KARACHI, May 3: Sindh Local Government Adviser Waseem Akhtar has said that inclusion of women in the government as councillors is our first step towards involving women in nation building activities.

He was speaking as chief guest while inaugurating a week-long training workshop organised for training of elected women councillors here on Tuesday. The workshop was organised by the UNDP and women development ministry. The workshop was held for training of 56 master trainers in the first stage of workshop who would impart training to 4629 women councillors of Sindh.

Waseem Akhtar said it was a matter of great delight that women had been given 33 per cent representation and a large number of them had joined government at various tiers with the determination of solving their problems and bringing an end to gender discrimination. “We want women to work for the cause of Pakistan,” he said.

He lamented that in the interior of Sindh shabby treatment was given to women because of feudal system. “Time has come that women should be told about their rights and particularly the rural women,” he said and added that the government was striving for doing away with the feudal system. He pointed out that rural women too should have CNICs so that they could participate in elections.

Waseem Akhtar said that some government and non-government organisations were holding training courses for women councillors but still they needed to be imparted more effective training.

He appreciated the step taken by women political school in this regard and observed that the school had compiled a treasure of human resources which would continue to provide guidance to other manpower in future. He suggested that training syllabus for women councillors should also be included in the regular courses of Military and Civil Service Academy, Tando Jam.

The workshop was also addressed by Ghazala Kazi, Reehana Hashmi, Rabia Khattak and Afzal Arain.—APP