March 12, 2002	Tuesday	Zilhaj 27, 1422

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SWABI, March 11: Women councillors and social workers of the district have lauded the steps the military regime have taken for the empowerment of women.

Talking to journalists here on Saturday, they said the first grand leap was 33 per cent representation to women in the assemblies.

They remarked that allocation of 60 seats in the National Assembly and 128 seats in the provincial assemblies for women was an encouraging step.

Another step, they said, was the establishment of an independent and autonomous national commission on the status of women. In the next few months, they added, more women would be appointed in the judiciary while the expected family court ordinance would provide legal protection to them.

Social worker Dr Yasmeen Jasim observed that emancipation of women would ensure economic growth, as they (women) were half of the country’s population.

She said the objective of achieving prosperity could not materialize if women were kept out of the economic activities. “There is a long way to go to get rid of poverty, illiteracy and suppression on women, especially in the Pakhtoon society, where women are considered as inferior.”