LAHORE: Lahore Stock Exchange held its ninth session of SECP Investor Education Program for the member of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce & Industry SCCI, Sialkot. Officials from Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan SECP and Lahore Stock Exchange LSE also participated in the session.
Director Investor Education Department SECP Islamabad, Mr. Naseeruddin Humayun along with Mr. Nadeem Asghar and Ms. Madiha Abrahim from LSE participated in the session. Mr. Naseeruddin Humayun explained the objective and importance of Investor Education and Awareness Program for the sustainable growth of the financial market to the SCCI members, while ensuring investor protection and bolstering confidence in the market.
Mr. Nadeem Asghar Head of Investor Relations LSE elaborated the pros and cons of investing in different financial products. He briefed the arbitration processes and investor protection rights, features and characteristics of different financial markets, investment products, and roles & responsibilities of various financial institutions in the country.
While addressing with the SCCI members, Ms. Madiha Abrahim from LSE elaborated the fact that how diversification across various investment instruments safeguards the investors interest. She also defined the features of insurance, mutual funds, commodities, debt, equity markets and briefed the participants the latest steps taken by their respective organizations for the benefits of investors. It was also addressed to the participants that in what circumstances and how an investor can lodge complaint with the Exchange / PMEX in case he/she is not satisfied with the services of the broker.
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan SECP and Institute of Capital Market ICM along with financial market stakeholders KSE, LSE, ISE, NCCPL, CDC, MUFAP, PMEX, IAP have developed a countrywide `Investor Education and Awareness Program’ launched from July 13, 2012. As part of this program, it was the Ninth session conducted by the Lahore Stock Exchange for the general investors.
The basic purpose of the program is the promotion of investors understanding of risk and reduced vulnerability to fraudulent schemes. Expanding outreach of financial products and services and encouraging short term as well as long term saving culture is also an important component of the program. However, the basic objective of the program is to build investor confidence in the nonbanking financial markets which includes stock exchanges, commodity market, insurance, mutual funds etc.
The investor education is widely recognized as being crucial for sustainable growth of the financial markets, ensuring investor protection and bolstering confidence in the markets.