ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday congratulated Brig. Helen Mary Roberts after she became the first Christian female officer to achieve the senior army rank in the 76-year history of Pakistan.
The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), confirmed that Brig. Roberts of the Army Medical Corps had been promoted to her new position in response to an Arab News query.
Women have been integral to the medical corps for decades and have more recently begun to join combat divisions as soldiers. Several other members of minority religious communities are also affiliated with the Pakistan military on different ranks.
“Brig. Helen Mary Roberts has proven through her hard work that Pakistani women are no less than men in any field,” the prime minister said in a statement released by his office.
“The entire nation, including the Pakistani Christian community, is proud of Brig. Helen Mary Roberts and thousands of other hardworking women from the minority community,” he added.
Sharif said Brig. Roberts would be an inspiration for the new generation of women through her dedication, commitment and passion for humanity.
Muslim-majority Pakistan has strived for religious inclusivity in recent years amid continuing social challenges for minority communities.
Last year, Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir commended the role played by the country’s Christian community in its development during a Christmas celebration at Christ Church in Rawalpindi.
He praised their contributions to promoting quality education, health care and philanthropy, as well as their notable contributions to national defense.
Pakistan PM congratulates nation’s first Christian female brigadier, calls her inspiration for women
https://arab.news/92hav
Pakistan PM congratulates nation’s first Christian female brigadier, calls her inspiration for women
- Helen Mary Roberts of Army Medical Corps is the first Christian female officer to have reached the rank in 76 years
- Last year, the army chief commended the role played by the Christian community in Pakistan’s development
Pakistan’s deputy PM speaks with Iran, Türkiye after UN rights vote on Tehran
- Pakistan voted against UN rights council resolution seeking to expand scrutiny of Iran
- Dar discusses regional issues with Türkiye’s Hakan Fidan after World Economic Forum
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar held separate phone calls on Saturday with the foreign ministers of Iran and Türkiye, highlighting Islamabad’s growing diplomatic engagement on regional crises after backing Tehran at the United Nations Human Rights Council and amid wider discussions on Middle East stability.
Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, spoke with Iran’s Seyed Abbas Araghchi after Islamabad voted against a resolution at the UN rights council in Geneva that sought to expand international scrutiny of Iran following a crackdown on anti-government protests that began last month and continued for several days.
“Foreign Minister Araghchi thanked DPM / FM for his strong support and Pakistan’s position at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva,” the foreign office said in a statement after the phone call.
While the resolution was adopted, Iran rejected it as “politicized” and described the council’s action as interference in its internal affairs.
Dar later spoke by phone with Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, with the two leaders reviewing developments following the World Economic Forum in Davos and agreeing to remain in close contact on key regional and international matters, the foreign office said.
Pakistan and Türkiye have increasingly coordinated diplomatic positions on regional issues, including Middle East tensions, as Islamabad positions itself as an active interlocutor in multilateral forums addressing conflict and humanitarian crises.
Iran’s foreign minister also conveyed appreciation to Pakistan’s prime minister, government and people for what he described as Islamabad’s principled stance, the statement added.
