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MIRPUR (AJK), Jan 17 (APP):Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Minister for Small Industries, Mrs. Taqdees Gilani has said that the broad-based strategy had been devised by the state government to encourage the involvement of women in trade and industrial activities in AJK where conducive environment was already available with due assistance by the concerned state functionaries.
“The government is determined to make women role model in entrepreneur sector in the region”, the minister disclosed while addressing a capacity building workshop hosted in the State metropolis by AJK Small Industries Department in collaboration with SMEDA, Government of Pakistan.
The one-day training workshop was primarily aimed to promote women’s involvement businesses in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, attended by large number of women women nominated by the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Azad Jammu Kashmir.
The minister emphasized upon State Bank and all financial institutions to run special advertising campaigns to benefit women from the business loan scheme so that women could be made aware and the entire process could be made extremely easy.
Speaking at the ceremony, Additional Chief Secretary, Ms. Midhat Shahzad, expressed happiness that the women of Azad Kashmir were coming forward as businesswomen and today a considerable number of women had participated in the training workshop and proved that they were not relying on government jobs but were utilizing their capabilities in the private sector.
Secretary of Commerce and Industry AJK government Khalid Mahmood Mirza, thanked SMEDA and State Bank of Pakistan officials for providing detailed training to women on business registration and other issues, which would definitely benefit women in Azad Kashmir.
The AJK government is making every effort to promote small and medium industries in Azad Kashmir, and with the participation of women, it will play a significant role in the development of society.
Managing Director, Small Industries Department, Zeeshan Arif Raja, assured women that his department would organize such training workshops in other divisions of Azad Kashmir, especially in collaboration with the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Azad Kashmir, to make Azad Kashmir a hub of small industries.
On this occasion, Secretary, Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Azad Kashmir, Dr. Raja Zahid Khan, thanked the Secretary of Industry and Crafts, Managing Director, Small Industries Department, SMEDA, and State Bank of Pakistan for organizing the training workshop, which will definitely yield positive results.
The Secretary, Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, AJK, assured to play a full-fledged role at every level with the stat government to encourage women to do business.
On this occasion, Assistant Chief Manager of State Bank of Pakistan, Irfan Rashid, briefed the participants in detail of training programs to women on expanding small and medium industries in Azad Jammu abd Kashmir, business registration, tax matters, bank loans, and their procedures, necessary documents, and other matters.
Additional Chief Secretary, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Government , Ms. Midhat Shahzad, Secretary of Industry and Crafts, AJK Government , Khalid Mahmood Mirza, Managing Director, Small Industries Department, AJK Government , Zeeshan Arif Raja, SMEDA’s Regional Chief, Chaudhry Rukhsar, officers of the Small Industries Department, Secretary, Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Azad Kashmir, Dr. Raja Zahid Khan, Khawaja Ihtisham Boghra, President Muzaffarabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and representatives of banks were also present on the occasion.
The women who received training also shared their thoughts and issues with the officials, on which Secretary of Industry and Crafts, Khalid Mahmood Mirza, assured that the state government would play its role in resolving their issues.