Women participation must for country’s uplift: Nasira
LAHORE – Former President Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) Justice (retd) Begum Nasira Javed Iqbal has said that the dream of a developed Pakistan could not be realised sans women participation.
She said that now women should also stand with the nation for building Pakistan with the same spirit and activity they showed at the time of its creation. She asked the women to come out and help and support the flood victims.
Addressing a seminar on the topic of ‘Women’s Participation in the Development of Pakistan’ at Aiwan-e-Karkunan Tehrik-e-Pakistan on Tuesday, she said Fatima Jinnah played a leading role in Pakistan Movement. She did not accept any designation or office in Muslim League and set an example for women to support others selflessly.
Chairman NPT and Editor-in-Chief The Nation Majid Nizami was the special guest on the occasion. Vice-Chairman Nazaria Pakistan Trust Dr Rafique Ahmad, Begum Surraya Khursheed, Begum Mehnaz Rafi, Begum Khalida Jamil, Begum Safia Ishaq and Begum Amina Ulfat were the other speakers. Deputy Managing Director Nawa-i-Waqt Group Rameeza Nizami, Senator Naeem Hussain Chattah, Begum Khursheed Niazi, Shahid Rasheed, Rafaqat Riaz and others attended the ceremony.
Nasira said now women were present and taking part in every walk of life and they should continue their efforts to make Pakistan invincible and progressive as per the dreams of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal. She expressed concern over the growing population in the country when the resources were insufficient to meet their need and said increasing population trend could be controlled through family planning. She highlighted the disastrous effects of the floods and said help and donation from every home could bring out the country from the present situation.
Dr Rafique Ahmad said that despite the fact women organisations were working for women’s rights and many of them were doing nothing. He said the present day society also witnessed the crime against women as they were deprived of their properties and were tortured for bringing inadequate dowries. “As compared to 17,000 organisations in the US, only 18 in the country were working for women rights. There should be sufficient women teachers in schools and a woman minister to ensure basic education to the citizens,” he added.
Begum Surraya Khursheed said that the Quaid-e-Azam chose Begum Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar as president of Women Muslim League instead of giving the post to his sister Fatima Jinnah. She said the freedom was a great blessing and we must value the same.
Other speakers said the women’s role in the progress of the country could not be undermined. They were of the view that the women in our society were still not active and many of them were even deprived to spend their own earnings according to their will and choice. They stressed that the women should come out from their circles and actively play their role in country’s development. They also appealed to the nation to donate in relief activities.
Source: The Nation
Date:8/18/2010
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