RAWALPINDI : Chief of Army Staff General (COAS) Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Monday that Pakistani women deserved “immense respect and gratitude” for the work they have been doing in the country.

“Pakistani women contributed immensely for glory and honour of our nation,” said Gen Bajwa in his message on account of International Women’s Day.

The message was shared by ISPR Director General Major General Babar Iftikhar on his Twitter account.

The COAS acknowledged that women have been at the forefront in the fight against coronavirus.

“Women in uniform have proved their mettle by contributing copiously in diverse fields serving the nation and humanity,” said the COAS.

He added that women deserve “immense respect and gratitude”.

International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is being observed worldwide to acknowledge the outstanding contributions by women in different fields across the globe.

The day is celebrated all across the globe every year on March 8.

This year’s theme for the International Women’s Day is “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world”.

Women’s Day in Pakistan

Pakistan is also celebrating women’s day with different seminars, conferences, and events in the country to highlight the significance of the undeniable role of women in shaping society.

Apart from the Aurat March that is scheduled to be held on Monday (today) at Karachi’s Frere Hall, events related to the international day are being organised across the country.

Islamabad, 8 March 2021 : Today, we join the international community in celebrating International Women’s Day. It is an occasion to celebrate the progress made in empowering women, and to reaffirm our collective resolve for redoubling efforts to further advance respect for women’s rights.

Pakistan fully supports this year’s theme of International Women’s Day: “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.” During the testing times of the COVID-19 pandemic, women in Pakistan demonstrated remarkable resilience and leadership, effectively contributing to our nation’s response and recovery. Women stood at the front lines, as health care workers, primary caregivers, innovators, human rights defenders and community organizers. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan’s landmark Ehsaas emergency cash program to counter the negative socio-economic impacts of the pandemic is being ably led by a woman.

The Constitution of Pakistan upholds the equal status of women. We have made significant advancements in empowering women politically, economically and socially, including through progressive legislative, policy, institutional and administrative measures. Ensuring broad-based inclusion of women’s rights in every sphere and at all levels is one of the key priorities of our Government. At the international fora, Pakistan’s voice has always resonated in favour of women empowerment and gender equality. During the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Pakistan’s delegate, Begum Shaista Ikramullah, played an active role in the inclusion of Article 16 for the equal rights of men and women to marry and to found family.

Despite our socio-economic challenges, the number of women in key leadership positions has risen steadily in Pakistan. We have had a female Prime Minister, the youngest Nobel Prize winner, the Governor of the State Bank, the Speaker of the National Assembly and numerous women Ministers, Ambassadors, Judges and high-ranking civil servants and diplomats. Our women fly fighter jets, serve as UN Peacekeepers, and one of them is now a three-star General in the military. As a nation, we honour and salute their role and contribution to the society and State of Pakistan.

As we commemorate this day, we cannot forget the plight of women in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Over the last seven decades, they have endured the worst forms of human rights abuse and oppression at the hands of Indian occupation forces including sexual violence, rape and molestation. These human rights violations have been extensively documented by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in the two Kashmir reports of 2018 and 2019 as well as in various communications and public pronouncements of UN Special Procedures Mandate Holders. The international community must take cognizance of these serious crimes and hold India accountable.

The road to women empowerment and gender equality is a long one. Pakistan’s direction, commitment and actions are clear. We will continue to resolutely pursue the full realization of women’s rights, mindful of the challenges, but resolved to further build on our achievements.

Meets Ch. Shujaat Hussain in Lahore and asks for support in Chairman Senate election

Abid Raza

LAHORE, Mar 7 (DNA): Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has declared that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has the final say on bringing a no-confidence motion against the PTI government.

Addressing a joint press conference with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwart and Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz at his Model Town residence in Lahore on Sunday, Bilawal said “The PDM will take a final decision on no-trust motion against the government and it will also decide about the timing of such a move.”

Bilawal maintained that it seemed 178 MNAs were not present in the National Assembly during polling on the vote of confidence in Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday.

“President Arif Alvi had already admitted that the prime minister had lost the support of the majority of the House,” he added.

“The president has accepted the opposition’s stance,” said Bilwal. “We just contested a senate election [but] the president of Pakistan has accepted that Khan Sahib has lost his majority and he asked him to prove his majority in the national assembly.”

Bilawal said that everyone wants to get rid of ‘Wasim Akram Plus’ and an ideal Chief Minister of Punjab.

“We have learned a lot from the past senate chairman election,” said Bilwal. “Had we not learned anything, we would have lost the secret ballot election in the National Assembly.”

The PPP chairman averred “We have learnt a lot from the past elections and now we will stay united and we will succeed.”  He said “We will fight this government in a democratic way. If we stay united we can take down any puppet government whose fearful leader rushed for the vote of confidence.”

He termed the vote of confidence a reflection of Imran Khan’s inner fears.  Bilawal said they will approach every senator to seek vote for the chairman. “We will also contact PML-Q in this regard. I will visit the residence of Chaudhry Brothers as the PML-Q was once an ally of the PPP government,” he added.

On his part, said during their meeting the PPP chairman congratulated him on his release from prison and he greeted Bilawal on the victory of Yousaf Raza Gilani in the Senate elections. said he had learnt a lot from the Charter of Democracy and they will make important decisions from the PDM platform. “Today poor people are not finding any medicines. Cotton and wheat production have gone down,” he added.

He said whatever happened outside the parliament on Saturday was not good for democracy.

-says discussion took place on the long march, the NA-249 by-election and the candidate to field

Khayyam Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Sunday warned the government that it will have to “pay a heavy price” for the way the PML-N leaders were “assaulted” a day earlier outside parliament.

Violence broke out on Saturday as a session of the National Assembly convened for a vote of confidence in the prime minister. PTI and PML-N members exchanged hot words which escalated to an exchange of physical blows.

Maryam’s words came as she addressed a media conference following a meeting between the party leadership.

She said a discussion took place on the long march, the Daska by-election, the NA-249 by-election and the candidate to field.

Maryam, speaking of the incident outside parliament, said: “The party will not take this lying down. The disrespect shown to senior leadership will not be tolerated.”

The PML-N vice president denounced the assault on Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, Miftah Ismail, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Khurram Dastagir and Musadik Malik which took place “in front of cameras” and said there was “great anger” within the party ranks over the matter.

“You can keep this lecture you like to give us on ethics and morality to yourselves,” she said addressing the government.

“You will have to pay a heavy price for this. If you slap us twice, we will slap you ten times,” she added.

Maryam said that the “thuggery” displayed, especially with Marriyum Aurangzeb, “is a debt on each PML-N member — one that they know full well how to pay”.

DNA

RAWALPINDI, MAR 7 – Security Forces conducted 2  separate IBOs in Datakhel, North Waziristan and Zoida, South Waziristan. During intense exchange of fire, 4 terrorists including terrorist commanders Abdul Adam zeb alias Dung  (TTP Bismillah group), terrorist commander Molvi Mehboob alias Molvi (TTP Sajna group) and terrorist commander Mir Salam alias Anas (TTP Sajna group) killed.

Terrorist commander Abdul Adam zeb remained involved in more than 20 terrorist activities against Security Forces, Law Enforcement Agencies and local population since 2014 including IED attacks, firing, attacks on government buildings, target killing, kidnapping for ransom, extortion and recruiting & organising terrorists in Muhammad khel, Boya, Datakhel of North Waziristan and Zoida areas of South Waziristan.

Terrorists commanders Molvi Mehboob and Mir Salam were close associates of Baitullah Mehsud and other TTP’s terrorist commanders. They remained involved in the attacks on Security Forces and LEAs security chekposts, Military convoys, attack on Ladha Fort in 2007, IED attacks and other sabotage activities in South Waziristan.