In celebration of International Women’s Day, Pakistan’s largest telecommunications and integrated ICT services provider, PTCL Group, joined hands with Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) and National Rural Support Programme (NRSP) to empower 100 women entrepreneurs in Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This initiative is part of the “Ba-Ikhtiar” program, a year-long endeavor to bridge the digital divide and equip women with the essential tools and financial knowledge necessary for building sustainable businesses. Under “Ba-Ikhtiar”, PTCL Group distributed smartphones with pre-loaded SIM cards, provided one-year free data packages and facilitated the setup of UPaisa mobile wallets in collaboration with U Microfinance Bank (UBank). In the second phase, the Group will facilitate digital marketing and financial trainings to empower participants to unlock new opportunities online. Recognizing the critical role technical proficiency plays in entrepreneurial success, the “Ba-Ikhtiar” program equips women entrepreneurs with the requisite knowledge and skills through comprehensive training sessions in financial management and digital marketing. Through these training sessions, PTCL Groups strives to empower women to confidently navigate the digital landscape and promote their businesses online, leading to an expanded customer base. Speaking about the initiative, Syed Atif Raza, Chief Marketing Officer, PTCL & Ufone 4G, stated, “At PTCL Group, we passionately believe that innovation is the cornerstone of social progress.