ISLAMABAD, Oct 17: The country cannot progress without involvement of women in decision and policy making. Political parties should review the policy of awarding party tickets to women, in order to give them more representation.

Women who are 52 per cent of the total population should be given an opportunity to take part in the legislative process.

It was stated by participants of a roundtable conference on the “Positioning of women’s agenda in the policy making of political parties,” organised by Women Parliamentary Caucus held on Wednesday. Prominent leaders and parliamentarians of all political parties participated in the meeting.

Acting President of Pakistan Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari urged women parliamentarians to work in unison, irrespective of their party affiliations to seek enhanced role of women in decision making process contributing towards policy making at all levels.

He said that women parliamentarians can become catalyst for change that will not only benefit women but also the whole nation. The government believes in women empowerment to ensure equal rights through economic, social, legal and political measures, he added.

Secretary General ANP, Ehsan Wain said that women have been facing many problems in a male dominated society.

“ANP believes that women should get economic independence because only that is how women can face the society,” he said.

Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Sindh general secretary, Taj Haider said that Benazir Crises Centre in sector I-8 Islamabad is doing a good job and suggested participants to visit the centre.

“In Zia regime women wing of PPP was formed and even we appreciated the decision of reserved seats in parliament by Musharraf. At the moment there are five women in party’s manifesto committee. BISP has been devised to support women.

There should be 33 per cent female judges in High Courts. Women should get right of divorce and at the time of divorce 50 per cent assets of husband should be given to wife,” he said.

Farhana Binori of JUI-F said that Holy Prophet (PBUH) said: “Women should be treated kindly”. But it is a fact that women are dependent on males so women should not be allowed to contest general elections. 10 per cent quota in general seats of parliament does not seem that it can be implemented, she said.

Leader of MQM, MNA Kishwar Zehra said that education is the most important thing for women because it gives them confidence.

Senator Nasreen Jalil who belongs to MQM said that MQM has been struggling for liberalism but she admitted that in Rabta Committee of MQM, representation of women is less and party leadership should look into it. However, she said that there is representation of women in local government.

Secretary General Jamaat-i-Islami Women Wing, Dr Rukhsana Jabeen said that women wing of her party is totally independent and even male leadership cannot nominate female members of parliament.

“Every female member of the party has to work for the education and it is compulsory for her to spend some time in slums and educate the children and women of the area,” she said.

Atia Inayatullah of PML-Q said that women wings of all political parties should follow the women wing of Jamaat-e-Islami because it is a true example of women empowerment.

Rozina Alam Khan of PML-N said that her party has solved many issues of women and has been working to empower women.

Malika Raza of PTI said that although PTI is not in the government but there is 27 per cent representation of women in all wings of her party and it has been decided that representation will rise to 33 per cent.

Women parliamentarians and political party representatives who participated in the conference recommended that political parties should review the modality of rewarding tickets to women on the party list to ensure it is transparent and merit based at all levels.

Participants further committed to enhance, strengthen and position women’s representation in legislatures by working within respective political parties.