WCCIP, SMEDA discuss strengthening women entrepreneurship

PESHAWAR, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jul, 2026) A delegation from the Women Chamber of Commerce and Industries (WCCI) Peshawar, led by President Quratulain, called on Nadia Jahangir Seth, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) here on Monday.

The WCCI Peshawar delegation congratulated the first woman CEO SMEDA on assuming the charge of her post. The delegation included Senior Vice President Zara Imtiaz and Secretary General Saba Hidayat.

President WCCI Quratulain congratulated Ms. Nadia Jahangir Seth on her historic appointment and expressed confidence that her leadership would further strengthen Pakistan's SME sector while creating greater opportunities for women entrepreneurs.

She acknowledged the significance of having a woman lead the country's premier SME development organization and wished her success in advancing inclusive economic growth.

During the meeting, the WCCIPD delegation highlighted the Chamber's more than 16 years of dedicated efforts in promoting women entrepreneurship and supporting women-led businesses across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The delegation also briefed the CEO on its ongoing initiatives and strategic efforts aimed at advancing women's economic empowerment in the province.

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President Quratulain sought an overview of SMEDA's upcoming projects and its strategic priorities.

Talking to the delegation, the CEO SMEDA Ms. Nadia Jahangir Seth shared the vision and explained the organization's core mandate of policy advocacy and SME ecosystem development.

She also highlighted SMEDA's recent collaborations with PIFD, Alibaba, JICA, and other national and international partners, while noting that several impactful initiatives are currently in the pipeline to strengthen Pakistan's SME ecosystem.

President Quratulain also presented recommendations to further promote the development of women-owned micro, small, and medium enterprises.

She emphasized the importance of enhanced representation of women within SMEDA at the national level to strengthen coordination, improve stakeholder engagement, and ensure that the voices of women entrepreneurs are reflected in policy and program design.

Ms. Nadia Jahangir Seth welcomed the recommendations and appreciated WCCIPD's longstanding contributions to women entrepreneurship.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening institutional collaboration and working together to build a more inclusive, resilient, and enabling environment for women-led enterprises across Pakistan.