Pakistan has launched its first dedicated Women’s Software Technology Park in Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), in a bid to empower female freelancers, IT professionals, and entrepreneurs while boosting the region’s digital economy.
The facility, inaugurated at Fatima Jinnah Women’s Postgraduate College, was launched by Special Communications Organisation (SCO) Director General Maj-Gen Umar Ahmed Shah. The ceremony was attended by senior officials including AJK Prime Minister’s Coordinator Asma Andrabi, Secretary IT Rashid Hanif, academic leaders, and students.
The Women’s Software Technology Park has been designed to provide women with a secure and modern workspace, equipped with uninterrupted electricity, high-speed internet, and advanced training facilities. It aims to create jobs, foster women-led startups, and enhance technical capacity across AJK.
Maj-Gen Shah said the project reflects SCO’s Vision 2025, which focuses on expanding women’s participation in technology and the national IT sector. He noted that over the past 20 months, SCO has established 17 software technology parks and 76 freelancing hubs across AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, creating more than 7,000 jobs and supporting 1,500 freelancers. By the end of this month, the network will expand to 100 centers.
The Muzaffarabad facility, the eighth of its kind in AJK, is seen as a milestone for bridging the digital divide, encouraging female entrepreneurship, and contributing to Pakistan’s IT exports. Officials said the initiative will showcase the potential of local youth while providing a professional platform for women in technology.