Rawalpindi Launches Seven Women-Only Pink Bazaars to Boost Female Entrepreneurship

The Rawalpindi district administration has launched an initiative to establish seven women-only Pink Bazaars across the district, creating dedicated spaces where female entrepreneurs can run businesses and earn a livelihood. The first of these markets is being set up on Liaquat Road in Rawalpindi city, where women vendors will be able to sell everyday items to shoppers.

Deputy Commissioner Nadeem Nasir said the project was launched on the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Under the first phase, one Pink Bazaar will be established in each of the district's seven tehsils, with further expansion planned in a later stage. He noted that the market in Rawalpindi city is nearly ready, while work on the remaining sites is progressing.

The programme is designed to open up earning opportunities for women while offering them a secure, women-only shopping environment away from the congestion of busy commercial areas. Officials believe this setup will encourage more women to participate in small-scale trade and retail activity.

Nasir has also directed assistant commissioners to visit the sites regularly and monitor progress on both the Pink Bazaars and the street-vendor markets, commonly known as rehri bazaars. He stressed that progress must be visible on the ground and instructed officials to ensure the projects are completed on schedule.

The initiative is part of a broader push by the Punjab government to support women's participation in the local economy and to improve the organisation of street-level commerce in the province.

The district administration has indicated that rolling out the scheme across all seven tehsils will help extend these opportunities beyond Rawalpindi city and into surrounding areas. Further updates on the completion of the remaining bazaars are expected as work moves forward.