LAHORE: (Friday, March 8, 2024): Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood has said that a strong society will be made only by investing in women and taking care of their other rights. He was addressing the awareness walk to mark World’s Women Day here on Friday. On this occasion, Member National Assembly Malik Saiful Malook Khokhar, Chairperson Department of Gender Studies Prof Dr Raa’na Malik, President PU Academic Staff Association Dr Amjad Magsi, faculty members and a large number of students were present.

In the rally taken out from the Department of Gender Studies to the Vice Chancellor's office, the participants carried placards with slogans regarding women's rights. In his address, PU VC Dr Khalid Mahmood said that women should get all the opportunities to advance. He said that Islam was the first religion that gave rights to women. He said that women should get all rights including inheritance. He said that 50% of the students in PU are women and 90% of the gold medals are won by women in convocation. He said that women play an important role in solving the country's problems. Malik Saif said that houses that respect women are inhabited. He said that the Prophet (PBUH) used to stand up in respect of His daughter. He said that he built 8 women's degree colleges in his constituency and got more votes from women than men in the constituency. He said that if women get education our country will prosper. Meanwhile, a seminar on “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress” was organized by PU Institute of Social and Cultural Studies, in which Director ISCS Prof Dr Rubeena Zakar, Executive Director, Bargad Organization for Youth Development Ms Sabiha Shaheen, Former Director, National Institute of Population Studies (NIPS) Basit Khan faculty members and students were present. In her address, Dr Rubeena Zakar emphasized the importance of women empowerment and the need to invest in women to accelerate the pace of development. Sabiha Shaheen highlighted the importance of women's solidarity while telling the students about the problems faced by women in their daily life. Basit Khan enlightened the audience with the disparities and vulnerabilities women face in the rural areas of Pakistan. He highlighted the past contributions of female leaders of Pakistan and encouraged the students for providing equal opportunities for females.