LAHORE  -   An agreement signing ceremony between Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) and Ferotek Private Limited (FPL) was held here on Monday un­der which Punjab Women Helpline 1043 would be operated by the FPL. This helpline is one of its kinds in Pakistan and provides 24/7 legal ad­vice and addresses complaints and inquiries of women in Punjab. Punjab Women Development Department Secretary Sumaira Samad attended the ceremony while the agreement was signed by PSCW Secretary Nabi­la Javaid and Ferotek Private Limited CEO Danish Iqbal. Speaking at the ceremony, Sumaira Samad said that the Punjab government, under the guidance of the chief minister, was taking practical steps for women em­powerment and protection of their rights. She appreciated the role of PCSW in promoting gender equal­ity and the rights of women in the province and to eliminate discrimi­nation against women besides cre­ating an environment where women could fully participate in all spheres of life. The PCSW also presented the progress of the helpline over the past year. The helpline handled 23,046 calls during this period, offering vi­tal assistance and legal guidance to women facing a variety of challenges