QUETTA:Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti has paid tribute to the contributions of women on the occasion of the International Day of Rural Women, saying that rural women play a vital role in the province’s economy, agriculture and social development, and their hard work is fundamental to Balochistan’s socio-economic progress.
In a message shared on social media platform X, the chief minister said empowering women economically and ensuring equal opportunities for their advancement remained a key commitment of the Balochistan government. He said the government was implementing practical measures to promote women’s skills, entrepreneurship and financial independence, enabling them to make effective contributions to economic growth.
Mir Sarfraz Bugti said initiatives such as the RISE Programme, Women Bazaars and the Women’s Economic Empowerment Fund were creating new opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and income generation. He added that the Artificial Intelligence Lab for women entrepreneurs and business training programmes were important components of the government’s efforts to equip women with modern skills and improve their access to business opportunities.
The chief minister emphasized the importance of providing women living in rural and remote areas with access to education, healthcare, employment and financial resources. He noted that strengthening women’s participation in agriculture, livestock, water resource conservation and sustainable livelihood programmes could enhance their economic capacity, improve their quality of life and contribute to strengthening local economies.
He said economically empowered women help build stronger families and create new avenues for prosperity in society. Providing rural women with equal opportunities in the development process, he added, was essential for building a society where every woman could progress according to her abilities and contribute to the welfare of her family and community.
Reaffirming the provincial government’s commitment to women’s empowerment, the chief minister said efforts to promote women’s economic independence and create new opportunities for their advancement would continue. He stressed that empowered rural women are the foundation of a prosperous Balochistan.