support and integrating women-led enterprises into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s wider economic development efforts.