ISLAMABAD: A delegation of Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce & industry (IWCCI) led by its President Ms. Rizwana Asif visited Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) and exchanged views with Ahmed Hassan Moughal, President ICCI on economic empowerment of women through fostering a culture for promoting women entrepreneurship. Ms. Nasir Ali Senior Vice President, Ms. Neelum Nayab Vice President IWCCI and others were in the delegation. Rafat Farid Senior Vice President and Iftikhar Anwar Sethi Vice President ICCI were also present at the occasion.
Addressing the IWCCI delegation, Ahmed Hassan Moughal, President ICCI said that women accounted for almost half of country’s total population and stressed that government should focus on bringing them in the economic mainstream for sustainable growth of the country. He urged that government should take policy measures to create a conductive environment for promoting women entrepreneurs so that they could play effective role in the economic development of the country.
Ahmed Hassan Moughal said that our women were highly talented and government should create better opportunities for them to excel in field of their choice. He emphasized that policy measures should be taken to foster an enabling environment for women entrepreneurs. He said that PTI leadership had always raised voice for the economic empowerment of women and it was the right time for the government to take practical measures to transform its intentions into reality for women empowerment and development.
Rafat Farid Senior Vice President and Iftikhar Anwar Sethi Vice President ICCI said that government has decided to separate policymaking and tax administration in FBR which was good move. They hoped that its implementation would promote better tax culture in the country. However, they emphasized that government should take urgent measures to resolve the tax issues of women entrepreneurs. They assured that ICCI would cooperate with IWCCI for promoting the interests of women entrepreneurs.
Ms. Rizwana Asif, President, Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry highlighted various issues being faced by the women entrepreneurs. She said that lack of tax reforms was a major hindrance for growth of women enterprises. She said that random audit selection process of FBR was creating problems for businesses including women enterprises and urged that FBR should streamline its audit system. She said women entrepreneurs of boutique business were paying double tax in the form of income and sales tax and urged that FBR should address this issue. She assured that IWCCI would cooperate with ICCI in its endeavors aimed at serving the cause of business community including women entrepreneurs.
