Admit it, Pakistani women have been making us real proud over the last few years with their performances in all kinds of fields and careers. Whether it be sports, cinema, science, charity or business, the women of our nation have proved how talented they are. What’s more important is that all the efforts these women are making seem to be benefiting the society as a whole. Yes, these women have become our symbols of optimism and we hope they continue their work in their respective fields.
Charity begins at home!
In the modern day and age where consumerism and capitalism is on the rise, it is hard to come across individuals that are selfless and spend their entire lives indulging in charity work. One such name that comes to mind is of Ronak Lakhani who has truly outdone herself in providing services to differently-abled persons. Fortunately, the government took notice of her efforts and recently honoured her with Sitara-e-Imtiaz. This achievement is the third highest award given to any civilian in the country based on one’s extraordinary services.
Ronak is one of the pioneers when it comes to social causes and has dedicated most of her life in serving humanity. She is the Chairperson of Special Olympics Pakistan (SOP), and is responsible for transforming the lives of numerous people. For those who don’t know, SOP organizes sports activities and competitions in all four provinces throughout the year for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. They offer training and competitions in sports such as athletics, aquatics, basketball, badminton, bocce, cycling, football, powerlifting, table tennis, tennis, and cricket. The program also offers health screenings, conducts unified sports and has participated in over 18 International Games. Their mission is to bring the talent of those with intellectual difficulties into the mainstream through the power of sports.
The program also gives these individuals continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage and enjoy their life despite their present disabilities. Another positive side of this community is that they provide help without regard to gender, race, religion, economic class or education level; the services are for anyone and everyone in need. Regarding her being awarded Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Ms Lakhani stated “I have been volunteering with SOP since 1990. I am really honoured for being awarded with this Sitara-e-Imtiaz and I am committed to continue my services to take this movement to the next level. This recognition was only possible with the efforts of my passionate team members.” Well, we surely hope Ronak continues to do good for our society and helps many other who are in need. Organizations such as these truly are a great helping hand for people who are suffering from disabilities. You have made us proud Ronak, keep it up!
Mind your own business
Apart from doing charity, there are numerous women who seem to be excelling in the business front too! Yes, women can do business and they can do it well. All they need is a little guidance. This is where initiatives likeWomen in Business Conference (WIBCON) step in. WIBCON is basically a pivotal platform created for the advancement of women in Pakistan.
To further continue their efforts, the organization recently joined hands with Pakistan Society for Training and Development (PSTD) to host its 8th annual conference. For those who don’t know (PSTD) is a non-profit and non-government institution, managed by a Board of Governors comprising Senior Executives and Human Resource Professionals from leading organizations in Pakistan. Over the past 47 years they have organized numerous trainings and speaker’s sessions actively encouraging national and multinational organizations to share their professional expertise.
Moving on to the event, the theme of the conference this year was ‘Re think - Re imagine’ - the aim being to make the attendees re-think and re-imagine what lies ahead in the future for women in business. The event also brought together corporate leaders, thought leaders, NGOs, entrepreneurs, educationalists and media professionals to discuss key issues and debate intelligent choices in advancing women in the workplace and society.
Some of the prominent speakers for this year’s conference were Maheen Rahman (CEO, Alfalah GHP Investment Management), Roofi Jamil (Head of Training, HBL), Yousuf Bashir Qureshi (Designer YBQ), Shafaq Omar (HR Director, Unilever, Jeannette Faruque (Owner, StudioX), Naila Kasim (Corporate Communications and HR Head, Engro Corporation) and Nadia Hussain (Supermodel).
Commenting on the 8th annual conference, PSTD President Aamir Niazi said: “Economically independent women are more likely to invest in children’s education and health. Women have to take leadership positions. They have to come in to power and take up an advanced role in society.”
