(PakistanCliffNews): The women entrepreneurship has been acknowledged as an important untapped source and their participation is essential for economic growth and development; this was stated by Shaikh Khalid Tawab Sr. Vice President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI). He elaborated that the number of women entrepreneurs, ratio of women chief executives in the corporate sector and the share of women in the holding of corporate ownerships and assets are almost negligible in Pakistan. About women entrepreneurship, he added that in Pakistan only 11.8 percent companies have women ownership while in Turkey is 25.4 percent; this is 62.9 percent in Philippines, Indonesia 22.1 percent, 29.2% in Uzbekistan, 32.7% in Tajikistan. He underlined that there is need to motivate women to participate in entrepreneurship activities as at present their share is just 3% in total entrepreneurship in Pakistan. He further stated that the women contribution is much higher in the rural economy of Pakistan, and as per the sectoral statistics, 74 percent of women are engaged in agriculture wherein their service are generally unpaid and their role is as supportive to family work. He further added that we should realize that without involving women entrepreneurs actively in economic activity, we can’t achieve the target of economic stability and self-reliance as the population of women is 52 percent of the total population of Pakistan. Our women entrepreneurs are working under the same macro, regulatory and institutional framework as their male counterparts in a free market mechanism, added. There is no support and encouragement to the women entrepreneurs from government for entrepreneurship and women are working under their own initiatives or activities. He indicated that the FPCCI has been encouraging women entrepreneurs by way of giving them equal opportunities to participate in International trade fairs and delegations on subsidized conditions and many Chairperson of our Standing Committees are women. To encourage the women-owned businesses, a Best Lady Exporter Gold Medal has been instituted by FPCCI, which is bestowed to the female entrepreneur who has demonstrated the best export performance. He said. It’s time to recognize that enhanced women participation in modern society is mandatory in order to ensure prosperous economy and as such they need more freedom to play a greater role in the socio-economic growth of the country, he suggested.