DLP Report
ISLAMABAD
Representatives of the Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI) Peshawar Division on Friday urged the federal government to introduce a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) certification and reserve a share of public procurement for women-led enterprises, saying the measures would strengthen women’s participation in the country’s economy.
A delegation of the Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI) Peshawar Division, led by its president, Ms Quratulain, met Federal Minister for Finance Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb to discuss policy reforms aimed at enhancing women’s economic participation and improving the business environment for women entrepreneurs.
The delegation, which included Senior Vice President Ms Zara Imtiaz and Secretary General Ms Saba Hidayat, called for the introduction of a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Certification to be issued through women chambers of commerce.
They said the certification would enable eligible women-owned enterprises to access tax incentives, preferential public procurement opportunities and gender-responsive policy initiatives.
The WCCI highlighted its work in policy advocacy, budget recommendations, entrepreneurship development, capacity building, export promotion, trade facilitation and improving access to finance for women-owned businesses.
The delegation reiterated the chamber’s commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs through advocacy, business development and strategic partnerships.
The delegation also sought improved access to finance, dedicated credit lines for women entrepreneurs, subsidised industrial plots, greater representation of women on corporate and public sector boards, inclusion of women entrepreneurs in international trade delegations and business-to-business engagements, the establishment of a dedicated expo centre for women-led businesses, reforms relating to taxation, and simplification of transfer procedures involving the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and the Central Depository Company (CDC).
It also stressed the need for stronger coordination among government institutions in policy formulation and implementation.
Explaining the proposed WOSB Certification, the delegation said it would provide an authentic mechanism for identifying genuine women-owned enterprises, ensuring that government incentives and concessions were extended only to eligible businesses.
The certification, it added, would facilitate targeted tax credits, improve access to government support programmes, safeguard the integrity of women-owned businesses and strengthen gender-responsive budgeting and evidence-based policymaking.
The delegation further urged the government to introduce a preferential procurement quota for certified women-owned businesses in federal procurement and development projects.
It argued that reserving a defined share of public contracts for women-led enterprises would create sustainable market opportunities, encourage business formalisation and strengthen the contribution of women-owned small and medium enterprises to the national economy.
Responding to the proposals, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb acknowledged the role of women entrepreneurs in Pakistan’s economic development and assured the delegation that the government remained committed to promoting greater inclusion of women in economic decision-making.
He said women’s representation on corporate boards and their participation in international trade delegations would be actively encouraged to enable them to benefit from global business and investment opportunities.
The minister also said the government would explore mechanisms to facilitate subsidised industrial plots and introduce risk-sharing frameworks to improve access to credit for women-owned businesses. Addressing tax-related concerns, he assured the delegation that harassment by tax authorities would not be tolerated.
