ISLAMABAD, April 20 (APP): President Mamnoon Hussain Thursday urged the women from different social, economic and cultural backgrounds to strive for country’s progress and prosperity by ignoring all sorts of reservations, concerns and hesitation.
Addressing the launching ceremony of “The Stories of BISP Beneficiaries” compiled by the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), the president said women constituted more or less half of Pakistan’s population.
He said all segments of society should play their role in accordance with their priorities, interests and skills for fast and balanced progress to avoid wastage of human and material resources of the country.
The book contained stories of 146 women from across the country who shared their stories of painful lives which was transformed after they were registered as the BISP beneficiary.
The stories have been written in 18 regional languages and have also been translated into Urdu and English for local and international readers. An e-version of the book had also been published considering the trend of online reading in this era of technology.
The ceremony was also attended by Chairperson BISP Marvi Memon, Minister of state for Religious Affairs Pir Aminul Hasnaat, parliamentarians, Secretary BISP and development partners and representatives of civil society.
The president said the book would help the people learn about the BISP’s efforts in decreasing poverty in Pakistan and the feelings and experiences of the women beneficiaries.
Congratulating the chairperson BISP, the book on stories of women beneficiaries was of great significance which would surely help other women to become independent.
President Mamnoon said considering low literacy level, the book might not be able to achieve the desired objectives in poor, backward and illiterate segments.
Therefore, he said it was necessary to employ other channels to impress upon the utility of the BISP through these true stories.
He suggested that true stories in this book should be dramatised by taking advantage of other communication medium like theatre to further increase their effectiveness.
He also felicitated Marvi Memon for having been conferred British Parliament Speaker Award in recognition of her services in this field.
Earlier, in her opening remarks, Marvi Memon said the book contained the stories of women form every district in their native languages to convey the message more effectively.
Besides the highlighting the BISP efforts to reduce poverty, the book would also contribute to the promotion of regional languages and the messages of ultra poor families would hit hearts and minds creating empathy.
The success stories of six women including Akbar Bibi from Haveli (AJK), Bano Bibi from Astore (Gilgit Baltistan), Sharmati Nandni from Jacobabad (Sindh), Jan Bibi from Kohlu (Balochistan), Sumaira Bibi from Rawalpindi (Punjab) and Maghfira from Nowshera (KP) were also showed at the launching ceremony.
The women shared with the audience as how their lives were changed by the BISP support enabling them to become financially independent. They also thanked the BISP for supporting to steer them out of the miserable life and adding dignity to their lives.
APP/Zaheer
