Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said women’s economic empowerment is not merely a matter of equality but a strategic necessity for Pakistan’s sustainable development while addressing the fourth All Pakistan Women Chambers Presidents International Conference in Islamabad. He urged stakeholders to turn institutional gains into measurable economic outcomes for women entrepreneurs.
Recalling recent progress, he highlighted the formation of more than 30 women chambers across the country as a sign of changing attitudes toward women’s role in nation building. Mr Gilani emphasised that the next phase must focus on strengthening these bodies so they function as professionally managed organisations that drive business growth, innovation and employment.
The event, held at a local hotel, brought together women chamber presidents from across Pakistan along with international guests. Present were the Senate Chairman’s adviser Ms Misbah Khar, Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce chairperson Samina Fazil, patron Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari of the Azerbaijan Pakistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and other prominent business leaders. Ambassadors from Germany and the Philippines attended and commercial counsellors from Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Iran and Indonesia joined the meeting.
Samina Fazil in her welcome remarks outlined the challenges faced by women traders and called for more visible government support. She reiterated that women business leaders are making every effort to strengthen the national economy and are looking to public policy and institutional partners to remove barriers to their growth.
Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari used his address to highlight urgent hurdles such as high electricity tariffs and structural issues in the tax system that constrain manufacturing and limit export potential. The Senate Chairman took these concerns on record and assured participants of his full cooperation to facilitate reforms that support production and trade.
At the conference close, Mr Gilani presented shields to the women presidents in recognition of their services and described the gathering as more than a meeting of business leaders: it is part of a national movement for inclusive development. He paid tribute to the late Benazir Bhutto for championing women’s empowerment, citing initiatives such as women studies centres, the First Women Bank, employment quotas and the Lady Health Worker programme as examples of transformative policy.
Drawing on his experience as Speaker of the National Assembly, Prime Minister and now Senate Chairman, he argued that greater female participation strengthens democratic institutions and accelerates development. The Senate, he said, will continue to support legislative reform, ease of doing business, regulatory simplification, improved access to public procurement and stronger legal protections to encourage women’s enterprise.
Mr Gilani urged women chambers to see themselves as leaders of a national agenda: to reinforce institutional governance, widen access, build mentorship networks, foster partnerships and document measurable results. He expressed a vision of a Pakistan where women entrepreneurs are a central pillar of economic growth and where every young woman views business as a dignified and viable future.
