In his message on International Women’s Day, the premier said that women's beneficial contributions to society's advancement were crucial.
PM Shehbaz said, "Today is a day to celebrate women's contributions to the advancement of human civilization and their position in society. I wish to congratulate women everywhere, especially in Pakistan, on their International Day.
He said that a mother carries a human being for several months before giving birth to it. She also teaches respect for others in the form of a sister, and she brightens a human being's life in the form of a daughter.
He said that society is awash in examples of women working in every field, that Islam declared women to have equal rights 1400 years ago, and that heaven lies beneath the feet of mothers.
He said, "Whether it was Fatima Jinnah or Begum Rana Liaquat Ali Khan, the role of women cannot be disregarded." He further said that whether it was Malala Yousafzai or Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, women are essential to Pakistan's development and evolution.
He added that Pakistan's government is constantly working to ensure that women have equal rights.
The Aurat March has begun at the Lahore Press Club in honor of International Women's Day.
The district government had previously been asked for a no objection certificate (NOC) by the Aurat March organizing committee in order to organize a rally on March 8 in Nasser Bagh, Lahore.
The Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered Lahore DC Rafia Haider and the Aurat March organizers to meet and decide on the rally's location for March 8.
The Aurat March organizers earlier issued a list of 60 demands, which included ending patriarchal violence, increasing the representation of women in climate change decision-making at all levels, cutting the defense budget, and increasing funding for health and education.
At a pre-march press conference held at the National Press Club, women's rights advocates Farzana Bari and Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir delivered these demands to the media.
They also demanded boosting the minimum wage, calling for an end to debt traps and the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) anti-poor policies.