First Lady Asifa Bhutto Zardari, Sunday, extended her warmest greetings to the Gilgit-Baltistan people, especially young people, girls and women on the occasion of their 79th Independence Day.
“We honour the courage and sacrifices of those who freed their homeland from Dogra rule and helped shape a future linked with Pakistan,” she said in a message.
The first lady said the legacy of that struggle belonged to the generations growing up in Gilgit-Baltistan today.
“We must honour it by ensuring that every child can learn, every young person can pursue a meaningful livelihood and every woman can participate fully in the decisions that affect her life,” the President Secretariat Media Wing said in a press release.
Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s reforms, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto’s commitment to democratic rights and the PPP government’s introduction of self-governance in 2009 reflected an enduring belief that the people of Gilgit-Baltistan deserved dignity, representation and a greater say in their future, she said, adding they must carry that commitment forward by opening more doors for its young people and women.
The first lady said her mother, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, taught them through her life that women could lead with courage, serve with compassion and challenge barriers that once seemed impossible to overcome.
She expressed the hope that the girls of Gilgit-Baltistan draw strength from her example and from the determination of the women in their own families and communities.
“To the girls of Gilgit-Baltistan, I want to say: your dreams matter. Whether you wish to become a teacher, doctor, scientist, entrepreneur, athlete or public representative, you deserve the opportunity and support to pursue your ambitions. No girl should have to abandon her education because her school is too far away, her family cannot afford it or she is told that her aspirations do not matter,” the first lady stressed.
Asifa opined that for women and girls, opportunity must begin with practical support: good schools, trained teachers, scholarships, safe transport, digital access and quality healthcare.
Mothers must be able to receive timely care during pregnancy and childbirth, including in remote mountain communities. Women’s health, nutrition and wellbeing must be central to development, she emphasised.
She observed Gilgit-Baltistan’s young people have much to contribute through tourism, technology, agriculture, sport and enterprise.
They need skills, reliable internet and access to finance and markets. Women who produce handicrafts, run small businesses or work on farms deserve recognition, fair returns and greater economic independence, she added.
The first lady stressed that they must also listen to young people and women as partners in protecting the region’s mountains, glaciers, rivers and cultural heritage. Their knowledge and participation are essential to building safer communities and preserving this precious environment for future generations.
“On this proud day, let us renew our commitment to a Gilgit-Baltistan where girls grow up with confidence, women live with dignity and independence, and young people can look to the future with hope. I wish the people of Gilgit-Baltistan peace, happiness and lasting prosperity,” she further added.
