President Azad Kashmir Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry and prime minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq, while acknowledging the women’s strength and their significant contribution in different sectors of life, have said that “Women are the backbone of our society”

Muzaffarabad(PID)08-03: President Azad Kashmir Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry and prime minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq, while acknowledging the women’s strength and their significant contribution in different sectors of life, have said that “Women are the backbone of our society”.In their separate messages issued on the occasion of international women’s day, the duo said that women play a key role in the economic development of any country.Islam, they said, is the only religion which does not discriminate between men women.  “Islam has guaranteed the rights of women in every sphere of life like men”, they added.In his message, the president said, ” Our religion, Islam, places great emphasis on the dignity and rights of women”. Empowering women, he said was indispensable for the development and prosperity of any society.Barrister Chaudhry further said that the development of society was not possible without equal rights for women.” We as a nation have to work together to create a safe working environment for  women so that they can equally contribute to social and national development”, the president remarked.The Prime Minister Haq said that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) explained the rights of women and gave them representation in every sphere of life, including their right to inheritance.He said that women in Azad Kashmir have proved their mettle in every sphere of life while working shoulder to shoulder with men.He also praised the Kashmiri women’s role in the freedom movement. ” Our government emphasized on the women empowerment, development and welfare of women”.” Women in the liberated territory enjoy complete freedom”, the PM said, adding that there was a zero tolerance policy against harassment of women, especially in the work place.”Various vocational training institutions are Women are being provided technical training to help them become productive citizens of society”, he added.  The AJK premier regrettably noted that women in Indian-occupied Kashmir were being treated inhumanely.Referring to systematic human rights violations, including sexual assault, rape, forced disappearances, torture, abduction, harassment and humiliation of women at the hands of the Indian occupation army, he said that since January 2001, more than 682 women have been martyred by the Indian forces. “At least 22,958 women have been widowed and 11,256 women molested or raped by the Indian occupation forces”, the PM said.Paying rich tribute to the resilience of Kashmiri women who sacrificed their young sons, brothers and husbands in the Kashmir freedom movement, he said  that besides going through trials and tribulations the Kashmiri women have also endured illegal imprisonments, torture and various other forms of abuse.