Islamabad: Dr. Helen Mary Roberts, serving in the Pakistan Army Medical Corps, has made history by becoming the first woman from Christian and minority community to achieve the rank of brigadier in the Muslim-majority country. Brigadier Helen was among Pakistan Army officers promoted as brigadiers and full colonels by the Selection Board, The News reported on Sunday.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Helen on her promotion as Brigadier, saying the whole nation was proud of her and thousands of hardworking women like her from minority communities who are serving the country with distinction. "I myself and the nation congratulate Brig Helen Mary Roberts on getting the honour of the first female from minority to be promoted as Brigadier in the Pakistan Army,” he said.
Who is Helen Mary Roberts?
Brigadier Dr. Helen is senior pathologist and has been serving in the Pakistan Army for the last 26 years. During a Christmas celebration at Christ Church in Rawalpindi last year, Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir had commended the role played by the minority community in the country's development.
According to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics in 2021, there are 96.47 per cent Muslims in the country, followed by 2.14 per cent Hindus, 1.27 per cent Christians, 0.09 per cent Ahmadi Muslims and 0.02 per cent others.
Pakistan's reality
The latest development came nearly a week after a mob led by radical Islamists unleashed an attack on Christians in Pakistan's Punjab province over the allegations of desecration of the Quran that left at least two members from the minority community injured, one of them seriously. The incident took place in Mujahid Colony Sargodha district of Punjab, some 200 km from Lahore in the morning. Police claim to have reached the scene on time to control the situation.
Several video clips of the mob attack on the properties of the Christian community are doing rounds on social media. The mob led by radical Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) activists attacked the Christian community, burning and ransacking their property.
