Gives away Fatima Jinnah National Pride Awards to successful women CEOs
Staff Reporter
Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar on Sunday said that the goal of women’s empowerment and gender equality is still a long way off but Pakistan’s commitment and initiatives in this regard are very clear.
“If we continue to strive together, we will achieve this goal soon.” He said Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah and other women had worked on the frontline during the freedom struggle and the entire nation salute these women for their incredible contributions.
Governor Ch Sarwar was addressing Fatima Jinnah National Pride Awards Ceremony organized by 101 Incredible Women CEOs and talking to the media at Governor’s House here on Sunday.
On the occasion, wife of Punjab Governor and Chairperson Sarwar Foundation Begum Perveen Sarwar, Justice (r) Nasira Javaid Iqbal, Capt (r) Rifat Hai, Social Worker Musarrat Misbah, Agronomist Zeenat Sobhi, Social Worker Faryal Gohar, PTI MPA Uzma Kardar and CEO 101 Incredible Women CEOs Zeeshan Zia Raja were present.
The Punjab governor also conferred awards to women who have rendered outstanding services in various fields.
Addressing the event, Ch Sarwar said that development of any country is impossible without women’s participation.
Despite the social and economic difficulties we face, the number of women in key leadership positions in Pakistan has gradually increased. Our country had a woman Prime Minister, the youngest Nobel Prize winning woman is from Pakistan.
Besides the Governor SBP and the Speaker of the National Assembly, a large number of women are serving as ministers, diplomats, judges and high level civil servants. Our women fly fighter jets, serve in the UN peacekeeping force, and we have a female three-star general in the army.
We as a nation are proud of our women that are playing a crucial role in the country’s economic development and prosperity”, he enumerated.
Ch Sarwar further added that the incumbent government is giving women their due rights and representation on every front and in every project including Ehsas program. Begum Parveen Sarwar said that there is no dearth of talent in Pakistani women.
The women of our country are making strides on various fronts and sectors, all we need is to empower them and provide them with a safe and secure environment so that they can pursue their aspirations with no fear.
Begum Parveen Sarwar said that Sarwar Foundation is empowering the underprivileged women through HunarGahs (skills training centres).
Over 20,000 women have been trained successfully through this initiative. These women have not only become self-sufficient but also drove their families out of poverty.
We also organize free Mother & Child Care camps and Breast Cancer Awareness camps so that quality healthcare services can be provided to those women who cannot afford it otherwise.
Justice (r) Nasira Javed Iqbal said that empowerment of women will make Pakistan stronger.
Therefore, it is the responsibility of government to provide women with their basic rights as well as to ensure the protection of their lives and property, and to award strict punishments in cases of violence against women so that women can fully utilize their potential and contribute towards country’s development.
