PESHAWAR, March 28: The president, Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Ghazanfar Bilour, has said that setting up of technical education centres for females and providing them financial assistance from banks could go a long way in establishing a better career for them.

He said this while talking to the Canadian Investment Development Agency (CIDA) mission led by consultant Ms Mary Morgan here on Tuesday.

He said that aspirations for development among females was higher than that of their male counterparts, and added that they were quick in learning various skills.

President SCCI underscored the need for technical training of women in different fields and said women could earn a respectable name and play an effective role in stabilizing the economy of the country.

Ghazanfar Bilour told the CIDA mission that without female participation a nation could not progress, adding that a vast majority of women work in various industries in the NWFP, including pharmaceutical, match factories, furniture industry and readymade garments.

Ms Morgan listened to various problems confronting female entrepreneurs of the NWFP and inquired about their skills in different fields.

Provincial President of SMEDA Mohammad Tariq, Rukhsana Rasheed, Dr Alia, executive members of the SCCI and female entrepreneurs representing various business sectors were also present on the occasion.—APP