Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has said that widowed women are not only being offered sympathy but are also being given their rightful support and empowerment.
In a powerful message on International Widows Day, CM Maryam Nawaz stated that Islam grants widowed women dignity, respect, and full rights, and it is the responsibility of society not to leave these women alone.
She said that women widowed due to the ongoing wars in Kashmir, Gaza, and now Iran pose a painful question to the global conscience, and their suffering demands more than just sympathy, adding that it requires real, practical support.
The CM mentioned that under the “Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar” (My Roof, My Home) program, the Punjab government is giving special priority to widowed women and single mothers so they can live with dignity. Additionally, their children are being given priority in the “Honhaar Scholarship” program, ensuring that their education is not hindered.
Maryam Nawaz further stated that instructions have been given to the Women Protection Authority and the Department of Social Welfare to ensure complete assistance for widows and provide them with every possible government support.
She concluded by affirming, “It is my commitment that no widow in Punjab should feel alone as the state should always stand by her, every step of the way.”