Seminar on Women’s Empowerment Package held at PMAS-AAUR

Rawalpindi
Speakers at a seminar stressed the women to play active role in the development of the country in order to make the society morally and economically strong.
They emphasised on mobilisation of joint efforts for providing safe and peaceful environment to the women. They added that no society can survive without the active participation of women. They urged that the collective mind-set of the society has to be changed in order to provide equal opportunities to the women.
They stated this while addressing at a seminar on Women Empowerment Package 2014 held at Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR), here on Saturday. Minister for Women Development Punjab, Hameeda Waheed-ud-Din was the chief guest while Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad, Director Women Development Syed Sajjad Tirmazi, MPA Tehseen Fawad, MPA Lubna Rehan, Director Civil Defence Sanjeeda Khanum, Deans/Directors, faculty members and students were also present on the occasion.
Minister for Women Development Punjab, Hameeda Waheed-ud-Din, in her address said that Islam has also laid great emphasis on the rights of women and no society can progress without granting due rights to women. She said that the Punjab government has taken revolutionary measures for the protection of the rights of women and is providing them with equal opportunities of progress. She stated that the govt has taken several steps to safeguard women from violence and enhance their empowerment at all levels.
Appreciating the Women Empowerment Package announced by CM Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, she said that the women’s deprivations would be eliminated by these steps and women would they could play their important role in national development with confidence. She also highlighted the salient features of Women Empowerment Package and added that the Punjab govt has introduced policies for the welfare and betterment of women which has no match in the past. She further stated that Punjab government has allocated huge funds for the rights of women in the budget which will be spent on education, social development and other fields. She also said that the Punjab government is also striving to empower women by providing equal opportunities, promoting female education, fixation of quota for women in services and establishment of women hostels, Day care centres other social welfare institutions.
Earlier, Minister for Women Development Punjab, Hameeda Waheed-ud-Din, also inaugurated Day Care Centre in University’s premises. While speaking the gathering, she said that day care centre is essential for the staff working in the educational institutes and such day care centres are being set up throughout the province. The day-care centre would provide a major relief to the working mothers, she said.
PMAS-AAUR, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Rai Niaz Ahmad, in his welcome address highlighted the features, aims and objectives of the seminar. He said that no other society or religion provides equal rights to women as Islam does. He also appreciated the steps being taken by the government for the empowerment of women. He appreciated the Punjab govt on setting up state of the art day-care centre in the campus. He said the establishment of the centre was badly needed in the University and this facility will be helpful in enhancing the concentration of female staff on their work, he added. Vice Chancellor said that day care centre will have all possible facilities.