SECP Launches Investment Competition for Women

For context, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and Iqra University's Center for Excellence in Islamic FinTech (IU-CEIF) have introduced a two-month investment competition to promote women's participation in Shariah-compliant investing.

Key points

• Sheikh Ebrahim bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, chairman of the AAOIFI Board of Trustees, attended the ceremony as chief guest, alongside representatives of Islamic financial institutions.
• The initiative, titled "Empowered Women – Ethical Investments, " is open to female students, faculty and staff at universities throughout Pakistan.
• Speaking at the launch ceremony in Karachi, SECP Commissioner Imtiaz Haider remarked financial awareness and informed investment decisions were essential to increasing women's participation in the financial sector.
• Women account for a significant share of borrowers in the non-bank finance sector.
• The competition combines practical investment experience with financial education to support women develop investment skills and produce informed, responsible financial decisions.

Notably, the initiative, titled "Empowered Women – Ethical Investments, " is open to female students, faculty and staff at universities throughout Pakistan.

Speaking at the launch ceremony in Karachi, SECP Commissioner Imtiaz Haider remarked financial awareness and informed investment decisions were essential to increasing women's participation in the financial sector. SECP Updates Approved Auditor Criteria for Financial Institutions.

Haider highlighted SECP initiatives aimed at improving women's access to finance, including the approval of Khudmukhtar Khatoon, Pakistan's first digital financing product exclusively for women-led micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). He additionally cited simplified account-opening procedures intended to facilitate women's entry into the capital market.

Women account for a significant share of borrowers in the non-bank finance sector. As of June 30, 2026, they represented 59 percent of active borrowers in the Non-Banking Finance Firm (NBFC) sector and 82 percent in non-banking microfinance. It disbursed Rs. 236.2 billion to women during FY2025-26.

Meanwhile, the competition combines practical investment experience with financial education to support women develop investment skills and produce informed, responsible financial decisions. Stay Connected with ProPakistani.

Obtain the latest business news, market insights, and economic updates wherever you prefer. Follow on Google Discover. Follow on Google News Join WhatsApp. See more ProPakistani stories in Google Search and Top Stories.

Taken together, the developments around SECP Launches Investment Competition for Women point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.