Malik Waqar Ahmed

ISLAMABAD: More than 30 presidents of women&#39;s chambers of commerce gathered in the capital for a two-day conference aimed at expanding opportunities for women&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-offers-major-investment-opportunities-for-us-entrepreneurs-ambassador-says" target="_blank" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" rel="noopener noreferrer">entrepreneurs</a>&nbsp;across Pakistan. The 4th All Pakistan Women Chambers Presidents International Conference centered on capacity building, financial inclusion, and market access for women-led enterprises. It was organized by the Islamabad Women&#39;s Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan inaugurated the event, stating that women are <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistans-powerhouses-the-women-who-owned-2025" target="_blank" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" rel="noopener noreferrer">reshaping Pakistan</a>&#39;s economy by entering new sectors, creating jobs, and strengthening household incomes. &quot;Women-led enterprises are no longer confined to micro or informal activities,&quot; the special assistant said. &ldquo;They are increasingly visible in manufacturing, services, information technology, agribusiness, and exports.&rdquo; Haroon Khan mentioned that this shift is altering market dynamics and how families cope with inflation, rising energy costs, and slow growth. He observed a clear move from survival-based businesses to growth-oriented firms led by educated women utilizing digital platforms and formal banking channels. The special assistant highlighted that official data indicate increased women&#39;s participation in small and medium enterprises over the past decade. However, policy gaps and limited access to finance still restrict scaling and productivity. He emphasized unlocking women&#39;s potential as essential for maintaining economic growth under fiscal pressure. Women entrepreneurs are helping diversify exports through value-added products in textiles, food processing, and digital services, reducing dependency on a few commodities and bolstering foreign exchange earnings. Haroon Khan pointed to recent initiatives aimed at easing business registration, expanding credit guarantees, and connecting women-owned firms to public procurement. He noted that firms led by women tend to be more resilient during economic shocks. He also acknowledged that despite policy announcements, access to affordable credit remains limited. Chamber representatives reported that high interest rates, collateral requirements, and delays in bank approvals continue to exclude many capable businesses. The Vice President of the Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Rabia Farhan, mentioned that the country&rsquo;s central bank&#39;s loan programs are currently paused. Previously, a special women&#39;s grant with only a 5% markup was available. <img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/565084e1-6c1e-4bfd-86ab-7f2912791d7e-80463ddd-6664-419d-a8c0-8e715ce96a4d.jpg" alt="80463ddd-6664-419d-a8c0-8e715ce96a4d.jpg" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">A participant speaking at the 4th All Pakistan Women Chambers Presidents International Conference held in Islamabad, January 19, 2026.</figcaption> Meanwhile, Naima Ansari, Senior Vice President of the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the Islamabad location offers direct access to government agencies and regulatory bodies, facilitating networking opportunities. Shabista Bakhtiyar, President of the Women&rsquo;s Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Karachi, discussed the importance of safe workplaces and increased participation in policy-making. &quot;Women need comfortable, safe, and healthy environments,&quot; Bakhtiyar said. &quot;They require spaces where they can work freely and be more deeply involved in policy-making.&quot; Other speakers included Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce &amp; Industry Founder President Samina Fazil, Azerbaijan Ambassador Khazar Farhadov, Securities and Exchange Commission Commissioner Muzaffar Mirza, Deputy Director DGTO Pir Shah Gul, and Secretary General of UBG Zafar Bakhtawri.

Economy

More than 30 women chambers presidents met in Islamabad to discuss capacity building, financial inclusion and market access, highlighting women-led enterprises’ growing role in Pakistan’s economy amid economic challenges nationwide.

Women entrepreneurs target exports and tech at Islamabad summit

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh&rsquo;s economy grew by 4.5% in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, almost double the rate in the previous year, supported by steady performances across the agriculture, industry, and services sectors, according to official data reported by the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) on Tuesday. The growth covered the July-September period of 2026. Data released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics showed a notable improvement compared with the same quarter of the previous fiscal year, when growth stood at 2.5%. The industrial sector recorded the strongest performance, expanding by 6.9%. This marked a sharp increase from 3.5% growth in the corresponding July-September period of fiscal year 2025. The services sector, which accounts for more than half of Bangladesh&rsquo;s economy, grew by 3.6% compared with 2.9% growth in the same quarter a year earlier, BSS reported. Growth in the agriculture sector remained relatively modest. The sector expanded by 2.3% during the quarter, showing only a slight improvement over the growth recorded in the same period last year. Revised official estimates also outlined quarterly growth trends for the previous fiscal year. According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, gross domestic product growth in fiscal year 2025 stood at 2.5% in the first quarter, 4.4% in the second quarter, 5.3% in the third quarter, and 2.4% in the fourth quarter. Based on these revised figures, Bangladesh&rsquo;s overall gross domestic product growth rate at constant prices for fiscal year 2025 was 3.7%.

Bangladesh

Growth was driven by moderate performances across the agriculture, industry, and services sectors, according to official data.

Bangladesh’s economy growth rate almost doubles in first quarter of FY26: State media

ISLAMABAD: The United States has announced a new commitment of $1.25 billion in financing through the US Export-Import Bank to support the development of the Rico Deep critical minerals project in Balochistan, a move officials say will boost investment, create jobs and strengthen commercial ties between the two countries.&nbsp;In a video message, US Charg&eacute; d&rsquo;Affaires Natalie Baker said the financing would be transformative for both American businesses and local communities in Pakistan. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m pleased to highlight the US Export-Import Bank recently approved financing of $1.25 billion to support the mining of critical minerals at Rico Deep in Pakistan,&rdquo; she said.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 873px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1998654886850773219&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=f59b6a1ede08621f7e3bf5ff2e3ac6c33ac82f89&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> She noted that the EXIM&rsquo;s project financing will bring in up to $2 billion in high-quality US mining equipment and services needed to build and operate the Rico Deep mine, along with creating an estimated 6,000 jobs in the US and 7,500 jobs in Balochistan, Pakistan.&nbsp;Baker said the project represents a new model of cooperation between Washington and Islamabad. &ldquo;The Rico Deep project serves as a model for mining projects that will benefit US exporters as well as local Pakistani communities and partners by bringing employment and prosperity to both our nations,&rdquo; she added.&nbsp;She noted that the initiative aligns with the Trump administration&rsquo;s approach to economic diplomacy. &ldquo;The Trump administration has made the forging of deals exactly like this one central to American diplomacy. We look forward to seeing further agreements between US companies and their Pakistani counterparts in the critical minerals and mining sector,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;The US official said the financing will help unlock long-term opportunities in Balochistan&rsquo;s mineral sector, support infrastructure development, and deepen commercial engagement between the two countries.

US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker says the financing package would act as a “game-changer” by supporting American companies looking to invest in Pakistan while creating jobs and improving livelihoods in local communities.

Articles tagged with "economic growth"

Women entrepreneurs target exports and tech at Islamabad summit

Bangladesh’s economy growth rate almost doubles in first quarter of FY26: State media

US commits $1.25bn in EXIM Bank financing to boost growth in Balochistan