The 9th edition of Women Tech Quest (WTQ) took place across Karachi, Islamabad, and Lahore, encouraging women to take charge of Pakistan’s rapidly growing IT and e-commerce sectors. Organized by 10Pearls University, the event tested the tech skills of women while providing them with networking opportunities and industry recognition.
In Karachi, the competition was hosted at the National Aerospace Science & Technology Park (NASTP), in Islamabad at the Nust School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and in Lahore at the University of Central Punjab (UCP). The day-long event also included sessions with women leaders from the tech and business sectors, who shared valuable insights and discussed how digital innovations are empowering women to tackle challenges and lead in their respective industries.
At the Karachi session, Hira Khalil, Senior Lead for E-commerce at Dawlance, emphasized that the e-commerce industry is booming in Pakistan and women stand to gain the most from this growth. Sohail Zindani, an author and entrepreneur, encouraged women to lead the digital disruption in Pakistan. Javeria Siddiqui, CFO at Feroze1888 Mills, highlighted the importance of having multiple streams of income for career growth.
The WTQ concluded with an inspiring address from Sarah Peracha, CEO of Peracha Ventures and Futurist Valley, who motivated participants, assuring them that despite the competition, all women who participated were winners for their hard work and dedication.
The competition featured six winners from each city, divided into three categories: testing, design, and coding. Each category had winners from both the student and professional sections. In Karachi, Umme Shara won the student design category, while Muntaha Memon claimed the professional award. Rabeeha Ali and Nida Ramzan won the student and professional testing categories, respectively, while Noori Shaukat and Maryam Nasir won in the student and professional coding categories.
The winners received cheques and vouchers from sponsors, further enhancing their recognition.
The event also hosted keynote speeches, including one by 10Pearls Senior Director Anne Bracegirdle, and a discussion on how e-commerce in Pakistan can empower women to run businesses from home. Hira Khalil discussed how the industry had seen tremendous growth post-COVID, making it easier for women to start businesses online.
Sohail Zindani, in his session titled ‘Future-ready leadership: why women should pioneer the tech disruption’, spoke about the need for women to succeed on their own terms, embracing both masculine and feminine qualities in leadership. Other notable speakers included Dr. Sara Saeed Khurram, co-founder of Sehat Kahani, who shared insights on mental health access and the achievements of her telehealth startup.
Javeria Siddiqui of Feroze1888 Mills also encouraged participants to manage their finances and urged women to save, invest, and focus on long-term career growth. She advised setting aside 20% of salaries for personal use and to be patient as they climbed the career ladder.
The event ended with a group photo, marking another successful edition of Women Tech Quest, which continues to inspire women across Pakistan to lead in the tech and business world.
