RAWALPINDI: Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto declared today [Oct 17] that Pakistan was determined not to be behind any Muslim society in enlisting the increasing participation of women in its total activity for a happier tomorrow. In a message on the occasion of the National Women’s Week Mr. Bhutto called for awakening mass awareness of the high place assigned to women in the truly Islamic way of life. “Justice between man and woman,” the Prime Minister said, “is one of those aspects of the Islamic message which not only is most liberating but also provides a striking contrast to the cults of female bondage or subservience sanctioned by other religious systems.”

[Meanwhile, as reported by news agencies from New Delhi,] at least 10 people have died in family planning riots … in Uttar Pradesh over the last two months, Police sources said today [Oct 17]. … Most of the incidents have been triggered by rumours that family planning officials would forcibly sterilise men. … Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi said last month that opposition to the family planning programme had led to the beating up of police in Calcutta… .

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2026