Celebrating Women's Day on March 8th, 2024, the IBA, Center for Entrepreneurial Development (IBA CED) organized an event titled "Women Empowerment Through discovHER Finance Opportunities. Sponsored by Bank Islami and the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), this event showcased a united front in the mission to empower women financially and foster gender equality within Pakistan's economic landscape. The occasion commenced with Ms. Malahat Awan, Director of IBA Alumni Affairs, Resource Mobilization & Corporate Affairs, addressing the financial challenges faced by women and commending the Financial Institutions and Bank's efforts in mitigating these obstacles. Ms. Uzma Mansoor, State Bank of Pakistan shared illuminating statistics and emphasized the institution's initiatives for financial inclusion, while Ms. Ayesha Ashraf Jangda, Bank Islami introduced tailored financial solutions for women, including the Mashal Women Banking program. BankIslami Mashal – Women Banking is introduced to exclusively cater to the unique needs of female population of Pakistan belonging to all walks of life. Ms. Sabeen Shah from the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) discussing the bank's initiatives for women's education and financial independence. She highlighted the pivotal role that NBP is playing in addressing and combating financial challenges faced by women.

Distinguished figures, including Dr. Akbar Zaidi, Executive Director of IBA Karachi, and Mr. Ali Asad Heemani, JFF Foundation, graced the event. Dr. Zaidi passionately addressed the myriad of challenges faced by women and underscored the need for society to recognize, appreciate, and advocate for women's contributions across all sectors. The event also witnessed significant support, with a symbolic gesture from Jaffer Family Foundation, presenting a cheque of PKR 100,000 to Ms. Qirat Zehra, a IBA CED CIE-14, alumna, as a financial support. The ceremony concluded with Dr. Lalarukh Ejaz, Director of CED, expressed gratitude to sponsors, guests, and the CED team, closing an event that served as a pivotal platform addressing financial challenges faced by women and championing a more inclusive and empowered society.