Lahore: President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Atif Ikram Sheikh, and Vice President, Qurrat-ul-Ain, while addressing a press conference at the launch of the Pakistan Women Economic Charter 2035, emphasized that Pakistan’s nearly 130 million women constitute 52 percent of the country’s population and represent one of its most valuable sources of human capital. They asserted that such a significant segment of the population cannot be excluded from the national economic decision-making process.
They stated that women in Pakistan are not a minority group; rather, they are the nation’s largest economic force and an indispensable pillar of its human resource base. However, despite their critical contribution to the economy, meaningful consultation with women business leaders, women chambers of commerce, women industrialists, exporters, and representative organizations of businesswomen was largely absent during the formulation of the national budget.
“We are not seeking special privileges or concessions; we are demanding rightful representation,” they remarked.
Speaking on the occasion, Qurrat-ul-Ain highlighted the absence of an effective institutional mechanism to systematically incorporate women’s economic priorities into the budget-making process and broader economic policymaking framework.
She urged the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Federal Minister for Finance to ensure the formal inclusion of women’s representative leadership in all future budget consultations, economic policy formulation, development planning, and economic reform initiatives.
Qurat-ul-Ain stressed that the principle of “No decision about women without the participation of women” must be adopted as a cornerstone of national policy. She maintained that economic decisions affecting women cannot be made effectively or equitably without their direct involvement and representation.
She further stated that the Pakistan Women Economic Charter 2035 is not merely a policy document but a comprehensive roadmap for Pakistan’s economic growth, competitiveness, export expansion, investment promotion, and long-term prosperity.
The FPCCI Vice President also proposed the establishment of a National Women Economic Council under the patronage of the Prime Minister of Pakistan. The proposed council would comprise representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Planning Commission, State Bank of Pakistan, FPCCI, Women Chambers, the private sector, and other relevant stakeholders. Its primary objective would be to institutionalize women’s participation and ensure that their voices are consistently reflected in national economic policymaking and decision-making processes.
The FPCCI leadership reaffirmed its commitment to advancing women’s economic empowerment and promoting inclusive growth by ensuring that women play a central role in shaping Pakistan’s economic future.