PESHAWAR, Sept 27: The NWFP minister for Ushr, Zakat, Social Welfare and Women Development, Hafiz Hashmat Khan, has said that 40 women delegates would arrive in the provincial metropolis from 40 Muslim countries to attend the first international women conference being held here on Oct 4.

“The conference would provide opportunity to the womenfolk of the Islamic countries to share their views and experiences with regard to their conditions in their respective countries”, said Hafiz Hashmat Khan, at the a news conference here on Saturday.

The delegates, he said, would stay here for one week, during which numerous issues confronting the women in Muslim states would be discussed.

Likewise, the delegation of International Muslim Women Union (IMWU) would arrive on Sept 30 to attend in-camera meeting of board of trustees at the Frontier House, Islamabad.

Mr Khan said that the wife of the speaker of the Iran’s parliament would preside over an open session of the conference entitled “Strengthening of family system” at the Nishtar Hall Peshawar on Oct 4, whereas the representatives of Indonesia, Malaysia, Lebanon, Iran, and Sudan would also deliver addresses on the occasion.

He informed that the meeting of the board of trustees had taken place in various Islamic countries, but this time the MMA government would have the opportunity to host the first international women conference that reflected the MMA-led government’s commitment to work for the rights and welfare of the women.

The minister said that NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani would preside over the conference and more than 400 women including women MNAs, MPAs, Senators, academicians, doctors and councillors would also attend the event.

He said that under the gender reform action plan, the government was striving hard to establish separate women departments in collaboration with Asian Development Bank so as to accelerate efforts being initiated for the welfare of women.

He said that the government was planning to separate women welfare department from Ushar and Zakat ministry and seriously considering to establish women medical college and university soon on priority basis.

Speaking on the occasion, Senator Dr Kosar Firdos said that only Muslim women would participate in the conference and non-Muslim women would be invited to a similar event, which would also be held in Pakistan soon.