ISLAMABAD, OCT 01 (DNA) – Female entrepreneur Rizwana Asif has been elected unopposed as President of the Islamabad Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IWCCI).

Rizwana Asif has earlier served as Senior Vice President of the IWCCI and her dedication won her respect among the members of the chamber of commerce and led her to the highest slot in the chamber.

Nasira Ali has been elected as Senior Vice President, Neelum Nayab has been elected as Vice President of the IWCCI.

Kanwal Shauzab, Parliamentary Secretary, Planning, Development and Reform was the chief guest while three MPAs Abida Raja, Sabrina Javaid and Shamim Aftab were also present at the occasion.

According to a press release issued here today the guests also spoke to the women entrepreneurs, they said that success of nations is linked to women empowerment and Pakistan is not an exception.

Successive government have taken a number of laudable steps to empower women but a lot is yet to be done for a change, they added.

It was noted that families are healthier, educated and balanced while productivity improves and incomes increase when women are given due rights.

Empowering women is key to change and essential to achieving different important objectives including that of poverty eradication, the speakers underlined.

Gender gap must be reduced and common practices of systematic discrimination to women should abandoned, they said, adding that women should be allowed to play their vital role in the development of society and the country.

Rizwana Asif thanked the participants for reposing confidence in her saying that, “Pakistan can only become a developed nation when women are encouraged and their skills utilised properly.”

She said that IWCCI will assist women so that they can have a voice and become economically empowered.