“No nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side by side with you.” (Quaid e Azam -1944) Without women’s empowerment, no country has accomplished economic or social progress. Women are an important component of society. Also, women entrepreneurs serve as role models for other women who want to establish their own enterprises. As a result, more jobs are created for women, which helps to close the gender gap in the workforce. Here are some prominent business women in Pakistan that we must look up to.
NADIA HUSSAIN
Nadia Hussain, Pakistan’s top model and female entrepreneur, is one of the country’s most versatile superstars, having established herself as a successful and independent woman. It wouldn’t be inaccurate to describe her as “beauty with a brain.” By demonstrating her entrepreneurial abilities to the world, Nadia has proven that a model can be as sharp and intellectual as anyone else. Nadia Hussain is the face of numerous well-known brands, as well as a dentist, the owner of a fashion boutique, and the founder of a new beauty treatment clinic. She has launched her salon as part of two more projects after becoming a dream face for many make-up artists. Nadia is never content to rest on her laurels. Her own cosmetics line, ‘ NH Bling,’ has been recently released. Hussain’s fashion boutique NH Pret is in the basement, a salon is on the ground floor, and a beauty treatment clinic is on the first floor, bringing together three of Hussain’s loves in one location. “I worked for six months with Dr. Mabroor Bhatti and then for a year and a half with Saba Ansari. “I realized I needed my own space where I could have my own beauty-aesthetic therapy center, salon, and boutique all under one roof,” Nadia told. We see her journey from being a supermodel and conquering the glittery and glamorous world of modeling to becoming a businesswoman and starting a successful business in the face of such fierce competition, and she is undoubtedly the one to look up to.
NABILA MAQSOOD
Nabila Maqsood, a top-notch Pakistani fashion stylist, is an unmistakable symbol of Pakistani glamour. In 1986, she started her first salon. Nabila Maqsood, a pioneer, innovator, and well-known Pakistani fashion stylist is a name that requires no introduction. She creates famous looks for celebrities in publications, red carpets, ramps, and on-screen. For more than three decades, she has been a stalwart of the beauty industry. She styled a number of well-known personalities, assisting them in developing their public profile. Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhter, Ali Zafar, Hadiqa Kiani, Babra Shareef, and Reema Khan, all former cricketers, are live examples of Nabila Maqsood’s style.
Nabeela has worked as a creative consultant for major brands such as L’Oreal. She announced in early 2018 that her businesses Nabila salon, N-Gents, and ZERO would be the official hair and make-up partners for the 2018 IIFA awards. Nabila created history in the beauty sector by beating out worldwide makeup company Mac Cosmetics for the IIFA 2018 contract. For 16 years, Mac had been IIFA’s makeup partner. This was Nabila’s first time working on the prestigious Bollywood event, and her businesses were the first from Pakistan to do so. “I am overwhelmed,” she said.
It’s a huge honor that a Pakistani hairstylist and makeup artist will be doing this world-class event for the first time. It’s a compliment that we’ll now be in charge of such a major event that Mac has successfully managed for 16 years.” Nabila has demonstrated that determination and commitment may pave the route for one’s own achievement. In the 1980s, Nabila began her make-up job in an 8×8 makeshift salon in her servant neighborhood, where she charged customers only PKR30 for haircuts. Today, she is a well-known make-up artist, stylist, and international celebrity. In the realm of business, there is no alternative to hard labor.
MUSSARRAT MISBAH
Musarrat Misbah is a Pakistani beautician, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. She is Pakistan’s first beauty expert and is credited with starting the practice of professional beauty salons in the country. Her engaging and promising demeanor shows her strong desire for beauty. Musarrat Misbah founded Depilex’s Beauty Clinic & Beauty Parlor and decided to create her own halal makeup collection due to the scarcity of halal cosmetics on the market. She now owns 42 franchisees across Pakistan and works to rehabilitate women who have been victims of violence. She later founded the Depilex Smile[1]again Foundation, which is a charitable organization. She is the first woman from Pakistan to be honored by the Italian government on Women’s Day for her courage and devotion as the President of Depilex Smileagain Foundation. She was awarded the Pride of Performance award in 2010 for her services in the field of medical treatment and financial assistance to burn and acid attack victims, particularly females. Musarrat’s dedication to her goals and innovative thinking process allowed her to come up with something no one had ever thought of before, and she was able to achieve her goals.
JEHAN ARA
Jehan Ara is one of Pakistan’s most successful businesswomen. Within the IT community, she is a catalyst for social justice & women’s empowerment. PASHA is the brainchild of her (Pakistan Software Houses Associations). She became president of Pakistan Software Houses Association in 2001 and retired in April 2021. The company holds a prominent position among world’s top IT corporations. To give the greatest software products to its clients, the company interacts with various national and international institutions. The development and protection of Pakistan’s software sector is the company’s main goal. It also works with companies outside of the country to give the greatest software goods and services to its customers. Jehan Ara has worked in marketing, communications, and media in Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, and the Far East for three decades. She was also in charge of the Nest i/o.
She serves on the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Information Technology and Telecom, as well as the Punjab Board of Investment and Trade. Ara was invited to speak at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit by US President Barack Obama in 2016. She is not only a successful businesswoman but also an active social activist and a tremendous motivator for young people. Jehan Ara is an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and writer for a number of industrial journals. She is also a founder of the “Women’s Virtual Network,” which aims to assist educated women in dealing with employers and other professional workers while also allowing them to explore the globe in light of rapid technological advancements.
SAMINA FAZIL
Samina Fazil has always believed that it is more vital to take action than to sit about and hope for luck. Samina is a well-known female businesswoman in Pakistan, having launched her own little clothes retail firm in 1989 in Islamabad. Minhas Collection is her business. The initial investment made by her family was simply 100,000 PKR. Because Samina lacks expertise in a male-dominated industry, she was unable to accomplish her ambition. She required qualified tailors, raw materials, and starting locations, among other things. She launched her own store on Rawalpindi’s Mori Main Road in 1991. Samina began her clothes business with a tiny children’s garment unit, which led to the establishment of Minhas Collection, which was the city’s first women-owned garment business. She began by creating brochures, participating in exhibitions, distributing TV show attire, and posting images in newspapers to market her clothing. The strategy worked, and the company grew. We now have “Minhas Collections” in front of us as a result of her hard work and commitment, which serves as an inspiration and guide for many other women. She is also the Founder and President of the Islamabad Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IWCCI), has always believed that action is more vital than waiting for luck.
SABEEN MAHMOOD
Sabeen Mahmood was a progressive social worker and human rights activist who launched The Second Floor (T2F), a cafe, bookstore, and performance space in Karachi, in 2007. It provided a space in Karachi where citizens could interact and organize and have open talks about art, science, politics, and anything else. The platform promotes healthy debates and discussions about current events in Pakistan. Many cultural events were held for the audience, and writers and poets gathered. It also hosts art exhibitions to provide people with physical and mental health benefits.
Sabeen used to work in the business sector. It is now more focused on raising public awareness and educating through their company. She organized the first hackathon in Pakistan in 2013, where participants spent an entire weekend brainstorming new ideas and applications to improve Karachi’s efficiency. Once she stated that she would not criticize the government. Take matters into your own hands! “Make a change!” She conducted a debate on the Balochistan issue on April 24, 2015, in which activists such as Mama Qadeer took part. She was shot and killed by a shooter on her way home after hosting a session at T2F following the event.
ROSHANEH ZAFAR
Another prominent Pakistani businesswoman is Roshaneh Zafar. She has made it her main goal to help & encourage women while earning great success in the corporate sector. Roshaneh Zafar, is the Founder of Kashf Foundation, Chair of Kashf Holdings, and Founder of Kashf Microfinance Bank Limited (now known as FINCA). She worked as a women- in- development associate for the World Bank in the water and sanitation sectors. Roshaneh has represented Kashf and Pakistan at numerous international forums, including the World Economic Forum, and has received numerous international and national honors, including the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, Pakistan’s highest civilian honor. Roshaneh established the Kashf Foundation in 1996.
She is the company’s Managing Director. The Kashf Foundation’s mission is to strengthen and expand women’s economic roles in Pakistani families. The village banking approach is used to accomplish this. The Kashf Foundation touts itself as a “non-financial service with a revolutionary impact at the household level,” according to its website. Roshaneh discusses her business goals in an exclusive Ted Talk: “My desire was to come back to Pakistan and give back to women in my culture because I felt they faced huge discrimination.” I am really pleased of the fact that Pakistani women can and do make a difference.”
