Faiza Tehseen

The Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sialkot (WCCIS) is organizing the first-ever exhibition of products solely manufactured by women-led SMEs, traders, or businesswomen in the city’s history, reports WealthPK.

Sialkot is one of the trade and business hubs in Pakistan actively participating in both import and export activities. By highlighting the trade and business efforts of women, they will be encouraged to play an active role in improving the socio-economic conditions in the country.

Talking to WealthPK, founder and President of WCCIS and Director of Capital Sports Dr. Mariam Nouman said piles of foreign exchange could be earned by empowering the Pakistani women.  She said before the establishment of WCCIS, women-related trade and business activities were mostly operated by a committee of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) called Women Resource Center (WRC) established in 2005.

Dr. Mariam, who is also part-time physician (voluntarily  working in Idris Hospital, Sialkot) and President of Al-Nisa Welfare Foundation (working as a non-governmental, not-for-profit body), said that she was also one of the founding members of the committee.

‘’The WRC was actively working, but when the number of members increased by more than 50, it was felt that most of trade and business-related women were reluctant to join the SCCI. As soon as the number of members touched the figure of 100, the SCCI management encouraged us to establish a separate business chamber for women to promote their trade and business activities.

So, after continuous efforts, the WCCIS got its license in 2021 and will be completing two years of its establishment in May this year. The SCCI supported us all along. The WCCIS office is also located on its premises,’’ said Dr Mariam. Before the establishment of WCCIS, the female business community was of view that it will only promote import or export-related activities. The devoted team of WCCIS broke this image and now a good number of female entrepreneurs, SMEs, services providers in multiple sectors, freelancers, free and cottage/home-based working ladies, corporates, etc. have joined us.

They are working hard beyond our imagination and their efforts need to be highlighted. Although a great part of them is yet to be approached, in near future they will also be a leaf of our book. To make them a regular part of the economic stream, to bring awareness to them, and to promote their efforts, we are launching an exhibition under the theme ‘We exhibit’,’’ Dr. Maryam added.

Continuing, she said, ‘’In January 2023, we started our campaign for this exhibition which will be held at the ‘Family  Park on Aziz Shaheed Road, Sialkot’ on March 11. Although it is a one-day event, we have received a countrywide response. We have arranged 74 trade booths according to international expo standards and they were all sold till the end of January.

The WCCIS has also offered 60% subsidized stall charges. We offered three types of expo booths, i.e., premium, gold, and silver having sizes 12L x 12W, 9L x 9W (mostly used internationally), and 6L x 9W, available at the price of PKR25,000, PKR15,000, and PKR10,000, respectively.

Dr. Mariam, who is also directing ‘Muta sports’, said she herself is related to the soccer ball and footwear business. Government Institutes and other agencies involved in women empowerment activities must frame good policies to promote them. ‘’Proper training and practical workshops are most important for them to learn value edition, standardized production, market trends, and marketing. It is the need of time that women should play their role in economic activities to bring socio-economic changes in the society,” Dr. Mariam said.

Talking to WealthPK, Shabnam Asif, who is also one of the founding members of SCCIS and an active participant of ‘We Exhibit’, said it is amazing to be a part of the first-ever exhibition of this kind in Sialkot. ‘’It is a good platform for women to exhibit their trading products and to get a positive approach to future business ideas.

This type of event, solely organized for women by the women is a great achievement and happening. Secondly, it will be helpful for both types of female communities – those who are related to any type of trade/business activities and those who are skillful and educated but are limited to home chores only.’’

Shabnam added, ‘’It is an opportunity for women to use their hidden talents as a part of economic activities. WCCIS is their own platform to express themselves on the trade/business canvas. In my opinion, this mega event for women in the history of Sialkot is a step towards their financial independence.’’

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk