ISLAMABAD: A large number of women entrepreneurs and home-based artisans have gathered in Pakistan’s federal capital to participate in the colorful two-day Islamabad Women Gala 2024, which is scheduled to conclude later today on Sunday evening.
The festival, which began the day after International Women’s Day, is organized to honor female workers who frequently face challenges in pursuing their professional aspirations and earning livelihoods for their families due to social constraints.
Hundreds of families were drawn to Lok Virsa on Saturday, where an assortment of garments, paintings, candles, jewelry, and furniture was displayed.
Speaking to Arab News, women entrepreneurs maintained the event provided a valuable platform to broaden their customer base.
“These events are very important when you are a woman entrepreneur and you are working from home,” Amber Fatima, a print designer, said. “The thing is that you get to know your market when you go to such type of exhibitions. You understand the customers, you understand what pricing you should be doing.”
Many participants, running small businesses, highlighted their reliance on online platforms for marketing.
“I don’t have a team, I don’t have a warehouse,” Maryam Ashraf, who sells candles and clothes, informed while describing the handling of her online presence as the biggest challenge.
However, she expressed satisfaction with her festival participation, which significantly boosted her customer outreach.
The gala features over 130 vibrant stalls managed by women entrepreneurs from diverse ages and economic backgrounds.
Some, like Aliya Ahsan, a former educator, embarked on entrepreneurship after leaving previous jobs or retiring.
“I learned this [candle-making] online during the coronavirus pandemic,” she told Arab News. “And I’m feeling very happy that I’m not wasting time.”
“Children have grown up,” she continued, “so now I feel that I have time and I should not waste it.”
According to Kaarandaz, a Pakistani non-profit organization, over 50 percent of women-led businesses are unregistered and face the growth and scaling challenges.
The 2022 Global Gender Report also reveals that women suffer from economic under-participation, and only 4.5 percent of them can be seen in the top corporate or legislative roles in Pakistan.
Many participants of the festival said they enjoyed running a small business as it made them financially independent and gave them an identity.
“The advantage of setting up business is that you become independent,” said Saeeda Tasleem who is in the garment business for 25 years. “You can buy anything of your own choice.”
Two-day festival celebrates women’s entrepreneurship in Pakistan amid economic inclusion challenges
https://arab.news/vfg6b
Two-day festival celebrates women’s entrepreneurship in Pakistan amid economic inclusion challenges
- The festival began a day after International Women’s Day to honor female workers earning livelihoods for their families
- Islamabad Women Gala 2024 has brought together home-based artisans who mostly rely on online marketing to sell products
Pakistan says it seized 32 square kilometers inside Afghanistan as border clashes escalate
- Security official describes ‘limited tactical action’ in Gudwana after Afghan assaults
- Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering militants as UN, China and Russia urge restraint
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has seized a 32-square-kilometer area inside Afghanistan following overnight fighting, a security official said on Saturday, as cross-border clashes between the two countries escalated sharply.
A Pakistani security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said troops carried out a “limited tactical action” in the Gudwana area opposite the Zhob sector along the frontier, capturing Afghan territory after responding to attacks on Pakistani positions.
“On the night of Feb. 26/27, posts opposite the Zhob sector launched anticipated physical attacks on multiple Pakistani positions,” the official said, referring to fighters linked to Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, whom Islamabad identifies as Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan (TTA).
“In response to aggressive unprovoked fire and physical attacks, Pakistan security forces launched a limited tactical action on the night of Feb. 27/28 in the general area of Gudwana with a view to capture TTA Tahir Post,” he continued, adding that 32 square kilometers of Afghan territory were seized.
The official said special combat teams crossed the border after preparatory bombardment, supported by intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets providing “real-time battlefield awareness.”
He said 24 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed and 37 wounded, with no Pakistani casualties reported.
The claims could not be independently verified, and there was no immediate confirmation from Taliban authorities in Kabul of any territorial loss in the Gudwana area.
The latest clashes erupted after Pakistani airstrikes targeted what Islamabad described as militant hideouts inside Afghanistan over the weekend, triggering retaliatory fire along the frontier and sharply escalating long-running tensions. Islamabad accuses Kabul of sheltering Pakistani Taliban militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan, an allegation that Afghanistan denies.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday evening that 352 Afghan Taliban fighters had been killed and more than 535 wounded since the latest phase of hostilities began.
Tarar said Pakistani strikes had destroyed 130 check posts, 171 tanks and armored vehicles and targeted 41 locations across Afghanistan by air. Those figures could not be independently verified.
The United Nations, as well as China and Russia, have called for restraint.
The United States said Pakistan has the right to defend itself against cross-border militancy.
