LAHORE - Like other parts of the globe, Mother’s Day was celebrated across the country including Lahore yesterday for honouring the mothers, motherhood, maternal bonds and the influence of mothers in society.

Being observed on second Sunday of May every year, the Mother’s Day was originated in North America to honour and respect mothers. It is celebrated to salute the motherhood and increase the maternal bonds to children. People send flowers, cakes, cards, mugs, sweets and other gifts to their mothers on the day.

The day is observed to pay homage to a person who is nucleus of a family. In Pakistan, a mother is perishing every 20 minutes because of complications during pregnancy.

Though, Pakistan is signatory to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and committed that the maternal mortality rate (MMR) would be brought down to 120 mothers dying out of 100,000 deliveries by 2015.

However, Pakistan miserably failed to achieve this goal and still letting some 200 mothers die among 100,000 live deliveries.

This situation vividly explains government’s priorities towards mothers’ health. More than 50 per cent women are suffering from anaemia due to malnutrition.