ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari on Monday urged the government to take policy steps to create an ecosystem for entrepreneurship and startups that would help promote businesses and revive the economy.
He said that Pakistan was a country of young population with over 60% share of youth in the total population. Therefore, every possible effort should be made to develop this huge section of human capital by giving them business education so that they could be equipped with the right knowledge for startups and be enabled to play a more effective role in the country’s economic development.
Addressing as keynote speaker at Business Summit 23, held by ICCI in collaboration with The Career Class in its auditorium, Ahsan Bakhtawari said that the government could not give jobs to all educated youth and the best option to absorb them in productive activities was to help and encourage them towards entrepreneurship so that instead of becoming employment seekers, they could start business ventures and become employment creators for others.
He said that ICCI had taken many initiatives for youth entrepreneurship and the economic empowerment of females.
Culture of Entrepreneurship for Growth
He reiterated that the Chamber would continue to work with universities and other educational institutions to create a culture of entrepreneurship in youth so that many of them could become owners of many national and multinational companies and make considerable contributions to the economic development of the nation.
He urged all stakeholders, including the government, regulators, and academia, to play their role in fostering a conducive environment for entrepreneurs and startups in Pakistan.
Azhar ul Islam Zafar, Vice President of ICCI, said that there was a strong correlation between startups and the economic growth of a nation, as when entrepreneurs and startups flourish, the economy flourishes.
He said that Pakistan had yet to evolve an ecosystem for startups and entrepreneurs as no high potential breakthroughs had been seen so far, which could put the country on the map as an entrepreneurial country.
He emphasized that Pakistan should move fast to evolve a healthy ecosystem for entrepreneurs so that youth could be facilitated in business enterprises.
