Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday lauded the invaluable contributions of working women in Pakistan, acknowledging their essential role in building society and driving the nation’s economic progress. In his message on the occasion of National Working Women’s Day, the prime minister emphasized that women constitute more than half of Pakistan’s population and are pivotal in shaping the country’s future. Quoting the founder of the nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah (RA) , he said, “No nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side by side with you.” He reiterated his government’s commitment to ensuring equal opportunities for women, enabling them to excel and contribute to national advancement. Highlighting the achievements of women in leadership roles across various fields, including education, healthcare, business, and public service, the prime minister acknowledged their indispensable contributions not only in professional spheres but also in nurturing families and raising future generations. Recognizing the unique challenges faced by working women, the prime minister outlined several government initiatives aimed at supporting and empowering them including the provision of youth interest-free loans to encourage entrepreneurship among women, establishment of an endowment fund for women’s education and sports development, creation of daycare centers to help women balance work and family responsibilities and specialized training programs to enhance women’s skills and leadership potential. “My government envisions a future where women in leadership are the norm, not the exception,” the prime minister stated. He also stressed the importance of creating women-friendly work environments that allow them to thrive, emphasizing that fostering their talents is key to ensuring their continued role in shaping Pakistan’s progress and prosperity. CEC: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja stated on Sunday that lasting peace and political stability, vital for national prosperity, can only be achieved through the equal participation of women, who make up nearly 50% of the population, in the electoral process. In his message on National Working Women’s Day, observed on December 22, 2024, the CEC proudly acknowledged the invaluable contributions of Pakistani women in strengthening democracy. He said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) remains dedicated to its constitutional mandate of conducting elections honestly, justly, and fairly. In recent years, we have made notable progress in overcoming the challenges faced by women as voters and candidates. The CEC stated that through focused efforts, the gender gap in electoral rolls has been reduced from over 11.7 percent in 2018 to 7.49 percent, a remarkable achievement within five years. He further noted that, encouragingly, more women than men were added to the electoral rolls during this period, with the goal of eliminating the gap entirely in the upcoming elections.