PAKISTAN: Govt for Empowerment of Women: Fouzia Gilani

First Lady of Pakistan Fouzia Gilani has said the PPP-led government is ensuring the empowerment of women in the society.Addressing the closing ceremony of Women Entrepreneurs Furniture Exhibition organised by Furniture Pakistan at a local hotel on Sunday, she said that nations, societies and the countries could not make progress without the contribution of women in the economy.

She said that Pakistan had very good and skilled work force in the shape of women and the PPP-led government encouraged them to play their maximum role in the economic development of the country.She said the government had made training institutes in Chiniot and Peshawer where women workers would be imparted training.

She said the government had ensured 10 percent quota for women in all government jobs including civil services and introduced ‘Harassment Law' for their protection at work place.

She expressed her pleasure on the contribution of women in furniture industry and said that she was seeing the future of Pakistan bright.

The First Lady said that the contribution of furniture in the world economy was US$ 300 million while the contribution of Pakistani Furniture in the world economy was just one percent of it. She hoped it would be better in days to come.

She said that Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed was a role model for women and they should follow her in every sector of life as BB Shaheed was a courageous lady.

She quoted the saying of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in which he had said that nations could never be made progressed without women participation.

She told the participants of the ceremony that Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani had announced December 22 as Women Worker's Day.

Eralier, Ayyat Ullah Durrani, state minister for Industry and Production, Yasmeen Rehman, Advisor to PM and Dr Shahzad Ansar, Chief Executive Officer Furniture Pakistan also addressed the ceremony.