September 21, 2007	Friday	Ramazan 08, 1428

KARACHI, Sept 20: Members of Sindh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SWCCI) have received large orders for export of silver jewellery, embroidery work and printed fabrics from India.

The export orders were booked during an international symposium and exhibition of Saarc countries women entrepreneurs held in Hyderabad Deccan from Aug 31 to Sept 2.

A 65-member women entrepreneurs’ delegation from Pakistan, the largest of all Saarc countries, participated in the event, which was inaugurated by the Andhra Pradesh chief minister who also visited the Pakistani pavilion.

Giving details of the visit, senior vice president of SWCCI Robina Rasheed told Dawn that active participation of women in the Saarc exhibition cleared the wrong vision about women in Pakistan.

Addressing the symposium, President of SWCCI Rukhsana Jehangir informed the Saarc women that several steps have been taken for improving the lot of women entrepreneurs in Pakistan.

Separate women chambers have been set up and lately a women exclusive industrial zone has been established inviting women to build factories mainly of cottage industries.

During their stay in India, Pakistani women entrepreneurs held a meeting with President of Saarc women chambers council Indra Dutt who appreciated the work of Pakistani women displayed at the exhibition.

She said the largest participation in the symposium and exhibition had helped in removing wrong impression about Pakistani entrepreneurs.

Ms Robina said the Indian government had provided a lot of facilities to women entrepreneurs who get financing on only three to four per cent mark-up. Contrary to this, in Pakistan there is no subsidised financing for women entrepreneurs.

She urged the government to announce a separate policy for women entrepreneurs because the SME policy announced recently did not provide any facility to women manufacturers, which did not have the requisite number of workers defined for SMEs.

Ms Robina said that the women chambers will hold a finance conference in October to discuss financing arrangements for women entrepreneurs.

“We are also holding meetings with the State Bank to allow financing to women entrepreneurs on low rates,” she added.

When asked about the exact number of working women in the province, she said that the Sindh women chamber had initiated a project to create a data-base of all working women in the province.

Their number is very large as they are engaged in professions like fishing, carpet weaving, shoe making and agriculture. There is large number of women who are engaged in cotton fields. They work hard but get very little money.

Pakistan will hold a symposium and exhibition of women entrepreneurs from Saarc member countries in December.