Dr Helen Mary Roberts, serving in the Pakistan Army Medical Corps, has made history by becoming the first woman from a Christian and minority community to achieve the rank of Brigadier General in the Muslim-majority country.
Roberts is among the Pakistan Army officers promoted to the ranks of brigadier general and colonel by the selection board, the news agency reported on Sunday.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated Helen on her promotion to Brigadier General and said the entire nation was proud of her and of the thousands of hardworking women from ethnic minorities who, like her, are doing commendable work for the country.
“Myself and the nation congratulate Brigadier General Helen Mary Roberts on achieving the honour of being the first ethnic minority woman to be promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in the Pakistan Army,” he said.
Brigadier Helen is a senior pathologist and has been serving in the Pakistan Army for the past 26 years.
Speaking at a Christmas celebration at Rawalpindi’s Christ Church last year, Pakistan Army chief General Asim Muneer praised the role played by ethnic minorities in the country’s development.
According to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics for 2021, the country is made up of 96.47 percent Muslims, 2.14 percent Hindus, 1.27 percent Christians, 0.09 percent Ahmadi Muslims and 0.02 percent others.
