KARACHI: The International Women’s Day celebrations at Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) are going to be held across Pakistan under the theme #PressforProgress today (Thursday). To acknowledge efforts of its female talent and to highlight their role in the company’s success, PTCL has organised special events and activities for celebrating Women’s Day in Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur. On the occasion, PTCL Chief Human Resources Officer Syed Mazhar Hussain said, “Celebrating Woman’s Day is about reinforcing and showing solidarity with women and empowering them. I am privileged to share that PTCL recognises their talent and positive contribution to the workplace. In our organisation, we encourage and support women in their career growth and facilitate them in reaching their true potential. We believe that every day is a woman’s day.” The company provides its women employees the facility to work from home and also accommodates their office timings on a flexible basis for working mothers. Not only that, a proper daycare facility is also provided at PTCL headquarters in Islamabad. In addition to this, a separate girls’ common room is available, along with an exclusive gymnasium and sports club. Women employees are also provided with a pick and drop facility and are also provided in-house medical services. PTCL-sponsored Hajj Scheme has a separate quota for female employees and their mehram for performing Hajj. Major companies in the private sector in Pakistan are fully committed to the cause of gender equality in all spheres of life. PTCL has taken the lead in this respect and has emerged as an equal opportunity employer. It is a strong advocate of women empowerment and has taken a variety of initiatives to provide women who work for it a friendly work environment. This year, PTCL also won the Women Empowerment Award, which was only possible due to the combined efforts and achievements of all women working in PTCL. This year, the International Women Day commemorated with the theme Time is Now – Rural & Urban Activists Transforming Women’s Lives to celebrate an unprecedented global movement for women’s rights, equality, safety and justice, recognising the tireless work of activists who have been central to this global push for gender equality. Published in Daily Times, March 8th 2018.