INP-WealthPk
Enablers, Alibaba to Promote Entrepreneurship in Pakistan
June 16, 2022
By Hifsa Raja ISLAMABAD, June 16 (INP-WealthPK) Enablers, an e-commerce platform geared towards making Pakistan a hub of online trade, is persuading youth to put their efforts into the new realm of entrepreneurship by operating online enterprises amid the not-so-lucrative job market. Afshan Abid, the coordinator for Enablers’ Islamabad and Muzaffarabad regions, told WealthPK during an interview that she wanted to tell the young people of Pakistan that they should cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset. “People should disengage from the 9 am-to-5 pm work mentality, step into the world of entrepreneurship, and begin thinking about how they can start their own business.” She said that Enablers' primary objective was to establish 200,000 enterprises in Pakistan. Afshan Abid said Saqib Azhar, the chief executive officer of Enablers, had begun his career with the same goal, and ultimately became a successful entrepreneur. “Essentially, we provide guidance to people on how to conduct online businesses globally,” she said. “The problem is that students, once they have completed education, don’t know how to begin their practical lives as they are not provided with proper guidance on starting their careers. They simply go seeking employment in whatever the organisation.” “Enablers provide the youth with an opportunity to work in a global environment,” she continued. Afshan Abid said Enablers had recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Chinese online giant Alibaba to help increase Pakistan's exports by promoting entrepreneurship. “Alibaba is a great platform that provides sourcing opportunities to the entire world.” She said under the MoU, Enablers would prepare people for their business ventures, and Alibaba would provide assistance and direction in promoting their businesses. She said that there was a wide variety of merchandise available in Pakistan, which needed to be developed further and distributed in international markets. “The MoU between Enablers and Alibaba will help a great deal in this area by facilitating the sale of items on an international marketplace.” Afshan Abid said that Enablers was providing Pakistanis with the opportunity to learn how to build their businesses on Alibaba and then begin selling in the world market. “Guided by us, a number of people have begun to work as sellers on Amazon, establishing their own brands and generating hefty amounts,” she said. It is to mention here that Enablers Facebook Group has become one of the largest e-commerce communities with over 12 million members. “Enablers is trying to help reduce imports by enabling individuals to become good entrepreneurs and outsource their services and products globally,” she said.
