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March 8, 2010 The observance of the International Women Day today under the auspices of the United Nations demonstrates that women everywhere are waking up. On this occasion I wish to congratulate the women of the world in general and of Pakistan in particular and salute them for their struggle for emancipation and an end to discrimination. I also wish to congratulate the Ministry of Women Development for arranging special events to celebrate the day. This year’s theme “Equal rights, equal opportunities; progress of all” requires that we take legislative and administrative steps in the direction of gender equality and emancipation of women in the country. It is reassuring that in accordance with this year’s theme the present government has enacted a far reaching legislation aimed at protecting women from harassment at workplace. Also in line with this theme the government has declared women as beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) as well as of free distribution of stare lands in the command areas of the new dams proposed to be built in the country. I wish to compliment the women of Pakistan on these milestones in their forward march towards uplift and gender equality. The Pakistan Peoples Party is specially committed to the welfare of women. Shaheed Mohtarma said that “women’s rights are inseparable from human rights”; that “there was no human right more fundamental, and more universal, than equal rights for women in the new century”. Her vision serves as a beacon to achieve gender equality in the country. On this occasion therefore, I should also like to remind all concerned that we need to pursue the pledges made by Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto at the Beijing Conference and in the document on CEDAW for the emancipation and uplift of women. She set the trend in gender equality and protection of women from violence. We resolve today to make that trend irreversible. On this occasion I also urge the Members of Parliament to revisit the laws discriminatory to women adopted by male prejudice and to review them. I also appeal to all the political parties to join hands to extricate women from the agony and embarrassment of discriminatory laws. Let us mobilize the collective power of women to help make our country, the region and the world more tolerant, harmonious and secure. NOT TO BE PUBLISHED/BROADCAST/TELECAST BEFORE THE MORNING OF March 8, 2010
On the occasion of International Women’s Day being observed today, it gives me great pleasure to express that women’s empowerment is one of the top most priorities of the present government. I take the opportunity to re-affirm our national and international commitments for protection of women’s right with special emphasis on this year’s theme “equal rights, equal opportunities: progress for all”. Our constitution already guarantees fundamental rights to the citizens without any discrimination. The government in line with the vision of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto is taking steps to ensure that women of Pakistan are not only emancipated from exploitation of all forms, but are also empowered in the true sense. Concerted efforts are being made for social, economic, legal and political empowerment of women to secure equal rights and opportunities for women in every field of life. These initiatives include micro-credit facility, skill trainings, rehabilitation of women in distress, mobility services, awareness raising, etc. I believe our country can not move forward without utilizing 50% of our human resource. Women’s legal and economic empowerment is the prime aspiration of the government. We can only ensure this by providing financial security, harassment free working environment and creating opportunities for women. Launching of Benazir Income Support Programme, passage of Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2009 and legislation for Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Bill, 2009 are the landmark in this direction. Moreover, the government will also review, repeal and amend all other discriminatory laws to safeguard and promote the interests of women and to achieve gender equality in accordance with the constitution and obligations under international commitments and conventions. Acknowledging the challenges ahead, I assure the women of Pakistan that government will take all necessary measures to safeguard their rights as equal citizen of this country. On this historic day, I would also like to congratulate not just the women of Pakistan but women all over the world for their relentless efforts and sacrifices which they have made and are still making to free this world from discrimination, oppression and biases. NOT TO BE PUBLISHED/BROADCAST/TELECAST BEFORE THE MORNING OF March 8, 2010
PR No.83 Pakistan Hajj Mission in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Moassasah South Asia have signed an agreement to ensure additional facilities to Pakistani Hujjaj during the forthcoming Hajj in 2010, says a Press Release from the Consulate General of Pakistan, Jeddah here today. The agreements which was signed by the Chairman, Moassasah South Asia Adnan Bin Muhammad Amin Katib and the Director General, Pakistan Hajj Mission in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Rao Shakeel Ahmed, in the presence of the Minister of Religious Affairs, Syed Hamid Saeed Kazmi, stipulates provision of additional facilities to the Pakistani Hujjaj which previously were not available to them. According to the agreement the Moassasah South Asia will provide camps to Pakistani Hujjaj at the old Mina, Food service in the Camps at Mina, refreshment at Muzdalfa and a designated unified place for Pakistani Hujjaj in Arafat. Speaking on the occasion the Minister for Religious Affairs, Syed Hamid Saeed Kazmi said that the services being provided to the Pakistani Hujjaj by Moassasah South Asia since its inception are commendable and we hope these facilities will be further improved. He lauded the role of Khadimul Haramin Al Sharifain King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz for facilitating the pilgrims and the improvement in Masaa and Jamarat. He said that Pakistan has unique and distinguished relations with the Kingdom that can not be equated with any other country and the love and respect of the Holy Places have been engraved in our hearts. The Chairman of the Moassasah Mr. Adnan Katib welcomed the Minister and assured him of his full support and cooperation for the welfare of Pakistani Hujjaj. He said that the agreement signed today was a valuable document guaranteeing maximum facilities to Pakistani Hujjaj. Mr. Adnan Katib also reciprocated the kind sentiments and best wishes conveyed to him and prayed for the prosperity and progress of Pakistan. NOT TO BE PUBLISHED/BROADCAST/TELECAST BEFORE THE MORNING OF March 8, 2010
PR
No.84 Dr. Fehmida Mirza, Speaker National Assembly has said women were one of the most vulnerable and marginalized segments of the society despite their significant role. She said that they were also subject to violence, economic exploitation, malnutrition and lack of basic healthcare. She said that in her message on the occasion of International Women’s Day being commemorated throughout the globe under the auspicious of United Nations on March 8. The Speaker said that women comprise a major chunk of the population and play a significant role in different sectors but their contribution were not recognized at any level. She said that the present democratic government was cognizant of the issue and had brought changes in the laws to ensure their rights. Dr. Fehmida Mirza said that women in our society were confined to household chores and laborious work in the fields and do not have access to education. She said that education was an inalienable right of every individual; therefore, it was imperative to educate women to make them able to understand and face their diverse problems. She asked the government to allocate required funds for establishment of schools for females in the country. She also stressed for ensuring land rights and easy and prompt access to justice to women. Madam Speaker said that women participation in public affairs was central to the functioning and strengthening of democracy and struggle against the oppression. She said that it was the vision of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed to empower women so that they could better contribute in the national development. In realization of the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma, women have been sufficiently represented in the present Parliament and opportunities were being provided to them for their enhanced role in the national development, she added. Madam Speaker said that the present democratic setup was committed to bring change in the laws to provide safe working environment for women. She said that the Parliament has passed Protection against the harassment at work place Bill and brought various changes in CPC and PPC to protect women from the atrocities being committed by their families, acquaintances, colleagues or society. These laws would help reducing gender gap and enable women to contribute to the national development with more confidence, she said. The Madam Speaker said that the present government was committed to women emancipation and their empowerment and had taken a numbers of legislative and economic initiatives to empower the women folk and ensuring their role in social, economic and political sphere of the life. She called upon Provincial Government to allot land to landless women so that they could earn livelihood for their families. She commended the government’s decision to launch Benazir Income Support Program to offset the impact of inflation on the purchasing power of the poorer sections of the society. NOT TO BE PUBLISHED/BROADCAST/TELECAST BEFORE THE MORNING OF March 8, 2010
PR
No.85 My presence in the final match of Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup tournament is indicative of the fact that the government is very serious about promoting the Sports culture in Pakistan and is determined to take every action for the uplift of different sports in the country. As Patron-in –Chief of Sports, I congratulate the Pakistan Polo Association, the Lahore Polo Club and all those who helped in organizing this event. A few days ago, I chaired a high level meeting, for the first time in the country’s history, of the leading sports stakeholders and announced the doubling of the sports budget. In order to further open up more avenues and generate more resources, I also established a Task Force to be headed by Federal Sports Minister. I have also directed the Education Ministry to make sports compulsory in the schools, colleges and universities. Sportsmen are the Ambassadors of the country. They have a huge responsibility on their shoulders to earn respect for their motherland through their on and off the field activities and conduct. Therefore, they should work hard to achieve expertise and excellence in their respective playing fields. Sports and other cultural activities are the soft power of the country. They alter the world’s perceptions and impressions and project the inner ethos of a Nation. Last few years have not been good for our Sports due to the law and order situation and terrorist incidents. We have to change these misperceptions and foremost responsibility rests on the shoulders of our sportsmen in this regard. Only recently two sports women of Pakistan made our Nation proud through their wonderful performance in the South Asian Olympics. They have put across a very strong message to the world that true identity of Pakistan is not the one as portrayed by the extremists and conservatives. Pakistan
had for a long time dominated in Squash and field hockey. Our Sports are also the best means to channelize the energies of our youth into productive use. We need to promote sports to integrate our youth into the mainstream, give them the opportunities to develop positive thinking and deny them the chance to get affected by negative activities. Terrorism can be dealt a lethal blow if we promote sports in the country. For the democratic government, promotion of the Sports is a national agenda and we would pursue it with utmost dedication. I would like to congratulate all the teams which participated in the Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup Polo Tournament as well as the two teams which reached the final, for entertaining the people and also the sports lovers for coming out to watch the match and support their favourite teams.
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