LAHORE: (Saturday, March 08, 2014): Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mujahid Kamran has said that for the first time in the history of Punjab University, female students have outnumbered boys and more than 50 percent females got admissions in PU in the current academic year. He was addressing the participants of various rallies outside VC office held in connection with International Women’s Day here on Saturday. The rallies, taken out from respective departments and headed by Incharge Principal University Law College Dr Shazia Naureen Qureshi, Director Institute of Applied Psychology Prof Dr Rukhsana Kausar and Chairman Zoology Department Prof Dr Muhammad Akhter concluded at VC office while Institute of Communication Studies headed by Incharge Director Dr Noshina Saleem took out rally till IBIT. Various departments also organized seminars, debate competitions and tableaus in connection with Women’s Day. Dr Mujahid Kamran said that there were 1100 faculty members in PU out of which 40 percent were female while in lecturer’s cadre, female faculty members had outnumbered male faculty members. He said that four deans of various faculties were females and for the first time a female lecturer was elected to PU Syndicate.

He said that women must be provided with education and appointed at administrative posts. Dr Sahzia Naureen Qureshi said that no society could prosper without the share of women. She said that over half of Pakistan’s population consisted of women who must be empowered. She said that women must be brought forward for the development of country. She said that women must have independence in decision making in our society, the right which had been provided in our religion as well. Meanwhile, Institute of Social and Cultural Studies, under the aegis of Dean Prof Dr Zakria Zakir, organized a seminar on health and social problems being faced by women while students participated in debate competitions and presented tableaus. Pakistan Study Centre Dr Massarat Abid organized seminar on “Political Empowerment of Women in Pakistan”, which was addressed by Dr Asma Afzal Shami. Department of History organized seminar on role of women as mothers, sisters and daughters. Institute of Education and Research organized seminar on “Role of Women in Socio-Economic Development of Country” which was presided over by Acting Director Dr Abid Hussain Chaudhry while former Vice Chancellor of University of Education Prof Dr Munawar Mirza addressed the participants. Department of Islamic Studies organized seminar on “Status of Women in the light of teachings of Quran” while students recited various poems in a ceremony organized by Punjab University Oriental College. Resident Auditor Naeem Iqbal Qureshi, Department of Gender Studies and College of Earth and Environmental Sciences also organized seminars and various colorful programs.