The list of women is quite large who have very significantly elevated the status and grandeur of women by virtue of their devoted efforts and activism for the cause of social welfare, struggle for freedom and Pakistan Movement. These great ladies bore enthusiasm for social uplift and high qualities of leadership, sincerity, intellect, courage and command among their colleagues. They stood hand in hand to offer strong resistance against the British, Hindus and Sikhs.
Quaid-i-Azam asked Fatima Jinnah to sit beside him at Sibi Darbar, the grand annual gathering of Baloch and Pakhtun chiefs and leaders. He was making a point: Muslim women must take their place in the history of Pakistan. The Sibi Darbar broke all precedents. The Muslim women worked with great devotion and voluntarily in diversified spheres like training and education of young girls and adults, management of national guards and first-aid training etc.
Among the pioneers was Ms Fatima Jinnah known as Madar-e-Millat who was the first lady to have inspired and organised the women for struggle of freedom. Quaid-i-Azam M Ali Jinnah used to say that women in Pakistan would have equal rights. These women, under leadership of Quaid-i-Azam, finally materialised the dream of Pakistan. It is worth admiring that they maintained degree of their devotion, dedication and service even after independence. It is hard to find such examples of courage and perseverance of women in the history of the world. In the form of developing Pakistan their struggle continues even today.
SAMINA GHILMAN
Islamabad