ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday emphasized the need to enhance financial autonomy for women and improve their access to financial services and credit to foster women entrepreneurs.
He highlighted that empowering women economically would not only bolster their financial resilience but also uplift their families and contribute significantly to the national economy.
President Zardari urged banks to actively support women entrepreneurs and enhance their representation within the banking sector.
These remarks were made during a meeting with Bill Winters, Group Chief Executive of Standard Chartered Bank (SCB), and his delegation at Aiwan-e-Sadr.
The delegation briefed the President on SCB’s contributions to Pakistan’s economy, the banking industry’s development, and the country’s socio-economic progress.
President Zardari welcomed the delegation and underscored Pakistan’s efforts in environmental conservation and afforestation. He highlighted the success of the Sindh government’s mangrove plantation initiatives, which had generated substantial revenue through carbon credits trading in the international market.
He recommended investing in the climate and agricultural sectors, including financing infrastructure projects such as small dams, barrages, and power plants. The President emphasized the importance of extending financial services and loans to farmers to enhance their access to agricultural inputs.
Congratulating SCB on completing 160 years of operations in Pakistan, President Zardari praised the bank’s significant role in the evolution of the country’s banking sector.
He expressed confidence that SCB would continue to play a pivotal role in Pakistan’s economy while expanding its footprint across the country.
The Standard Chartered Bank, which started its operation by setting up its first agency office in Karachi on 23 March 1863, now has 121 branches in 24 cities of the country.
