Ms Khar’s elevation also sets a good role model for Pakistani women in general to emulate.
NIDDERAU, GERMANY: I think that the letter by Mohammad Awais in your newspaper of July 20 titled “Why Ms Khar” does not take into account the fact that changing parties and allegiances is not uncommon in Pakistan. If Pakistan followed this rule strictly, and tried to find people who never changed their views, it will not be easy to find anyone to fill the slots for members of parliament. Also, there is an argument to be made in that being able to change one’s views rather than blindly following a particular ideology is not necessarily a bad thing.
Furthermore, the elevation of a young woman to such a prestigious post in this day and age is a good thing given that many countries in the developed world also go out of their way to encourage their women to attain greater professional heights. Ms Khar’s elevation also sets a good role model for Pakistani women in general to emulate. And whatever one may say about the PPP, it has at least done much for the empowerment of women. It nominated Begum Rana Liaquat Ali Khan as the first female governor in Sindh, appointed the first woman as a station house officer in the police and also the first female attorney-general of Pakistan.
Having a young and educated woman as foreign minister also sends a positive message to the rest of the world that there is more to Pakistan than militants, extremists and suicide bombers.
Sharif Lone
Published in The Express Tribune, July 23rd, 2011.
