Students asked to help counter extremism

MANSEHRA: The National Commission on the Status of Women’s (NCSW) Chairperson Nilofar Bakhtiar has said that the women-rights record has improved in the country due to the effective initiatives and campaigns.

“Our women have a better understanding now that they are half of the population and this country couldn’t rank among the developed nations without their effective contribution,” she said while speaking at a seminar organised by the Hazara University on Friday.

The seminar was addressed and attended by academics, educationists, researchers and girl students. The NCSW chief, who was the chief guest, shed light on her commission’s role.

According to her, the commission paved the way to bring major changes to the existing laws, which empowered women to contribute to the prosperity of the country. “You are the future of Pakistan and should never follow the extreme ideologies in your lives individually and you have to steer this country out of the economic and political challenges,” she said.

Nilofar Bukhtiar said that the national commission on the status of women was striving hard to address such issues and hurdles in the way of women’s prosperity. “An educated woman as a mother can bring a major change in her family’s life and change the society completely,” she said.

Kashif Arshad, director-general , Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Centre of Excellence in countering violent Roles, said that students could play a better role to end the extreme ideology in society. “You as a student should join hands with progressive forces to keep away the youths from extremism and violent ideology,” he said. Vice-Chancellor Dr Mohsin Nawaz Additional Assistant Commissioner Qamar Zia Malik and others addressed the seminar as well.