KARACHI: Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), 786 Investments Ltd. and LADIESFUND have joined forces to promote women’s financial empowerment through investment, hosting the She Invests: LADIESFUND Smart Woman Money Masterclass in Karachi.
More than 140 women from leading Pakistani corporations and diverse professional backgrounds attended the event at the Dr Shamshad Akhtar Auditorium at the Pakistan Stock Exchange. The session focused on earning, saving, investing and building long-term wealth.
The event also marked the launch of LADIESFUND Investments, the women-focused investment initiative of 786 Investments Ltd., under the theme “Where Women Build Wealth”. PSX also launched its She Invests financial literacy training series for women.
Participants received a QR code that allowed them to take an immediate first step towards exploring investment opportunities.
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Farrukh H. Sabzwari, Managing Director and CEO of Pakistan Stock Exchange, said women remain underrepresented as investors despite making up nearly half of Pakistan’s population.
He said PSX wanted to make investing more accessible and understandable for women and encourage them to move from saving towards investing and building long-term wealth.
Sabzwari added that the She Invests series would expand beyond the stock exchange to women’s chambers of commerce, academic institutions and women-led organisations across Pakistan.
Tara Uzra Dawood, CEO of 786 Investments Ltd. and LADIESFUND Investments, said the initiative aimed to help women move from financial dependence towards financial ownership.
She said women should learn not only how to earn, save and spend money but also how to invest and make their money grow.
A key part of the programme was a fireside conversation with Sima Kamil, former President of UBL Bank, on building wealth throughout a career. Drawing on her experience in banking and finance, Kamil encouraged women to begin investing early and make informed financial decisions at different stages of their careers.
“Wealth is built throughout your career, not at the end of it,” Kamil said, stressing the importance of starting early and understanding available investment options.
The programme also featured Sharmeen Ahmed of Topline Securities, who encouraged women to consider opening trading accounts and participating directly in the capital markets.
She said women did not need to be financial experts to become investors and described opening a trading account as a practical first step.
Moneeza Butt, Partner at KPMG, also highlighted the importance of women participating in capital markets, either directly through brokerage services or through mutual funds such as LADIESFUND Investments.
Hena Sadiq, Partner at Yousuf Adil, discussed governance and oversight within the formal investment ecosystem. She highlighted mechanisms including regulatory supervision, audits, Shariah oversight and independent trustees that can provide investors with greater confidence.
The masterclass also addressed common barriers that discourage women from taking greater control of their finances. These included dependence on family members for financial security, delaying financial planning, perceptions that investing is complicated and uncertainty about choosing professional investment services.
Through interactive discussions, participants explored topics including financial planning, the difference between money and wealth, family expectations, capital markets, money-market instruments and Shariah-compliant investment opportunities.
The organisers also highlighted two initiatives under development between LADIESFUND Investments and PSX: the proposed LADIESFUND Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) and the proposed LADIESFUND Green Gender Bond.
According to the organisers, the proposed ETF would seek to provide exposure to listed companies while considering their commitment to women, gender inclusion and diversity. The proposed Green Gender Bond would aim to connect sustainable and climate-focused investment with opportunities supporting women, while incorporating green finance, gender equality and Shariah-compliant investment principles.
The collaboration between PSX, 786 Investments and LADIESFUND reflects a broader effort to increase women’s financial literacy and participation in Pakistan’s formal investment ecosystem.
The organisers said the ultimate goal was to help more women progress from earning and saving money to owning assets, investing and building long-term wealth.
