ISLAMABAD
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has announced the establishment of a Working Women’s Endowment Fund.
PM made this announcement while addressing an event of International Women’s Day at PM House Saturday.
He said Islam gives equal rights to women. Role of women in fortifying national economic is very vital. Role of women in Pakistan Movement is too unforgettable.
He held government has taken several steps for welfare of women. Endowment Fund is being established for working women.
International Women day is matter of pride for all of us, he remarked. Women role is very important in the society.
Terming education for women a big challenge in the country he said women education problem particularly in North Punjab was grave. Several steps were taken to deal with the challenge of education for women.
He went on to say women are working side by side with men.
Declaring child labor a major challenge too he said child labor at kilns was eliminated during his tenure in Punjab.
Women played a vital role in Pakistan Movement and later in development of Pakistan.
The prime minister also launched the capital’s first-ever Gender Parity Report prepared by NCSW and UNFPA, which identifies challenges and recommends solutions in key areas such as education, health, governance, political representation and justice.
He said his government would collaborate with provinces for a collective action to promote women’s integration in programmes contributing to national economy.
While Fatima Jinnah, Begum Liaqat Ali Khan and others women played important role in Pakistan Movement, Benazir Bhutto got the honor of becoming first Muslim woman prime minister, he held.
Nusrat Bhutto and Kalsoom Nawaz played prime role against dictatorship.
He also named social workers Bilquis Edhi and Dr Ruth Pfau, lawyer Asma Jahangir, country’s youngest IT expert Arfa Karim, former National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza, first woman Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz, first woman chief justice of Lahore High Court Justice Aalia Neelum and first female judge of Supreme Court Justice Ayesha Malik.
PML-N enacted legislation in Punjab to curb violence against women. Day care centers were established in Islamabad.
Pink buses have been launched for women. Working women endowment fund too is being established.
