Team Republic Policy

Women have actively participated in parliamentary politics since Pakistan’s independence in 1947. Still, their representation remained low until the introduction of quota systems for reserved seats in the constitution and electoral laws. There has been an acknowledged criticism of the reserved seats for women; however, it is more than a welcome step keeping in mind the obstructive participation of women in Pakistani politics. 

• The current constitution of Pakistan reserves 60 seats for women in the National Assembly (17%) and 17 seats for women in the Senate (16.5%). These seats are allocated to political parties according to their share of general seats in each province. Women can also contest general elections directly without any discrimination.
• The quota system has increased the number and diversity of women parliamentarians, who have played a significant role in legislation, policy-making, assembly business and political administration. Women parliamentarians have initiated and supported bills on issues such as violence against women, honour killings, child marriage, reproductive health, education, social welfare and human rights.
• Women parliamentarians have also contributed to peace and conflict resolution in Pakistan by engaging in dialogue with various stakeholders, promoting tolerance and harmony, and advocating for the rights and interests of marginalized groups such as minorities, refugees and internally displaced persons.

However, women parliamentarians also face many challenges and constraints, such as patriarchal norms and attitudes, lack of resources and support, security threats and harassment, and limited access to information and research. These factors affect their effectiveness and influence in parliament and politics. Therefore, it is critical to enhance the capacity and empowerment of women parliamentarians in Pakistan by providing adequate training, mentoring, networking, research and analysis services, and institutional mechanisms to support their engagement on national and global issues.

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Dr Sherien Mazari is a former Pakistani politician who served as the Federal Minister for Human Rights from 2018 to 2022. She is also a human rights activist, academic, journalist, and editor. She has been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan since 2013, representing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party.

As a PTI politician, Mazari was one of the close aides of Imran Khan, the party’s founder and former prime minister. She held various positions in the party, such as information secretary, spokesperson, central vice president, and chief whip. She was also in charge of the party’s foreign policy and defence affairs. She supported Khan’s vision of a “Naya Pakistan” (New Pakistan) based on populism, welfarism, egalitarianism, Islamic democracy, and civic nationalism. She was a staunch supporter of Imran Khan and PTI until she left the party in May 2023 under extraordinary circumstances.

As a parliamentarian from 2018 to 2022, Mazari was elected to a reserved seat for women from Punjab province. She was appointed as the Federal Minister for Human Rights in August 2018 and served until April 2022. During her tenure as the minister, she introduced several bills and initiatives to protect and promote human rights in Pakistan, such as the Zainab Alert Bill, the Domestic Violence Bill, the Torture and Custodial Death Bill, the Child Marriage Restraint Bill, the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, the National Commission on the Rights of Child Act, and the National Commission on the Status of Women Act. She also advocated for the rights of religious minorities, refugees, prisoners, women, children, transgender people, and persons with disabilities. She raised her voice against enforced disappearances, torture, extrajudicial killings, violence against women and girls, child abuse, forced conversions, blasphemy laws, and other human rights violations in Pakistan.

As a woman parliamentarian, Mazari faced many challenges and threats from conservative and extremist forces in Pakistan who opposed her progressive and liberal views on human rights. She was often criticized and harassed by her political opponents and some sections of the media for her outspokenness and boldness. She was also subjected to sexist and derogatory remarks by some male politicians and religious leaders who questioned her temperament and integrity. Despite these obstacles, Mazari continued to fight for human rights and democracy in Pakistan with courage and determination. She inspired many other women to join politics and activism and to raise their voices against injustice and oppression.

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As a human rights minister, Mazari played a vital role in revamping the human rights ministry and developing the cause of human rights in Pakistan in terms of awareness, legislation, administration and execution. She increased the budget and staff of the ministry and established provincial offices to monitor and address human rights issues at the grassroots level. She also launched awareness campaigns and training programs on human rights for various stakeholders such as police officers, judges, lawyers, journalists, teachers, students, civil society groups, and government officials. She collaborated with national and international human rights organizations and institutions to seek their support and guidance on improving the human rights situation in Pakistan. She also represented Pakistan at various regional and global forums on human rights, such as the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), and the Commonwealth of Nations. She highlighted Pakistan’s achievements and challenges to human rights and defended its sovereignty and interests against any external interference or pressure.

As a legislator, Dr Mazari has been involved in various parliamentary committees and caucuses, such as the National Security Committee, the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir, the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus, and the Parliamentary Task Force on Sustainable Development Goals. She has also introduced and supported several bills and resolutions on human rights, foreign policy, national security, and constitutional issues.

Her notable legislative initiatives include the Zainab Alert Bill, the Domestic Violence Bill, the Torture and Custodial Death Bill, and the resolution to condemn India’s illegal annexation of Kashmir.

As a politician and activist, Dr Mazari was a staunch supporter of PTI’s vision and agenda for change and reform in Pakistan. She had been one of PTI’s key spokespersons and strategists, especially on foreign policy and national security matters. She has also mobilized public support and participation for PTI’s political campaigns and movements, such as the 2014 Azadi March and the 2016 Panama Papers protests. She has also been vocal in criticizing the policies and performance of the previous governments and opposition parties on various issues, such as corruption, governance, economy, and diplomacy.

Dr Mazari is not only a politician but also an academician, journalist, and author. She has a PhD in political science from Columbia University. She has taught at Quaid-i-Azam University as an associate professor and Department of Defense and Strategic Studies. She has also headed the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad as its director-general. She has written several books and research papers on nuclear deterrence, regional security, foreign policy, and strategic culture. She has also been the editor-in-chief of The Nation newspaper and a columnist for various national and international publications.

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Dr Mazari is widely regarded as one of Pakistan’s most influential and prominent women leaders. She has received several awards and honours for her contributions to politics, human rights, academia, journalism, and literature. Some of these include the Nishan-e-Imtiaz (the highest civilian award in Pakistan), the Sitara-e-Imtiaz (the third-highest civilian award in Pakistan), the Pride of Performance (a civil award for excellence in arts), the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (a civil award for excellence in public service), the Benazir Women Excellence Award (an award for women empowerment), and the Woman of Substance Award (an award for women achievers).

Dr Mazari is an intellectual asset of Pakistan who is instrumental in wider aspects of public life. Her departure from politics is a national political loss weakening at least symbolically women’s empowerment and participation.