Addresses passing-out parade of lady recruits
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said the province was setting benchmarks in good governance, development and progress, adding that Punjab had emerged as a leader in every field. Addressing the passing-out parade of Lady Recruit Course-18 at the Police Training College, Chung, the chief minister said Punjab was the only province where women were serving as chief minister, in the police force, and as commissioners and district police officers.
She said no force in the world could stop the progress and prosperity of a country where 51 per cent of the population actively contributed to national development.
She praised the recruits for successfully completing rigorous training, including handling heavy weapons. Congratulating the families of the recruits, she said the parents deserved equal recognition for encouraging their daughters to serve the nation despite outdated social norms.
As capable as these daughters are, equally remarkable are the parents who sent them to serve the country without caring about obsolete traditions. She said the graduating batch of 1,156 women was the largest in Punjab s history, while more than 6,000 women were already serving in the Punjab Po-lice. The chief minister said wearing the police uniform marked the beginning of a great responsibility, which had to be fulfilled with honesty, hard work and justice. Although she did not wear the uniform herself, she said she remained fully conscious of its dignity and sanctity.
