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Home , Anita Ghulam Ali, Nazia Hassan, Noor Jehan, Parveen Shakir, Reshma, Salima Hashmi

MAJOR GENERAL 1943 1946 AMEENA SAIYID SHAHIDA MALIK IF YOU CAN’T SEE IT, Women’s National Women from the Guard, formed which Muslim League morphed into the Girl participated YOU CAN’T BE IT Guides Association in the elections. at independence. 34 37

SEVEN QUEENS OF FATIMA JINNAH 1947 BILQUIS EDHI 1948 Participation in the A law passed to recognize nationalist struggle for women’s right to inherit led to women’s property. Female legislators right to education, to took a stand against male vote and to mobilize. colleagues to claim this edgling legal victory. 06 09 10 38 41

BANO QUDSIA RUTH PFAU SHUKRIA KHANUM QURATULAIN BAKHTIARI 1949 SHABINA MUSTAFA 1950 All Pakistan Women’s Democratic Women’s Association (APWA) Association formed formed to advance to demand equal the welfare of pay for equal work. women, with an initial focus on the 13 14 17 18 42 refugee population. 45

MAJIDA RIZVI BAPSI SIDHWA 1940 SHEEMA KERMANI ASMA JEHANGIR PARVEEN SAEED Masses of women mobilized to participate in political events in the Pakistan Movement. Women arrested for political action. 21 22 25 46 49 50 53

KISHWAR NAHEED YASMEEN LARI ZUBEIDA MUSTAFA BENAZIR BHUTTO NILOFER SAEED 1954 Business and Professional Women’s Club formed to promote women in business

26 29 30 33 54 57 58 WOMEN’S ACTION 1956 PERWEEN REHMAN 1961 DR. SEEMIN JAMALI FORUM (WAF) 1981 NIGHAT DAD 1983 Reserved seats for Law passed to Pakistan Women Women march against women in the assembly protect women’s Lawyers Association discriminatory laws, accepted in the rights with regard to and Legal Aid Cell baton-charged and 1956 Constitution marriage, divorce and (PAWLA) founded tear-gassed by police. is custody of children to provide free day is commemorated legal aid to women as Pakistan’s National 61 62 86 89 Women’s Day

SHAMIM AKHTAR 1962 NABILA MAQSOOD 1984 SANA MIR 1986 1988 Issuance of law Qisas & Diyat Ordinance Aurat Foundation Benazir Bhutto that allowed women and the Law of Evidence founded to promote becomes the to inherent all privatized murder, women’s rights rst female forms of property enabling perpetrators prime minister of ‘honour killings’ to of Pakistan go free and reduced 65 66 69 the value of women’s 90 testimony in a court of law to half that of men SYEDA MARIA TOORPAKAI NERGIS MAVALVALA GHULAM FATIMA SHAZIA SIKANDER 1973 FATIMA ALI 1989 WAZIR QANDEEL BALOCH Constitution gives e rst commercial women more rights nancial institution and freedoms, declaring for women, First Women there would be no Bank Limited, chartered discrimination on to meet the special the basis of race, needs of women 70 73 74 religion, caste or sex 93 94 97

MUKHTARAN MAI SABEEN MAHMUD NAMIRA SALIM 1976 ZENITH IRFAN 1996 1997 MALALA YOUSUFZAI New act restricts Pakistan raties Saima Waheed value of dowry and CEDAW and wins landmark case bridal gifts, xes participates in the allowing her marriage ceiling on marriage Beijing Conference without the consent expenditures and of her guardian penalizes excess 77 78 81 98 101

SHARMEEN LYARI BOXING GIRLS AT DHABAS MAHEEN RAHMAN OBAID-CHINOY 1979 1980 2011 GIRLS FORMED LAUNCHED 2018 Hudood Ordinance e radical Sindhiani Several pro-women laws Aurat March initiated passed, which Tehreek launched as promulgated that as an annual protest con ated adultery a grassroots initiative criminalized anti-women on International Women’s with rape, making it to ght discrimination practices such as acid crimes Day—organized across near impossible to against women, abuse of and also provided legal Pakistan by a collective prove the latter bonded labour and unequal and nancial assistance of feminist activists 82 85 wages for rural women to women in prison 102 105 and rights organizations THE SEVEN QUEENS OF SINDH 16th & 17th CENTURY | SINDH

The seven queens, or thesut soor mayon, are for choosing to be swallowed by the earth instead inspirational women from history and legend of giving herself to another man. who feature in Shah Jo Risalo, penned by the Sufi poet, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai. These women, Sohni, the most famous of the queens, has been although not royalty in real life, are referred to as immortalized in song, film and Sufi poetry for queens due to their denunciation of regressive, her tale of defiant love. Married against her patriarchal norms and for choosing free will and wishes, Sohni continues to secretly meet her true love above all other things. love, who she was forbidden to be with because of her caste. However, in the dark of night, the The theme of female protagonists in Sufi lovers are exposed and drown while attempting love tales, with stories being told from their to reunite. Sohni’s tale of passion and fortitude point of view, was empowering for the time has withstood time in its popularity. and allowed the women to be celebrated and revered. While Bhittai is sometimes critiqued The story of Lilan is not just one of pride, for presenting a romanticized and orthodox greed and fall but her sincere repentance and view of womanhood, he immortalized these recovery. Adored yet spoilt, this queen makes seven characters in folk narrative, giving courage many mistakes but is venerated for learning from to thousands of women to choose bravery and them, growing as a person and regaining her passion over tyranny and subjugation. prestige. Sorath’s story is one of complex love, deceit and regret ending in self-immolation to FOLK CHARACTERS Marui stands for fortitude and a love for her attain a more exalted status. It is also the story of homeland when she stands tall and impervious promises being kept at great personal cost. against the foreign ruler who would go to any lengths to make her his, including abducting and Noori, a beautiful fisherwoman, becomes a keeping her prisoner. When Moomal accidently victim of jealously from courtiers when she loses her father’s wealth, she and her sisters captures the attention of the local ruler; but she use magic and illusion to dupe rich suitors for prevails in her honesty and sincerity to him. beautiful and soft-hearted Moomal’s hand. Hers When Noori died, the king built a simple white is a story of longing, true love and an allegory tomb as a monument to a beloved queen who is that merges divinity with the soul in the search seen as one of the most romantic characters in for peace and honour. Sindhi literature.

Abandoned by her royal parents for being a While each of the seven fiery queens has her own bearer of misfortune, Sassui is raised by a poor distinct backstory and personality, together they childless couple. She and a local prince fall for have come to signify strength, determination each other but his disapproving family triumphs and loyalty. in tearing them apart. Sassui, filled with grief and manic determination, runs across a hot desert barefoot in pursuit of him. Her devotion and piety has inspired thousands over the decades,

06 FATIMA JINNAH 1893 - 1967 | THATTA, KARACHI

Fatima Jinnah was as devoted to her brother, these hurdles, Fatima remained politically active. , the founder of Pakistan, She was an elected Member of Parliament and as he was to her. He supported her dream of ran for the presidency of Pakistan, against the becoming a dental surgeon by educating her at a military dictator Ayub Khan at the age of 71. time when there were stark inequalities between She lost the election as it was heavily rigged in men and women, in education and in social and favour of the man, who ran a dirty campaign economic rights. Fatima set up the first dental that included denouncing her as being backed by clinic to be managed by a Muslim woman in foreign agents. He even had ulema declare that Calcutta in 1923. women could not be head of the state. Despite his cowardly attempts, Fatima’s campaign still However, after the death of his wife, it was Jinnah drew thousands. who needed Fatima’s support as his political adviser. When the All- Muslim League was At the time of Fatima’s passing, there was organized to demand rights for the Muslims of speculation that she had been murdered. Her the subcontinent, she was an active member funeral procession exceeded 6,00,000 people POLITICIAN of its working committee. She was present at and ended in violence as the police baton- important political events, including the signing charged and tear-gassed anyone who attempted of the Resolution in 1940, a decisive step to see her body. This fueled rumours that she had in determining the future of Muslims in British visible wounds at the time of her death. India. During the turbulent transfer of power in 1947 and the birth of Pakistan, Fatima had Despite all hate speech around her work, an integral role in settling women migrants and Fatima’s courage and determination made addressing their issues. A skilled political worker her one of the most fearless women Pakistan adored by the masses, Fatima, was known as has known. Fatima was often photographed Māder-e-Millat (Mother of the Nation) or standing next to important men of the period, Khātūn-e-Pākistān (Lady of Pakistan). After something unusual for the time, but her message Jinnah’s demise, Fatima became less popular was clear: women need to play a role in society with the democratic and military regimes that and politics alongside men. Fatima will always took power. She was seen as his natural successor, be remembered as the first prominent female and therefore, a threat to the establishment, who politician of Pakistan and indeed, some would banned her from addressing the nation. say, the female founder of the country.

When she was finally allowed to speak on in 1951, the transmission mysteriously stopped—coincidently in the exact parts she criticized the government. Her book, My Brother, was written in 1955 but not published until 1987 due to fear of the impact it might have. Even thirty-two years later, several pages of the original writing were left out. Despite

09 NOOR JEHAN 1926 - 2000 | , LAHORE, KARACHI

Pakistan’s Queen of Melody, Noor Jehan’s life too—her silken saris, neckties, bold eye make- is an inspiring story for all women with big up, glamorous hairstyles, sparkling diamonds dreams and a defiant spirit. The first iconic and her generosity. She remarried in 1959 to a diva of Pakistan’s entertainment industry rose film actor who was nearly a decade younger than from humble origins. Born in the small town of her and gave up acting to spend more time with Kasur, Allah Rakhi Wasai was exposed to show her family. But her musical career continued to business at a young age. She began singing at the flourish. In 1965, she was awarded the Pride of age of six, exhibiting considerable versatility and Performance Award for her acting and singing range. Allah Rakhi launched her musical career ability and the Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 1996. as a child star in Calcutta under the stage name of ‘Baby Noor Jehan’. She moved to Lahore in Hers was a mesmerizing voice, never false on 1938, where the famed music director Ghulam pitch, and she did not waste her talent. Noor Haider became her mentor and composed songs Jehan was known for her hard work and for her to sing. devotion to her chosen profession. Through good times and bad, this extraordinary Her career as a singer was taking off when she nightingale dedicated keen attention to got her first adult acting role as the female perfecting her genius. Even in her declining lead in the hit film Khandaan in 1942. This years, she remained an imposing figure and prompted her to shift to with director, continues to influence musicians in Pakistan MUSIC DIVA Rizvi, who she later married at today. In a career spanning six decades, two seventeen. Post partition, she moved to Karachi marriages, five children, fourteen films and and got her first big break in 1951 in the movie literally thousands of songs, Noor Jehan was Chan Wey, opposite . She not the uncontested grand dame of the Pakistani only acted and sang in this film, but also directed film vocals. it with her husband, becoming Pakistan’s first female director. No mean feat for a woman of her time!

Noor Jehan’s career flourished in the 1950s and it is estimated that she recorded about 10,000 songs in various languages, including , Hindi, Punjabi and Sindhi. She worked without complaint to combine a glittering career with motherhood. However, her marriage suffered and ended in divorce. This fueled gossip about multiple love affairs. But Noor did not let setbacks and scandals get in her way and ruled the Pakistani film industry, not only as a celebrated playback, but also a gifted singer. She became famous for many other things

10 BANO QUDSIA 1928 - 2017 | LAHORE

There are few in Pakistan who aren’t familiar from 11.30 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Bano managed with Bano Qudsia’s celebrated works. Her to complete Raja Gidh in under two months revolutionary writing, which focused on the despite this restrictive schedule and spoke plight of women and other socio-economic lovingly of his support after he passed, praying issues including the class and gender divide, that other aspiring female writers find a husband appealed to the masses and led to critical acclaim like him. and many awards. As a result, the talented and ambitious Bano reigned as Pakistan’s It remains true that it is difficult to talk about her literary queen and enjoyed a professional without including him in the discourse, but the writing career that spanned over six decades! choices Bano made were her own. She knew how Her award-winning novel, Raja Gidh (The to leverage opportunities to put out her message. Vulture King), is considered a seminal work in The couple’s influence went beyond traditional

Urdu literature but she is just as well known literary circles and impacted social and political NOVELIST & PLAYWRIGHT for her contributions to television and theatre spheres and narratives as well. They published drama, including the popular play, Aadhi Baat, an Urdu journal with massive outreach called which was one of Pakistani television’s most Dastaango and patronized writers and thinkers celebrated productions. with similar predilections and inclinations. Bano was part of a goodwill delegation sent by Prime Born in British India to an agriculturist Jat Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to Moscow in the household, Bano’s family migrated to Lahore 1970s to lobby for Pakistan’s cause; during the after Partition and she began writing short Cold War, the nation’s ideological alignment stories while still in school. By the time she had was changing and political associations would completed her Masters in Urdu Literature , no determine the entire future of the nation. Bano’s small feat for a female non-native Urdu speaker work, with its increasingly sufi and nationalist at the time, Bano had already published her first leanings was strongly influential in the 1980s, short story! She met fellow wordsmith and future allowing Pakistan’s emerging middle class to husband at university. Their make sense of the sociopolitical changes around love story and the home they set up together them. reflected their mutual love of prose and created worlds and became known as Dastan Sarai or Bano Apa (elder sister), as she was often called, the ‘Storytelling Lodge’. is celebrated as a mover-and-shaker in Pakistani history. Whether it was her gifted writing, Bano was a highly intelligent woman but her spiritualism or her call for tolerance and frequently chose to hide in Ashfaq’s shadow, selflessness that brought her fame, she continues sometimes deflecting focus off herself and on to to be memorialized as one of the foremost female him. Theirs was a powerful union, if an odd one. Urdu novel and storywriters in modern times. He supported her writing, but on his terms. He’s famously said to have hired a maid to cook for the family so she could focus on her novel but allowed her to indulge her creative passion only

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