The National Commission on the Status of Women has applauded the decision of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to grant an independent to the Women Development Department, which was previously under the Social Welfare Department.
The Sindh and Balochistan governments have already given an independent status to their women development department and appointed Tauqeer Fatima and Ghazala Gola, respectively, as ministers.
“We hope a woman minister is inducted soon in the Punjab cabinet for the new department,” a spokesperson for the commission said.
The commission also commended the reforms package announced by the Punjab government with interest-free loans, establishment of educational institutions for women, increase in women’s quota in civil service and setting up of a women’s desk at district level to monitor action by the law-enforcing agencies against anti-women offences. The commission hoped that the Punjab government would also establish a women’s commission to oversee the implementation of such reforms.
