ISLAMABAD: Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Zeb Jafar informed the National Assembly that over 5,000 women are serving in the Pakistan Army, and around 700 have been commissioned in the last three years across various branches, including the Medical Corps, Supply, Administration, Signals, IT, and Education.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Defence informed the National Assembly that 80pc of fields in the Pakistan Army are open for the recruitment of females, while the fields entailing extreme physical endurance and prolonged exposure to hostile environments are closed. In response to a question from PPP legislator Shahida Rehmani, the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence said that these women have played a commendable role in the armed forces, working alongside their male counterparts with dedication and professionalism. Their career progression is governed by a dedicated career management policy, which comprehensively encompasses inclusive as well as exclusive programmes for the development and training of females throughout their service.
In a written reply to another question, the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination told the National Assembly that currently, 347 travel agents have obtained permission for the outbound operation of Umrah pilgrimages, while only 32 have obtained a No Objection Certificate (NOC) with no complaints regarding their Umrah agreements. As many as total of 44 complaints were received over the last three years that were processed for legal action. While 41 complaints were resolved, three are ongoing. It further told the House that 8 of the complaints were received from the Religious Ministry, while the rest were received from other sources. Of the total 44 complaints received during the last three years, 30 were resolved through a settlement between the parties. A further three complaints were forwarded to the FIA, and five were sent to the concerned Department of Tourist Services (DTS) offices. In three cases, travel agents had their licences suspended or were otherwise penalised, and three complaints remain in process.The Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination noted that no uniform policy exists between the licensing and enforcement of law between federal and provincial DTS offices for licensing and enforcement in the post-devolution period.