News/Events

Gender Responsive Marketplace

November 5, 2026
KARACHI, PAKISTAN – NOVEMBER 3, 2026 – Walee Financial Services (WFS) has been recognised among the leading organisations in the Gender-Responsive Marketplace category at the Pakistan Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Awards, hosted by UN Women Pakistan.
The recognition celebrates WFS’s flagship women-focused asset-financing program, Khudmukhtar Khatoon (“Independent Woman”). Delivered in partnership with Karandaaz Pakistan through WFS’s Shariah-compliant digital financing platform, Hakeem, the program breaks down systemic barriers to capital for micro and small enterprise (MSE) owners across Pakistan.

By providing women entrepreneurs with direct access to productive equipment and ethical financing without requiring a male guarantor, Khudmukhtar Khatoon enables female enterprise owners to scale operations, build sustainable livelihoods, and gain long-term economic independence.

With over 1.3 million downloads in its first year, the partnership connects Hakeem’s rapidly expanding digital user base with EFU Life’s trusted portfolio of Takaful products. Together, they aim to make access to financial protection simpler, more transparent, and easier for millions of Pakistanis seeking inclusive solutions.

Through this collaboration, Hakeem will offer a suite of innovative Takaful products designed by EFU Life to provide comprehensive life and health protection tailored to its users’ needs. The portfolio includes plans covering natural and accidental death, hospitalization, disability, and critical illness, along with income continuation and family support benefits, ensuring long-term financial stability and peace of mind. 

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Azeem Iqbal Pirani, Executive Director and COO of EFU Life, added: 

“Hakeem represents a forward-thinking partner with a clear vision for empowering underserved communities through Shariah-compliant financial solutions. We are excited about the potential this partnership holds and look forward to seeing it evolve into a model for how digital innovation and Takaful can help masses across Pakistan”.

The UN Women WEPs Awards, established jointly by UN Women and the UN Global Compact, honor organizations that take measurable, actionable steps toward advancing gender equality across the workplace, marketplace, and broader community.
Noshad Minhas, CEO & Co-Founder of Walee Financial Services, commented:

“This recognition by UN Women is a powerful testament to the resilience of Pakistan’s women micro-entrepreneurs. Through Khudmukhtar Khatoon and our Hakeem platform, we set out to prove that financial inclusion isn’t about saddling home-based businesses with debt traps, it’s about providing the actual tools, machines, and dignified Shariah-compliant capital they need to become self-reliant. We share this honor with our partners at Karandaaz Pakistan and every woman turning her skill into an enterprise.”

The award was formally presented at the Pakistan WEPs Awards Ceremony on November 3, 2026, in Karachi, convened alongside leaders from business, civil society, and international development committed to building an inclusive economy. For Walee Financial Services, this recognition marks a significant milestone in its mission to bridge the gender gap in Pakistan’s financial sector. WFS remains committed to leveraging digital Islamic fintech solutions to ensure that every woman’s entrepreneurial ambition is met with the capital, trust, and resources needed to succeed.