ISLAMABAD, Nov 5: First Lady Begum Sehba Musharraf on Sunday, reiterating government’s commitment towards the empowerment of women, called for adopting a three-pronged strategy aimed at creating awareness, removal of socio-economic barriers and provision of equal opportunities.

Inaugurating a roundtable conference of Muslim women on the sidelines of the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF), Begum Sehba Musharraf said the government had embarked upon a series of measures to bring them into the mainstream. “No society can flourish unless women are accorded their true status,” she told leading women personalities from various walks of lives and those attending the forum.

The first lady said the government was fully committed to unleashing full potential of women and briefed participants about the measures taken by the present government.

She said women were being given 33 per cent representation in local governments, while their percentage in the National Assembly was up by 20 per cent, besides a 10 per cent quota in the civil services.—APP