ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Friday has said that contributions of women on duty in uniform, at household and especially the ones of martyrs’ families are greatly valued.

In a message on Women’s Day, the army chief said that great Pakistani women have a role and responsibility towards progress of Pakistan.

It is to be mentioned here that the International Women’s Day is being observed across the world today.

In Pakistan, working women in formal and informal sectors celebrate this day every year to commemorate their ongoing struggle for due rights, despite facing many restrictions.

The first International Women’s Day was observed on February 28, 1909 in the United States following a declaration by the Socialist Party of America.

International Women’s Day was first observed worldwide as a popular event after 1977 when the United Nations General Assembly invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for women’s rights and world peace.