Women have played an inspiring role in Pakistan: Umar Rehman Malik
Abdullah Jan
Islamabad: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Umar Rehman Malik said this week that the women have played an inspiring role in the country.
“On International Women’s Day, we honour the resilience and contributions of Pakistani women in shaping our nation. From Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah to Shaheed Benazir Bhutto—the first female Prime Minister of the Islamic world—women have led with courage. PPP remains unwavering in its commitment to empowerment, equality, and a future free from discrimination,” he said in a statement.
International Women’s Day (IWD) commemorates women’s fight for equality and liberation along with the women’s rights movement. International Women’s Day gives focus to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.
Spurred by the universal female suffrage movement, International Women’s Day originated from labor movements in Europe and North America during the early 20th century, with the modern holiday, March 8, being declared by Vladimir Lenin.
The earliest version reported was a “Woman’s Day” organized by the Socialist Party of America in New York City on February 28, 1909. In solidarity with them, communist activist and politician Clara Zetkin proposed the celebration of “Working Women’s Day” approved at the 1910 International Socialist Women’s Conference in Copenhagen, albeit with no set date; the following year saw the first demonstrations and commemorations of International Women’s Day across Europe. Vladimir Lenin declared March 8 as International Women’s Day in 1922 to honour the women’s role in 1917 Russian Revolution; it was subsequently celebrated on that date by the socialist movement and communist countries. The holiday became a mainstream global holiday following its promotion by the United Nations in 1977.
International Women’s Day is a public holiday in several countries. The UN observes the holiday in connection with a particular issue, campaign, or theme in women’s rights.
Umar Rehman Malik said Pakistan was fortunate to have produced some of the leading women leaders, bureaucrats, diplomats and journalists.
“Women in Pakistan have demonstrated that they are equal members of the society and have proved their talents in all fields,” the PPP leader said.
