Women week: Women encouraged to use rescue helpline

FAISALABAD:

Provincial Assembly Member Najma Afzal said on Thursday the Punjab government had launched a rescue helpline (1213) in Faisalabad to curb violence against women.

She was talking to participants of the concluding session of Women Week arranged by the University of Agriculture Faisalabad. Seminars, walks, cooking and painting contests and cultural shows were held during the week.  Afzal said women can call the helpline to register complaints. She said the government was taking steps to empower women and various programmes had been launched in this regard.

She said the Women Empowerment Package had been introduced to address issues faced by women in the province.  She said the government had waived tax on transfer of property on inheritance for women.

UAF Vice Chancellor Iqrar Ahmad Khan said women empowerment was prerequisite for sustainable development.

He said four years ago, the university had 40 female teachers. He said the number had risen to 150. He said a day care centre, a women’s complex, a counselling centre and a career development centre had been added to facilitate female students. He said the government had approved a women’s hostel for 1,000 students. He said construction on the building was underway.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2015.