LAHORE - Punjab Governor Ch Sarwar has said that women empowerment and gender equality were two distant phenomena but the government was committed to achieve the cherished goal through collective efforts.

Addressing Fatima Jinnah National Pride Awards ceremony by the 101 Incredible Women CEOs at the Governor House here on Sunday, he said women like Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah worked tirelessly on multiple fronts, adding that the nation salutes those women for their incredible contributions.

PTI MPA Uzma Kardar, Chairperson Sarwar Foundation Begum Parveen Sarwar, Justice (retd) Nasira Javaid Iqbal, Capt (retd) Rifat Hai, social worker Musarrat Misbah, agronomist Zeenat Sobhi, social worker Faryal Gohar, and CEO of 101 Incredible Women CEOs Zeeshan Zia Raja were present on the occasion.

Awards were also conferred upon women who had rendered meritorious services in various fields during the ceremony.

Punjab governor says govt committed to achieve the goal through collective efforts

The governor said development of a country was impossible without active participation of women, adding that the number of remarkable women had increased.

“Pakistani women have served as Prime Minister, Speaker National Assembly, governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), diplomats, judges, civil servants, ministers besides winning the Nobel Prize,” he said, adding that the Pakistani women had also flown fighter jets, served in the UN peacekeeping force, and become three-star generals in the army.

He said: “We as nation are proud of our women that are playing a crucial role in the country’s economic development and prosperity.”

He said the PTI government was giving women their due rights and representation on every platform, adding that they were part of multiple projects including Ehsas programme.

Begum Parveen Sarwar and Justice (retd) Nasira Javed Iqbal also spoke on the occasion.