KARACHI, Sept 30: Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil has said that the city government wants to set up more cottage industries in every town so that woman could get jobs near their homes.

She said this while talking to a delegation of the First Women Bank, led by its Executive Vice President Shafqat Sultana, who called on her here at her office.

She said that it was now necessary to economically strengthen the women so that they could also participate in the development of society side by side with men.The delegation informed the naib nazim that the bank provided loan of Rs10,000 to Rs25000 to women. They also informed that the bank needed more funds for providing loans to women. They said that there were nine branches of the First Women Bank functioning in the city.

The delegation also presented bank’s annual performance report to the naib nazim.

Praising the performance of the bank, Nasreen Jalil urged them to hold meetings with women councillors so that they could also be informed about activities of the bank. She said that due to lack of knowledge and education women could not defend themselves.

She said that government was trying to facilitate women in every field. She said that after merger of provincial social welfare department into the city government scope of its activities had been widened. She said that women’s vocational schools in all towns would be reactivated.

Nasreen Jalil said that it was necessary for the development of women that men should change their mindset and acknowledge the abilities of women.—PPI