PTCL Group and PPAF Expand ‘Ba-Ikhtiar’ Initiative to Empower Over 2,300 Women

Dubai: PTCL Group, in collaboration with the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF), has announced the expansion of its Ba-Ikhtiar initiative at the GITEX Global 2025 event in Dubai. The initiative aims to empower more than 2,300 women in 23 flood-affected cities across Pakistan by providing them with digital and entrepreneurial skills.

The agreement was signed by Hatem Bamatraf, President and Group CEO of PTCL and Ufone 4G, and Nadir Gul Barech, CEO of PPAF. This expansion marks a significant milestone in PTCL Group’s efforts to promote inclusive development and digital empowerment in Pakistan.

Initially piloted in Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Ba-Ikhtiar program targeted 100 underprivileged women entrepreneurs. The program’s success has prompted its expansion, focusing on enhancing the livelihoods of women through skills training in digital literacy, financial management, and various practical trades.

The initiative leverages PTCL Group’s digital infrastructure and PPAF’s community outreach to connect participants with the necessary tools and opportunities to generate sustainable income. The training includes skills in areas such as stitching, pottery, handicrafts, food preservation, and organic cosmetics.

Hatem Bamatraf emphasized the role of PTCL Group in enhancing community well-being through digital expertise and infrastructure. He highlighted the Ba-Ikhtiar program as a transformative initiative that sets a benchmark in sustainable social empowerment.

Nadir Gul Barech noted that the expansion represents a significant step in empowering women from vulnerable communities. The partnership between PPAF and PTCL Group combines social development with digital innovation, creating pathways for women’s economic self-reliance.

The Ba-Ikhtiar program aims to build a digitally inclusive Pakistan by empowering women with knowledge, technology, and opportunity, fostering economic empowerment and self-reliance.