SBP event showcases how well women leaders ‘get’ finance
Don’t marry off your girls till they are financially independent,” says screenwriter Zanjabeel Asim Shah — a fairly revolutionary statement in a society where sons have careers and daughters are mostly to be married off. Celebrating Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, the State Bank of Pakistan invited women leaders, who narrated their success stories, along with a healthy dose of pragmatism. The event was held at the State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) Banking Services Corporation (SBP) in North Nazimabad. It was attended by women from all walks of life, and a spark of confidence permeated the room full of entrepreneurs, who came together to celebrate their achievements, ironically held on International Men’s Day, which is observed on Nov 19. Ms Shah’s views stemmed from her own experiences. Her hitherto cossetted life was turned upside down when her husband discovered he had cancer and barely two months to live. That prompted a crash course in everything, from managing finances to fixing the generator, without a man’s support.