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Eight of the under-training female cadets mounted on guard duties at the mausoleum of Pakistan founder.
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KARACHI — For the first time in the history of Pakistan, female cadets have been recruited at Pakistan Military Academy (PMA), which had earlier been reserved for male cadets only.
"The induction of women in navy, air force and army show that old customs are being abandoned," Rakshanda Naz, a prominent women rights activist, and joint director of Aurat Foundation, told IslamOnline.net.
"I am pleased to inform you that 31 female cadets have been recruited at Pakistan Military Academy in line with my vision to empower women in every walk of life," President General Pervez Musharraf told a ceremony marking the 130th birth anniversary of Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.
The celebration, celebrated on Monday, December 25, included a change of guard ceremony at the mausoleum of Jinnah when eight of the forty one under-training female cadets mounted on guard duties.
Clad in camel-color plume on their heads, some wearing swords and other holding assault rifles, lady cadets Huma, Faryal, Sarwat, Shumaila, Wajiha, Erum, Bushra and Aneela marched smartly to marshal tunes with their male colleagues in the ceremony.
Thousands of people who gathered at the mausoleum witnessed the female cadets marching and yelling while assuming the guard duties.
After the six-month training the ladies will get the formal status of second Leiutenent and serve in various branches of the army.
"I won't give full credit to General Musharraf for women empowerment, whether in the parliament or armed forces," said the prominent women rights activist.
"This is the result of a long-drawn struggle launched by women rights organizations."
Females have always been part of Pakistan army, but they had never been recruited for the fighting force. Earlier, they had been restricted to medical or education corps.
Four female fighter pilots were inducted to Pakistan Air Force a few months ago.
Along with the eight women, a Sikh cadet also assumd guard duties at the mausoleum.
Hari Charan Singh is the first ever Sikh cadet recruited to Pakistan Army.
Troops belonging to Hindu, Parsi and Christian communities
have already been serving in Pak army.
Cosmetic
Sarfraz Ahmed, a spokesman for the six-party Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA)religious alliance, said his party was not against the induction of women in the armed forces.
But he opened salvoes at President Musharraf.
"Whatever he is doing is unnatural. He is just posing himself as a moderate and liberal by taking such cosmetic steps," Ahmed told IOL.
"It has nothing to do with the problems being faced by the women."
The MMA spokesman said Musharraf should not make the female cadets as a "showpiece" at the mausoleum.
"He must keep in his mind that Pakistan is an Islamic country. Female cadets can do much in other fields of army, but they should not be used as showpiece."
Ahmed said the Pakistani leader must remember that such cosmetic steps cannot change the attitude of America and other Western powers about Islam.
Ikram Majeed, a retired army officer and a senior defense and security analyst, agreed that giving the cadets guarding duty at the mausoleum was part of Musharraf's so-called enlightened moderation policy.
"I support the induction of women in the armed forces, but I don't agree that they should be given the combat role," he said.
"They can be given the supporting role but I don't think they would be able to meet the requirement of combating force."
Naz, the women rights activist, does not bother about the motive behind the move.
"General Musharraf may have his own agenda, but if it benefits the women, we will support that," she said.
However, Naz is still worried about the lack of basic health and education facilities for the majority of women in Pakistan.
"We support this step, but we will continue to focus on the basic issues of health and education."
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