Islamabad, 24 August 2026: A delegation of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) visited the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) today, where Ms. Noureen Bano Lehri, Interim Chairperson NCSW, welcomed the members and briefed them on the Commission’s ongoing initiatives and priorities, including the NCSW Strategic Plan 2026–2029, the National Gender Parity Dashboard, bilingual awareness materials on women’s rights, and the longstanding issue of pending appointments to the Commission.

 

Secretary WPC Dr. Shahida Rehmani appreciated NCSW’s efforts to promote gender equality and advance women-related legislation, stressing the need to translate laws and policies into effective implementation at the grassroots level. She said the WPC’s collective focus should be on ensuring that laws, policies and programmes reach underserved and vulnerable women.

 

Speaking on the recent brutal murder of Ms. Hina Javed, an employee of the National Information Technology Board (NITB) deputed at the National Assembly Secretariat, Dr. Shahida Rehmani strongly condemned her killing, stating that Ms. Hina Javed was brutally murdered by her husband and a domestic worker at her in-laws’ residence. She expressed deep concern over the incident and stressed that violence against women in any form must not be tolerated.

 

The Secretary WPC stated that the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus is committed to pursuing justice for Ms. Hina Javed and ensuring that the matter is investigated in a free, fair, transparent and impartial manner. She further stated that NCSW is being taken on board by the WPC so that all relevant institutional mechanisms are engaged to ensure transparency in the investigation and that all those found responsible for the murder are brought to justice and awarded severe punishment in accordance with the law.

 

The WPC members emphasized the need for stronger coordination between NCSW and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to address the disproportionate impact of climate change and natural disasters on women, particularly by incorporating women’s specific needs into disaster preparedness, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes. They also called for accurate, comprehensive and gender-disaggregated data to support evidence-based legislation, policymaking, budgeting and monitoring.

 

Particular emphasis was placed on rural women, with members calling for targeted measures to improve their access to education, healthcare, justice, economic opportunities and information about their rights. The delegation also proposed incorporating awareness of women’s rights and gender equality into primary school curricula and strengthening awareness of women’s legal rights and protections through the Nikahnama at the time of marriage.

 

Ms. Noureen Bano Lehri appreciated the WPC’s engagement and emphasized the importance of institutional coordination, reliable gender data, accountability and effective implementation. The WPC members appreciated NCSW’s efforts and reiterated that legislation must be supported by awareness, reliable data, institutional coordination and effective implementation to bring meaningful improvements to the lives of women and girls.

 

The delegation comprised MNAs Ms. Sofia Saeed Shah, Ms. Huma Akhtar Chughtai, Ms. Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Ms. Naeema Kishwar Khan, Ms. Tamkeen Akhtar Niazi, Ms. Mah Jabeen Abbasi, Ms. Neelum, Ms. Asia Naz Tanoli and Ms. Akhtar Bibi.