Women can bring about social change: AJK PM. PHOTO: INP/FILE

MIRPUR: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government has reserved 25 per cent seats for youth and women in the forthcoming local bodies’ elections in the liberated state, AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider said in a statement to mark the International Women’s Day.



In a country faced with challenges of extremism and terrorism, PM Haider pinned his hopes on women.



Educated, talented and upright women help bring about social change leading to a better society, Haider said. “It is a fact that no society can achieve progress without granting due rights to women,” he said according to the statement.



The prime minister asserted that effective participation of women in practical fields was essential to make Pakistan a strong and dignified country in the world. “We would have to discharge our religious, social and moral responsibilities, in an efficient manner, to ensure protection of women rights.”



Regarding the state of gender parity and rights issues the premier said AJK government has taken the revolutionary steps to ensure protection of women rights and to provide them equal opportunities.



Owing to the still conservative society steep in archaic customs of segregation, Farooq said although the state government was trying to bring women into the mainstream of social and political life for the progress, prosperity and empowerment, it would like to keep the Kashmiri cultural values intact.



In this regard, the government has ensured that women lawyers were available in the courts. “Our government has set up new family courts in districts and also appointed female lawyers at deputy commissioner’s offices,” Haider said.



Meanwhile highlighting the importance of the local bodies, the AJK PM said transfer of power to grassroots level would be ensured and issues of common people would also be resolved at lower level and local body elections would be held very soon.



Published in The Express Tribune, March 10th, 2017.