KARACHI, Aug 29: Pakistani women are destined to play their role in the political process and reconstruction of the country. They will never lag behind when it comes to the defence of their motherland.

These views were expressed by the speakers at the “Defence of Islam Convention” held on Wednesday under the auspices of Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan’s women wing, at a local hall in Gulshane Iqbal.

The convention was addressed by the women wing’s chief Dr Farida Ahmad Siddiqui, Nusrat Hashmi, Rizwana Majeed, Zohra Rafique and Shamim Safdar.

Highlighting the salient features of the party manifesto, Dr Farida Siddiqui said that it included efforts to ensure due rights of women in social, political and economic fields, setting up women universities and hospitals in cities and colleges and health centres in Tehsils for women, concrete measures to eliminate repression against women, an end to un-Islamic and traditions such as marriage with Holy Quran, exchange marriages, murder in the name of “Ghairat” and buying and selling of immature girls for marriages.

Dr Farida Siddiqui said that Pakistani women were fully conscious of their rights now and were competent enough to protect them.

Nusrat Hashmi stressed the need to work for the success of religious parties in the elections. Shamim Safdar said that in Pakistan Islamic values were being trampled and “Jewish and Christian values” were being promoted.