Women Entrepreneurship Conference – WECON Masawaat 2025 was held at the Pak-China Centre in Islamabad, organized through a collaboration between the British Council and Change Mechanics. The event brought together distinguished guests, partners, supporters of women’s economic inclusion, and an inspiring gathering of women entrepreneurs and aspiring leaders from across Pakistan.
The Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP) as Chief Guest extended warm greetings to the organizers, partners, dignitaries, and all participants, acknowledging WECON’s timely decision to adopt Masawaat (Equity) as the theme for 2025. The concept of Masawaat was highlighted as far more than a policy expression — described as an Islamic value, a foundational principle of justice, and an essential condition for the country’s social and economic progress.
The Chairman emphasized the vision of the Honorable Prime Minister, under whose leadership the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme is dedicated to empowering Pakistan’s youth — nearly 70 percent of the country’s population under the age of 30. PMYP continues to work through its unified 4Es framework: Education, Employment, Engagement, and Environment. Through this framework, the programme is facilitating equal opportunities for young people across the nation, including the provision of scholarships, laptops, business loans, internships, innovation awards, and leadership platforms aimed at enabling broad-based societal participation.
In this context, the Chairman reflected on the transformation witnessed in Punjab when the influence of the bhooti mafia was dismantled and genuine meritocracy was introduced. This shift allowed hidden talent to emerge, such as the extraordinary achievement of a Punjab University student from Hafizabad who broke a 120-year-old academic record while working at a tandoor to support his family. A similarly powerful story from Yazman was recalled, where a young girl achieved academic success despite being from humble background. These stories were underscored as powerful reminders of how natural talent, when supported with opportunity, can rise above economic hardship.
The Chairman emphasized that the government’s responsibility is to positively engage young people, provide opportunities, and ensure access to the resources needed for advancement across all fields — including education, technical training, information technology, science and technology, arts and culture, sports, and the rapidly expanding environment and climate sectors. Ensuring merit was identified as the central element of this mission, and ongoing efforts across institutions reflect this commitment.
Special attention was drawn to women’s empowerment initiatives, including the work undertaken in Punjab to address years of neglect regarding women’s right to property. The implementation of a 33 percent quota for women in public-sector employment further strengthened opportunities for women to enter and advance within the workforce.
While reviewing the Prime Minister’s Youth Business & Agriculture Loan Scheme, the Chairman expressed concern that despite a dedicated 25 percent quota for women and the availability of interest-free and soft loans, only 11 percent of women benefited from the programme in the previous year. In provinces such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, participation remained below 3 percent. To rectify this gap, directives have been issued to all banks, financial institutions, and microfinance organizations to intensify outreach efforts and ensure that women gain equitable access to financial facilities and entrepreneurial support.
The Chairman thanked all partners, stakeholders, and participants for their continued efforts and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building an inclusive, merit-based, and opportunity-driven environment for women and youth across Pakistan.
