Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Shazia Marri Tuesday said that no country can develop without the provision of opportunities to women for their contribution in national growth. “No country or nation can develop unless allow their women to stand side by side with men counterparts to play their role for nation development”, she said while speaking at the “Pak-Afghan interlocutors interaction on the future of Afghanistan” arranged by Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS).
Expressing concern over the current situation in Afghanistan, Shazia Marri said that since Pakistan and Afghanistan are immediate neighbours and share a border of around 2600 kilometres so there is no way to forget about Afghanistan. “Both the countries are connected with each other in many things and whatever happens in Afghanistan does have an effect on Pakistan and its people”, she said. The federal minister said that Pakistan wants Afghanistan to overcome the challenges, develop and excel as it directly impact our people.
All nations that have developed around the world have achieved growth through giving equal excelling opportunities to both the genders. “Being born in the country where women have the constitutional rights, laws that protect them and social nets that take care of them, I can say whatever happening in Afghanistan is of more concern”, she said. “If a girl or woman is talented and she can contribute to her country’s development, she should be given an opportunity and appreciated for her spirit”, she observed. Shazia Marri said that although she has not visited Afghanistan these days but the news coming out of there are not promising.
She said being a Muslim country, Islam gives rights to women and has attached great importance to the role of women which needs to be acknowledged by the Afghanistan’s government. Shazia Marri emphasized that there should be an inclusive government in Afghanistan which give importance to all the stakeholders. She said the relationship Pakistan and Afghanistan share has historical roots right from the time when refugees came to Pakistan,lived with our communities and shared our culture.”Pakistan supports Afghanistan and take pride in its development”, she said. “Although I completely respect the sovereign status of the country, I can hope there will be more inclusion in policy making by the current government in Afghanistan”, she said. She said that the policy makers in Afghanistan must understand that Pakistan will always be concerned about the situation there as an immediate neighbour and a well wisher.
About the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), Shazia Marri said that the BISP Kafaalat program is financially supporting 7.28 million people in the country. She said generally a man is considered as a head of a family but it is women who qualifies for this program. She mentioned that the program is targeted to expanded upto eight million till June and 10 million afterwards. Responding to the recommendations of the participants, the federal minister said that she will forward a proposal before the current government to support the women from Afghanistan financially. She also assured to take up the visa related issues being faced by Afghan people with the higher authorities.