ISLAMABAD, Mar. 08 (APP): Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Thursday said Pakistan has come a long way in women empowerment in all spheres, and hoped their contributions would continue to make the country strong and prosperous in the days ahead.
Speaking here at an interactive session with women from different walks of life to mark the international women’s day, here at the PM Office, the Prime Minister said the women were making remarkable progress in health, education, sciences, politics and defence of the country.
The Prime Minister said the government was committed to facilitate the entry of women into every field and ensure they get equal opportunities, facilities and emoluments. He said the Pakistani women have not only been recognized at national level, but also at international level and the country have top notch front line combat pilots, educationists, health and IT experts.
He said Pakistan also boasts having the first Muslim woman head of government.
Prime Minister Abbasi said the women in Pakistan have come a long way and achieved a lot, however in a lighter vein added that it was now time for the men to worry.
He said gone were the days when the country used to have a quota for women, now, he said, he believed it was time that the men need to get a quota. He said in every educational institution, out of the top ten students, seven were women.
He said the women have done their bit, now it was for the men to meet the challenge. He said the women were excelling in all areas; however acknowledge that they still have a long way to go. He said the employers he has met; recognize that the women workers were more productive and hard working.
Abbasi however said the women in business still have a wide spectrum to cover and said there were barriers that need to be done away with. He said a number of women were part of the cabinet and were holding key posts.
He mentioned the 60 reserved seats for women in the parliament, and said he would have preferred that they too come through direct election. In this regard he said there was a need to create more opportunities for the women to come to mainstream politics.
The Prime Minister said the day was an opportunity to renew the commitment for individual and collective efforts in a way so as to protect social, economic, social and political rights of the women.
He said the government has taken several legal and administrative measures in the past few years to protect women rights. Abbasi asked the gathering to pledge to protect individual and collective rights, financially, politically and socially, for the women and said in this regard everyone has to play an active role.
The Prime Minister later went around different tables and discussed with the groups, issues related to national economy, politics, health, education and their impact on the women.
APP/Zub/farah
