LAHORE: More than 50 women excelling in small and medium enterprise and corporate sector were awarded the Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Achievement Award at a ceremony held at the Governor’s House on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion, Governor Salmaan Taseer recalled his first meeting with Ms Benazir Bhutto after the assassination of Zulifkar Ali Bhutto.
“After the judicial murder of Shaheed Zullifkar Ali Bhutto, I had gone to Larkana to offer condolences to his family. There I found a young girl facing persecution from all sides but she was confident,” said Mr Taseer.
“That was the beginning of a struggle with Bibi and I am proud of being with her during her struggle against dictatorship and for the restoration of democracy in the country. The time spent with her is an asset to me,” said the governor.
He said Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto established first women police station, appointed women judges in high courts, set up first women bank, appointed more than 50,000 lady health workers and women ambassadors to other countries.
The award ceremony was arranged with the cooperation of Central and North Punjab Women Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
The women who were honoured at the ceremony did outstanding work in banking, pharmaceutical, textile, food and agriculture, education, community development, fashion and fashion accessories, art and literature, sports-goods, gems and jewellery, construction and housing, besides service sectors like IT, media, education, beauty, entertainment, hospital (health-care), corporate social responsibility, environment, judiciary and entertainment.
Mrs Amber Haroon Saigol, Prof Dr Shahena Asif, Prof Dr Nikhat Khan, Prof Dr Shahida Khwaja, Samina Ahmad, Dr Musarrat Hasan, Anne Mansoor, Hina Waqar, Mumtaz Maker, Naila Anjum, Najma Najm, Shafqat Sultana, Surriya Anwar, Captain Riffat Hayee and Uzma Gul were the recipients of 20 years shield.
In the SME manufacturing sector, awards were given to Anila Saleem, Ayesha Ibrahim, Farah Jahangir, Ghazala Saifi, Maria Saifi, Nazi Khalid, Rafia Sabir, Rizwana Shahid, Samina Bukhari, Sapna Kavita Oberoi, Shamama Tul Amber Shazia Bukhari, Suraiya Waqar and Zeenat Saboohi.
Earlier, CNPWCCI president Dr Shehla Javed Akram said the sole purpose of launching the awards had been to promote and develop women entrepreneurship and to recognise the commendable work done by them for the country.
Source: Dawn
Date:11/19/2009
