By Hina Kiyani
ISLAMABAD: The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) celebrated Pakistan’s 78th Independence Day by paying tribute to the courage, leadership, and resilience of women who have shaped the nation’s history and continue to steer its future.
In a statement, Wednesday, NCSW Chairperson Ume Laila Azhar said women have played a pivotal role “from the front lines of the freedom struggle to the corridors of power,” naming figures including Begum Rana Liaquat Ali Khan, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, Kalsoom Nawaz, Fahmida Mirza, Malala Yousafzai, Maliha Lodhi, Hina Rabbani Khar, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, and Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
She highlighted women’s contributions in fields ranging from arts to public service, citing Madam Noor Jehan’s morale-boosting wartime performances and the service of women as pilots, police officers, scientists, entrepreneurs, peacekeepers, and educators.
Azhar also noted their role during this year’s national defence operation, where women in the armed forces, healthcare, media, and emergency services “stood shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts.”
Marking the occasion, NCSW unveiled a nationwide initiative — Aik Beti, Aik Shajar (“One Daughter, One Tree”) — under which fathers will plant a tree to celebrate the birth of a daughter.
“Resilience is the foundation of every empowered woman in Pakistan,” Azhar said, adding that women have shown exceptional resolve in the face of poverty, climate disasters, violence, and systemic barriers.
She called for greater inclusion of women in leadership across government, business, science, diplomacy, and public institutions.
The commission also acknowledged ongoing efforts to build women’s economic resilience and mental well-being through state and international partnerships, stressing that “progress, recovery, and peace are not possible without their active participation.” Azhar urged the nation to renew its commitment to ensuring that every woman and girl can “live, learn, lead, and thrive—safely and equally,” saying true independence is “the freedom to reach one’s potential without fear or barriers.”
