Boardroom diversity faces challenges in Pakistan

Corporate figures have claimed that increasing the number of women in Pakistan's boardrooms will benefit the nation's businesses, but social obstacles to such developments remain.

This is according to the Express Tribune, which pointed out that Pakistan suffers from almost no female representation at boardroom level, despite enjoying "a fair percentage of talented women in the corporate sector".

An anonymous banking executive told the newspaper that female leaders often show a heightened awareness of risk and focus on the long-term interests of their company, making them a valuable addition to many organisations.

"Additionally, they tend to be intuitive managers, resulting in fair and sound judgment," he added.

Despite these qualities, the fact that many women in Pakistan put their careers on hold after marriage means they are often not taken seriously in the corporate world, the publication noted.

However, there is evidence to suggest many female workers decide to leave their employer because they are not given the opportunity to hold a senior position.

The problem of gender inequality is not confined to smaller economies, with Forbes reporting earlier this year that women account for just three per cent of chief executives at the 500 largest companies in the US.