Women across Pakistan were encouraged to lead the country’s information technology (IT) and e-commerce sectors as the 9th edition of the Women Tech Quest (WTQ) took place in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore on Saturday.
The WTQ, an initiative of 10Pearls University, not only puts women’s tech skills to the test but also helps them gain recognition and network with others in the industry, opening their paths to new opportunities.
In Karachi, the competition took place at the state-of-the-art National Aerospace Science & Technology Park (NASTP), while in the capital it was held at the Nust School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and at the University of Central Punjab (UCP) in Lahore.
In all cities, the competitions were followed by sessions where women industry leaders gave their insights into the world of tech and business. They highlighted how women have been leading various initiatives with digital innovations making their challenges a bit easier.
Addressing one such session in Karachi, Hira Khalil, the senior lead for e-commerce at Dawlance, noted that the e-commerce industry was “booming in Pakistan and women could gain the most from it”.
Similarly, Sohail Zindani, an author and entrepreneur who founded his The Sohail Zindani Company, urged women to lead the digital disruption in Pakistan.
Javeria Siddiqui, chief financial officer (CFO) at Feroze1888 Mills Limited, advised women to aim to have multiple streams of income.
Bringing the day-long WTQ to an end, Sarah Peracha, chief executive officer (CEO) at Peracha Ventures and Futurist Vally founder, gave a motivational boost to those who could not secure a winning position: “Maybe some wanted to win today’s competition but everyone is a winner in it.
“You all are winners, who worked so hard every day after signing up for this competition.”
