National WPC 15th General Assembly Meeting
The 15th Meeting of the General Assembly of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) was held at the Parliament House, Islamabad, under the chairpersonship of WPC Secretary Dr. Shahida Rehmani. The meeting featured separate briefings by Mr. Omer Aftab, Founder and Honorary CEO of Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Trust Hospital, Lahore, and Dr. Saira Mahmood Khan, Consultant General and Laparoscopic Breast Surgeon at Maroof International Hospital.
The briefings highlighted the importance of breast cancer awareness, regular self-examination, routine clinical screenings and early diagnosis to improve treatment outcomes. Emphasis was also laid on encouraging women across both urban and rural communities, particularly those aged 40 and above, to practise regular self-examination and undergo routine clinical screenings. The need to expand access to screening, diagnostic and treatment facilities across Pakistan, especially in underserved and remote areas, was also underscored.
Moderated by the Chief Technical Advisor of the National Assembly, the meeting concluded with an interactive open-floor discussion and Q&A session focusing on developing a comprehensive framework to improve access to breast cancer screening, early detection, diagnosis and treatment. Parliamentarians also deliberated on strengthening grassroots awareness initiatives and public outreach campaigns to promote regular self-examination, routine clinical screenings and timely diagnosis across the country.
The meeting was attended by Convenor of the Parliamentary Taskforce on SDGs, Ms. Shaista Pervaiz, MNA, including MNAs Ms. Shaheen, Ms. Shazia Farid, Ms. Naz Baloch, Ms. Kiran Haider, Ms. Saira Tarar, Ms. Samina Khalid Ghurki, Ms. Shahnaz Saleem Malik, Ms. Rana Ansar, Ms. Huma Akhtar Chughtai, Ms. Kiran Dar, Ms. Tahira Aurangzeb, Ms. Zeb Jaffar, Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, and Ms. Munaza Hassan.
