True freedom when every girl has her rights: Aseefa

2026-02-13 - 08:16

Zubair Yaqoob First Lady Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari on Thursday declared that Pakistan’s history “is incomplete without women” as she addressed a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the Aurat Foundation, one of the country’s leading women’s rights organizations. Speaking at the Banquet Hall of the Chief Minister’s House, Aseefa praised the foundation’s four decades of advocacy for democracy, social justice and gender equality. She invoked the legacy of her mother, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, saying that discussions on women’s empowerment inevitably reminded her of her mother’s insistence on women’s meaningful participation in public life. “My mother believed not in symbolic inclusion, but in ensuring women were active participants in every sector,” Aseefa told an audience of government officials, lawmakers and civil society leaders. “True freedom will come only when every girl in Pakistan enjoys her full rights.” The event brought together provincial ministers, members of the national and provincial assemblies, senior bureaucrats and activists from across the country. It commemorated the founding of the Aurat Foundation in 1986, when women activists mobilized against discriminatory laws and sought greater political representation. Anis Haroon, the foundation’s president, opened the ceremony by recalling the early years of the women’s movement. Before 1986, she said, women’s public presence was limited and their demands for equality were often met with resistance. She recounted instances of women being baton-charged for filing petitions in the Lahore High Court and imprisoned for speaking out — sacrifices that, she said, laid the groundwork for subsequent reforms. During the ceremony, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari launched a commemorative book chronicling the foundation’s 40-year journey and unveiled a documentary highlighting its campaigns in democracy, poverty alleviation, peacebuilding and climate justice. The documentary included a tribute to Benazir Bhutto for her role in advancing women’s political participation. Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah announced a Rs 50 million grant for the Aurat Foundation, reaffirming the Sindh government’s commitment to gender equality. He said the provincial administration would continue to support initiatives aimed at empowering women socially, economically and politically. The event also recognized individuals whose work has shaped Pakistan’s human rights landscape. Lifetime achievement awards were presented to lawmakers Shazia Atta Marri and Rana Ansar for political leadership, to Shehnaz Wazir Ali for her advocacy of women’s rights and to retired Justice Majida Rizvi for her contributions to law and human rights. Other honorees included journalist Maria Ismail, poet and painter Aalia Mirza, and Deputy Inspector General Sheeba Shah for leadership in law enforcement. Sister Catherine was recognized for her work in women’s education, Mangla Sharma for minority rights advocacy and Advocate Asia Munir for legal support to marginalized women. Students from Nusrat Bhutto University received a technology innovation award for developing an agricultural drone. Masooma Hasan, a senior advocate for women’s rights, said the progress achieved over four decades signaled that the movement’s long struggle was bearing fruit. She pointed to Sindh’s domestic violence legislation as an example of the province’s leadership.