The document profiles 10 influential women in the information technology field in Pakistan. It discusses their accomplishments and companies. The women highlighted include Jehan Ara, president of Pakistan Software Houses Association who promotes IT education; Kalsoom Lakhani, founder and CEO of invest2innovate which supports entrepreneurs; and Maria Umar, president and founder of Women's Digital League which provides online training and jobs for women. The profiles show how these women are leaders in technology and use their platforms to empower women.

1. TOP 1O WOMEN OF PAKISTAN IN THE
FIELD OF INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
P R E S E N T E D B Y :
A N E E Z A H M E M O N ( I T - 2 0 1 9 - 0 2 0 )
N A S H M I A K H A N ( I T - 2 0 1 9 - 0 9 )

2. INTRODUCTION:
The business world is now seeing
an age of successful and bold
businesswomen. While this is true
globally, Let’s look at the impact of
entrepreneurialism for women in
Pakistan . Despite different
approaches to business, a variance
in skills, these women have shared
an ambition. That ambition is to
disrupt the world of business by
putting females in executive
positions, forging a path of
success.
What’s more remarkable is that these individuals also use their success to help
underprivileged women in Pakistan to strive for better.

3. Ara often speaks at seminars and lectures across Pakistani universities. Jehan
also spends her time working on an initiative known as the Woman’s Virtual
Network (WVN). The WVN is an online initiative which aids women with
entering the world of employment. This happens through remote mentoring,
reviewing CV’s, interview assistance as well as allowing women to connect with
potential employers.
JEHAN ARA:
Jehan Ara is a powerhouse of social justice
and empowerment for women, within the IT
community. In 2001, she became president
of the company, Pakistan Software Houses
Association (P@SHA). She has accomplished
many successful feats in the world of IT. In
addition to her role as president, Ara keeps
busy with her social activism. She continues
to be active with educating the youth of
Pakistan about the world of IT.

4. Kalsoom is a global entity in the world of
business. With her insight and knowledge being
so valuable, she has been invited as a speaker on
several platforms. These include: The World
Economic Forum, Aspen Ideas Festival, U.S.
Chamber of Commerce, U.S. State Department,
the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, and the
Global Entrepreneurship Congress.
KALSOOM LAKHANI:
Kalsoom Lakhani is another
successful entrepreneur.
She is the founder and CEO of
the company, invest2inovate. .
Invest2innovate is a company
that supports young
entrepreneurs in Pakistan and
start-up communities in growth
markets. She has over 10 years
of experience in the field of
entrepreneurialism and
innovation. Lakhani has trained
entrepreneurs and civil society
leaders in many different
countries. Ranging from, Kosovo,
Nepal, Cambodia, Ireland,
Bangladesh, Ukraine, and
Kazakhstan;

5. MARIA UMAR:
Maria Umar is the president and founder of
an IT solution company by the name of
Women’s Digital League (WDL). Umar quit
her job as a full-time teacher, rejecting her
maternity leave before founding the WDL.
WDL helps women to become more
economically empowered. It is an online
platform to help educated woman aged 18-
27 from the comfort of their homes. This
digital platform provides support and
employment for Pakistani women. Umar
had received training from top
businesspeople in Silicon Valley and she
applied these teachings in her company.
Maria herself is an innovative member of the technology industry. She combines
social action with tech to aid women in Pakistan.

6. SHEBA NAJMI:
Sheba Najmi, formerly an employee at
Yahoo as their UX Design Lead, is now
founder and executive director at Code
for Pakistan.
Najmi being a Code for America fellow
put her coding knowledge and skills to
action and aided in the creation of
Honolulu Answer. The website offers a
quick and easy service that gives
citizens-focused access.
Code for Pakistan is a tech-driven non-profit organization that strives to
help citizens across five cities in Pakistan in civic innovation and engagement.
With having 14 years of user experience (UX), Sheba continues to use her
knowledge to grow Code for Pakistan but also elsewhere. In addition, she is a
senior UX Strategist for the digital agency, Exygy in San Francisco. Similarly, this
company works with civic technology and social impact organizations. Code for
Pakistan also runs a concerted outreach programme to encourage more women
to join the technology industry.

7. ROSHANEH ZAFAR
Roshaneh Zafar is another successful
Pakistani businesswoman. Whilst
achieving feats in the business world,
she has made her main aim to help and
uplift women. The Kashf Foundation
was first set up in 1996 by Roshaneh.
She is the Managing Director of the
company. The aim of the Kashf
Foundation is to build and enhance
women’s economic role within Pakistani
households. This is achieved through
the village banking methodology. The
Kashf Foundation site describes itself as
a:
“Non-financial service to have a transformative impact at a household level.”
For her work in the field of development and female empowerment, Roshaneh
was awarded the coveted, ‘Tamgha-e-Imtiaz’ in 2007.
In August 2018, it was reported by Impact Alpha that the Kashf Foundation
secured $17 million from a foreign investment with a German company.

8. NADIA
PATEL
GANGJEE
Nadia Patel Gangjee turned an
unfortunate incident in her life into an
opportunity. After putting up an ad
online wanting to buy a mobile phone,
Nadia received numerous prank calls and
faced a great deal of harassment. This is
when she realised that women needed a
safe and secure place to buy, sell and
network.
What began as a small WhatsApp group
is now Pakistan’s first women-only online
marketplace with more than 2,700
female entrepreneurs and 90,000
members.
Launched in 2016, Sheops gives women a
safe and secure platform to buy and sell
fashion, beauty and lifestyle products.
This means Sheops is responsible for
everything – from vetting the buyer, to
handling transactions, and shipping and
marketing products.

9. RABIA
GARIB
Rabia Garib is the Editor-in-chief of CIO magazine in Pakistan. Rabia, a Simple and workaholic
lady is also the CEO and co-founder of Rasala Publications, which focuses on IT trade, where her
responsibilities include business strategies, content development, training and design. She is
also the Chief Executive of Toffee TV. Toffee TV is a great learning-aid that helps children learn
through stories, songs and many fun activities in Urdu. She has been honoured with LadiesFund
Trailblazer Award, for being a female role model and high achiever in Pakistan. Rabia is also
heading up one of the world’s largest technology consumer magazines, PC World Pakistan.

10. DANIELLE
SHARAF
A self-starter and a multi-talented professional, Danielle is uniquely
placed as the only woman CEO in the VAS industry. A communicative
technology enthusiast, she has a keen focus on mobile product
development and its potential for social change. An electrical engineer
by training and a product development guru by trade. Her initiatives
are bringing health solutions to adolescent girls, linking jobseekers with
industry, and empowering women across all socio-economic strata.

11. SALMA
JAFRI
Salma Jafri is a content marketing strategist, trainer, writer, video blogger and
speaker. She left 9 years of corporate work to start her own online marketing
consultancy in 2009. Her online course, Marketing for Freelancers, is an introduction
to how anyone can get started with a freelance business using Upwork (formerly
called Elance) Her online course, Marketing for Freelancers, is an introduction to how
anyone can get started with a freelance business using Upwork (formerly
called Elance)

12. SALAINA
HAROON
Salaina Harroon is professor at the Greenwich University in Karachi. She teaches courses
in Entrepreneurship, Business Innovation, Brand Management and Media
Marketing. Salaina is also the co-founder of Rasala Publications Group, which has been
involved in the media technology sector almost ever since the IT industry took shape in
Pakistan in 2000. Rasala, is a well-known business entity amongst the local technology
industry.

13. The extensive list above is the living proof of the fact that
women are indeed capable of working and excelling beyond all
confinements and expectations. Mentioned above are just 10 of
the amazing women in the world of business and technology,
when there are so many more that ought to be discussed and
praised for their contributions. A hearty round of applause from
our side to all these great Pakistani women, they have made us
proud indeed!