ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi on Monday highlighted the significance of active role of women in the electoral process.
Addressing a policy forum organized by South Asia Partnership Pakistan titled “Women’s Participation in Elections”, he said that women constitute half of the population of Pakistan and their empowerment was a sacred task.
Murtaza Solangi while referring to Benazir Bhutto, said that the first woman prime minister in the Muslim world was from Pakistan. He said that ending gender discrimination should start from home and daughters should have equal rights to sons in every home.
He opined that it was not possible to eliminate gender discrimination only by enacting new laws.
“We have to change our thinking to give equal rights to women,” the minister remarked.
He said that the caretaker government had a limited mandate but it was ready to take all possible steps to empower women if concrete proposals were given to it.
Solangi said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will release the election schedule before December 16.
“General elections will be held on February 8, no one should have any doubt about it,” he added.
