Since independence in 1947 women have played an active role in parliamentary politics in Pakistan. However, their representation remained quite low in the first and the second constituent assemblies. Amendments made later to the constitution have helped increase their participation in the parliament. Some progressive legislation has also helped them improve their role in law and business, besides exalting them to executive positions. Finally, since 2002, women politicians have substantial representation in the National Assembly as well as the Provincial Assemblies.

10 seats were reserved for women in the unicameral parliament, five seats each from East and West Pakistan, in 1956. In 1962, the number of reserved seats was reduced to six for women in the National Assembly with three seats each from East and West Pakistan. In 1973, the number was raised to 10 for ten years from the commencing day of the constitution or holding of the third general elections to the National Assembly, whichever occurred later.

In 1985, this number was increased to 20. In 2002, it was increased to 60. Meanwhile, 168 seats in the Provincial Assemblies i.e. Balochistan (11), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (26), Punjab (66) and Sindh (29) were reserved for women under Article 106. The Elections Act, 2017, directed the political parties to ensure at least five percent representation of women candidates when fielding candidates for general seats.

Naz Baloch, a key spokesperson for the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) doesn’t agree that women parliamentarian are not playing their due role in legislative business.

She says, “Women always play a vital role in legislation, particularly with key contribution in Question Hour, private member’s bills and budget sessions in assemblies. The women lawmakers must be acknowledged and appreciated”.

Baloch goes on to say, “Labelling women parliamentarians fashion symbol is injustice and utter discrimination. Women MPAs contribute more in standing committees than their men colleagues and play important roles with great commitment despite all challenges.” Reserve seats members participate in the lawmaking like their other colleagues. The perception that reserved seats members are inactive is incorrect, she adds.

Most of the women nominated on reserved seats belong to the powerful elite or upper middle class. They hardly represent the poor and rural women.

She says women parliamentarians must be given fair representation in contesting generl seats. Naz Baloch says women’s presence in parliament is an encouraging factor for women to generally take part in politics.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) MPA Shawana Bashir is of the view that woman parliamentarians nominated on reserved seats are more active than those elected to general sets. “I don’t see women parliamentarians elected to general seats playing a significant role. These lawmakers belong to influential families”. On the other hand, she says, women nominated to reserved seats take part in all assembly business.

She says the performance of women MPAs on reserved seats from the PTI does not get highlighted in the assembly proceedings, as resolutions and bills are tabled mostly by Q League MPAs Khadija Umar and Sajida Bhatti. She says the MPAs are in the good books of the Speaker Chaudhry Parvez Elahi. “PTI women have to wait, sometimes for months, to table our motions”, she says.

Waheed Gul, a former MPA, has a different perspective. He says the real problem lies in the way reserved-seat members are picked. “Basically, they have nothing to do with the poor or lower middle classes. They are not peoples’ representatives as they are not elected by voters. These women are mostly kith and kin or friends of powerful political elite of the country.”

He says mostly relatives and friends of the top leaders of the parties are accommodated on reserved seats. Genuine women workers are mostly hoodwinked in the process. “They are either ignored or placed at serial numbers that are unlikely to make it to the assemblies”, he says.

The writer is a senior journalist and can be reached at    ahsanzia155@gmail.com