KP Women Equally Share In Country's Development Process Despite Cultural Barrier

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Mar, 2023 ) :Busy like a honeybee in tailoring of women suits, Nishat Bibi, 47, a seamstress of Pabbi, Nowshera district with scattered unstitched clothes, scissors and spools around her sewing machine was working against the clock to meet the set declines' orders placed by the customers in the wake of wedding, engagements and academics' results season.

Unaware of International Women's Day, observed the world over including Pakistan here on Wednesday, Nishat Bibi, who inherited the pain-sticking tailoring profession from her mother, was busy in measurement of ladies and children suits with measuring tape before its cutting to help her husband in meeting the household expenses in the wake of high inflation and price-hike in Khyber Pakthunkhwa.

Enjoying 'Watan ki Matti Gawah Rehana' national song playing in the background at her room's window by the radio along with her daughter and son, the motivated lady tailor told APP that she had entered the painstaking profession after the untimely death of her mother a few years ago and had been associated with it for the last 25 years.

"I learnt the art from my mother, who started sewing clothes for brides, children and relatives during occasions of marriages, engagements, Eid and birthday parties from a very young age," Nishat, wearing eyes' glasses , told APP with a smiling face.

Feeling proud of her family's profession, she said, "presently I prefer to work on fancy suits of brides due to high profit margin as compared to normal stitching of ladies suits," she said, adding she stitches three suits a day and in case of no electricity load-shedding, she could easily sew about six to eight suits per day.

"Presently, I am charging Rs500 for a normal suit and Rs1,000 for a designed suit against the prevailing market rate of Rs1,200 for normal and Rs2,00 designers suits," she said, adding the cost of stitching material have increased manifold in the wake of high inflation and price-hike in the country.

Ms Nishat said she was very happy in carrying forward the legacy of her mother as due to this profession she managed to educate her daughter and a son up to post-graduation from the University of Peshawar, arranged their marriages and also performed Umrah and was now planning to expand her business to Peshawar.

"Apart from the government jobs, a woman can also prove her abilities in the profession and by starting her own business, which she said is more lucrative than the low-paid jobs in public sector," she reiterated.

She complained that the six to eight hours of power power shutdown in her hometown were hindering her work and because of that the tailors' community faces economic losses, adding that she could earn more if the issue gets resolved.

Nishat said, "Pakistan had given us everything and now is the time that we can return for its progress and economic prosperity,". Like Nishat, hundreds of thousands of women of Pakistan were playing a key role in the country's development.

The most inspirational women that made Pakistani nation proud, including political leader and sister of the father of the nation, Fitama Jinnah, political stalwart, Begum Rana Liaqat Ali Khan, first women prime minister of the Muslim world Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, first youngest Nobal laureate Malala Yousafzai, labour right activist and recipient of Clinton global citizen award 2015, Syed Ghulam Fatima, first lady pilot officer Shaheed Marium Mukhtar, first female goodwill ambassador by the United Nations for gender equality and empowerment of women, Muniba Mazari, first Pakistani to win two Oscar awards Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and many others were shined in the country and world's horizons making our head high.

Najam Sahar, Director, Zamung Kor (our own house") government Khyber Pakthunkhwa was also among one of the hundreds of thousands of talented working women of Khyber Pakthunkhwa, who were successfully supervising the project started to create an equitable and conducive environment for the disenfranchised, destitute and vulnerable children.

Talking to APP, she said under Zamong Kor model school system, different facilities including free education, accommodation and sports were being provided to disenfranchised and poor children of the province.

"Zamung Kor school was established in July 2016 with the capacity to hold about 1000 students with facilities of free books, uniform, bags and stationeries besides quality faculty and psychologists services." Besides legislation for protection against harassment of women at workplace, enforcement of women's properties rights and establishment of women empowerment cell, the KP commission on the status of women (KPCWS) was formed to examine the policies, programs, implementation and other measures taken by the government for their development and ensuring gender equality.

Similarly, eight women shelter homes/darul aman, 235 industrial training centres, women hostels and a girls cadet college in Mardan were set up besides launching first-ever KP women empowerment policy to protect rights of women and ensure their active participation in decision-making and development of Pakistan.

The Federal government, under Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) was providing Rs7,000 to each deserving registered woman under Benazir Kafalat Program (BKP), thus benefiting about 7.7 million families with a disbursement target of Rs55 billion in the first tranchee, which was landmark step towards their financial empowerment.

BISP's Naushonuma (growth) and education kafalat program were launched to counter stunting in women and children besides providing quality education to poor students irrespective of gender discrimination.

Under the Prime Minister's youth business and agriculture loans schemes, the federal government has announced interest free loan upto Rs5 lac, above Rs 0.5 million up to Rs 1.5 million on five percent markup in second category and above Rs 1.5 million upto Rs 7.5 million in seven percent markup rate in third category for financial and economic empowerment of youth including girls and women.

Ms Farah Hamid, Chief Commissioner, KP Information Commission, who served as secretary to the government of KP in different administrative departments said that her organization has ensured the equal participation of women imperative for a transparent and good governance system and provision of speedy information to them when and whenever required.

"The commission focuses on women's active participation in its upcoming working plans of awareness on right to information law in the province and quick disposal of information upon request under the law for resolution of their issues," she reiterated.

Meanwhile, the international women's day was observed with great enthusiasm at Khyber Pakthunkhwa amid seminars, talk shows, debate competition in education institutions and schools. Rallies were also held in different districts where speakers highlighted achievements and problems of women.

The speakers highlighted the role of Pakistani women in the country's development process on this occasion and demanded an increase in government and professional colleges quota for their education and employment.