The Provincial Ombudsman Sindh organised a seminar on issues faced by women lawyers and bringing improvements in the professional environment. It was hosted by Provincial Ombudsman Justice (retd) Shah Nawaz Tariq, while Home and Law Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar was the chief guest.
The seminar featured detailed discussions on workplace harassment, discrimination and professional barriers faced by female lawyers. The speakers presented practical recommendations at legal, institutional and policy levels to ensure a safe and dignified working environment for female lawyers.
Lanjar said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has always championed the rights and protection of women. Benazir Bhutto was not only Pakistan’s first female prime minister but also the Muslim world’s, and she continues to serve as a role model for women, he added.
He said that First Lady Aseefa Bhutto is also advocating for women’s representation and rights, and she is playing an effective role at national level. The PPP has never discriminated between men and women, and women have always played a prominent role in the legislative process, he added.
He also said that the legal fraternity forms the foundation of lawmaking, and without the inclusion of female lawyers, effective and comprehensive legislation is not possible. He requested that all proposals and recommendations formulated during the conference be shared with him so they may be discussed in policymaking meetings and translated into practical measures.
He also indicated that legislation would be considered regarding reserved seats for women in the Karachi bar, Sindh bar and district bar councils. He also stressed the need to ensure women’s representation in the Pakistan Bar Council.
He said that the inclusion of at least one woman in the Judicial Commission is essential to promote gender balance within the judicial system. He reaffirmed his commitment to placing women’s proposals before the policymaking committee for consideration.
