Pakistan announces 10% quota for women in civil service

• Source: Xinhua
• [16:50 March 09 2010]
• Comments

Pakistan has announced a 10 percent quota for women in civil service in the government, local media reported Tuesday.

Addressing a ceremony of Women's Day on Monday night, Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said that a women complaint cell would also initiated.

He said that the government will grant financial and administrative autonomy to the National Commission on Status of Women.

Gilani said the government is devoted to the cause of gender equality and the issues being faced by women in domestic and national life will be redressed.

Dr Fehmida Mirza is the first elected woman speaker of the Muslim world and women are heading a number of Pakistani National Assembly standing committees, said the prime minister.

Pakistan marked the 100th celebration of the International Women's Day and pledged to work for women rights.

Pakistani women contribute a lot in the agro-based economy and industrial sector and they should be involved in all spheres of life, Pakistani Population Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan told Xinhua in an interview.

"It is unwise to keep a major chunk of population at home useless. We have to keep them engaged and patronize them," she said.