Why Are Women Entrepreneurs Pakistan’s Biggest Opportunity?

In 2025, Pakistan ranked last (148th out of 148 countries) on the Global Gender Gap Report published by the World Economic Forum (WEF), which highlighted our declining gender parity score, reaching to 56.4%. These stats paint a bleak picture for a country that ranks as the 5th most populous in the world. When most economists talk about Pakistan's growth potential, they factor in the usual variables: remittances, exports, digital infrastructure, political stability. Women entrepreneurship rarely makes the headline. However, isn’t it about time? Because multiple studies have shown that empowering women is one of the key strategies for reducing poverty in Pakistan and ensuring sustainable development.

Over a few decades, a generation of female entrepreneurs has emerged in Pakistan, working across varied sectors. What distinguishes female entrepreneurship is not just their pursuit of financial returns for unlocking personal freedom, but a strong commitment to giving back to communities, to future generations and the society at large.

A notable name representative of this ethos is Seema Aziz, founder and managing director of Sefam, a leading textile group that has established Bareeze, Chinyere, Kayseria and other well known fashion brands in Pakistan. Her welfare trust, CARE Foundation, founded in 1988, has been dedicated to empowering children nationwide, making sure that they get access to quality education. Through this initiative they have been able to transform thousands of lives, and have equipped people with vocational skills to play a part in strengthening the wider economy of the country.  

Most women-led businesses aim to solve local problems that are often overlooked. Kashf Foundation, founded by Roshaneh Zafar, is Pakistan’s first specialized microfinance institution focused exclusively on providing low-income women with financial services, including micro-loans, insurance and savings. For decades, it has been empowering women by offering vocational training, business development opportunities, financial literacy and social advocacy, while also investing in community education and health. Thousands of women across Pakistan have started businesses, gained independence and broken cycles of poverty through Kashf Foundation, which is a testament to how businesses designed to ‘give’ ultimately lead to the ‘greatest gains’ for the country.

Over the years, the rise of digitization has opened new frontiers for female entrepreneurship in Pakistan, with women not just participating in the digital economy but actively shaping it too. An example of this is Oraan, a fintech platform co-founded by Halima Iqbal and Farwah Tapal in 2018. Built on the traditional concept of a committee (rotating savings circles), Oraan digitized an age-old community practice to give women a safe, structured and accessible way to save and access funds without the barriers of formal banking. In a country where a significant portion of women remain financially excluded, this innovation was a solution rooted in deep cultural understanding and a genuine gap in the market.

From Mahlaqa Shaukat, founder of AimFit, to Kanwal Ahmed, founder of Soul Sisters Pakistan, women entrepreneurs in Pakistan are not just building businesses, they are building spaces where other women feel seen, supported and empowered. Creating safe and inclusive spaces are fundamental for women for their growth. Because we live in a society that has, for generations, placed women at a financial and social disadvantage. The judgement that follows a woman’s choices is a weight she carries quietly into every room, including the workspace. 

Catering to the needs of working women, Daftarkhwan has been focused on creating spaces that enable freedom and flexibility, allowing them to be themselves at work. Ensuring support for mothers, our spaces feature a dedicated kids' playroom, giving women the peace of mind they need to do their best, without any distraction. Additionally, empowering women at the workplace is deeply rooted in our mission, which is why more than 50% of our management team comprises females.

In essence, female entrepreneurs are the biggest asset of Pakistan. There is a collective responsibility to invest in them and give them opportunities, resources and recognition to steer their ambitions forward for gaining a stronger, more equitable socio-economic future. #GiveToGain