In the 1990s, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was viewed as a centre-right party with conservative perspectives about women’s role in society. Despite the presence of prominent female representatives in parliament like Zakia Shahnawaz Khan, Tehmina Daultana, and Syeda Abida Hussain during that era, the perception of the party’s stance on women’s issues persisted.
A clear shift in this perception was marked under the leadership of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz during a critical period of political upheaval. In 2000, when the entire party leadership was incarcerated, Begum Kulsoom Nawaz rallied party workers to struggle against the military dictatorship of General Pervez Musharraf, who overthrew the elected government of Mian Nawaz Sharif in October 1999.
Musharraf criticised both PML-N and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in his speeches but faced no significant opposition. Benazir Bhutto was in exile and PPP’s condemnation of the military takeover did not go beyond statements. At that time, Begum Kulsoom became an icon of resistance as she confronted General Musharraf through street protests. She also worked behind the scenes and ensured the release of Mian Nawaz Sharif, Mian Shehbaz Sharif, and others who had been hauled into jails after the military coup.
Begum Kulsoom became an icon of resistance as she confronted General Musharraf through street protests. She also worked behind the scenes and ensured the release of Mian Nawaz Sharif, Mian Shehbaz Sharif, and others who had been hauled into jails after the military coup.
When talking about women politicians associated with PML-N, one cannot ignore the legacy of veterans like Begum Najma Hameed, Tahira Aurangzeb, Saba Sadiq and Nuzhat Sadiq, who paved the way for a new wave of dynamic female politicians. Building upon the strong groundwork established by these trailblazers, the party has nurtured a cadre of young female leaders who are now assuming important roles and continuing the mission of their predecessors.
Marriyum Aurangzeb was elected to the National Assembly on a reserved seat in 2013 but quickly proved her worth as a party worker and politician. She was first appointed minister of state for information and broadcasting in October 2016 in Mian Nawaz Sharif’s cabinet. After his disqualification in the Panama Papers Case, his subsequent resignation, and the disbandment of his cabinet in July 2017, Marriyum was re-appointed to this position by the succeeding prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who later elevated her to the position of federal minister for information and broadcasting in April 2018. Marriyum Aurangzeb became the official spokesperson of PML-N in June 2018 and has since served the party and the country with great dedication.
Ayesha Raza Farooq is another young leader who was first elected to the National Assembly on a reserved seat for women in 2013. In November of the same year, she was appointed as the prime minister’s focal person on polio eradication. She resigned from the National Assembly in 2015 and was elected to the Senate the same year on a reserved seat for women. In March 2018, she was awarded Sitara-i-Imtiaz in recognition of her services for polio eradication in Pakistan. Currently, she is serving as chairperson of the National Commission on the Rights of Child.
Romina Khurshid Alam was elected as MNA on a reserved seat for women in 2013 and again in 2018. She was appointed special assistant to the prime minister on 10 June 2022 and served until August 2023. She was also the convener of the Parliamentary Taskforce on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and represented Pakistan at the Fourth Global Conference on Strengthening Synergies between the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Agenda 2023. She reached these positions through hard work and sheer determination.
Shaista Pervaiz Malik started her political career on a reserved seat for women in the National Assembly in 2013 and was re-elected in 2018. After the death of her husband Pervaiz Malik, also a PML-N MNA, she resigned from her reserved seat and contested in the by-election from her late husband’s constituency in December 2021, which she won. She returned to the National Assembly in 2024 on a reserved seat.
In 2015, PML-N nominated MPA Rahila Hameed Khan Durrani for the position of speaker of the Balochistan Assembly, to which she was elected unopposed. This was the first time a woman served in this position in Balochistan.
The PML-N awarded Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar the party’s ticket to contest the by-election in NA-75, a seat that fell vacant after the demise of her father, PML-N MNA Syed Iftikhar Ul Hassan in August 2020. The by-election for this seat was first held on 19 February 2021 but was marred by violent clashes and the disappearance of 20 presiding officers. The Election Commission of Pakistan declared the by-election null and void on the appeal of Syeda Nosheen and held a re-election on 10 April 2021, in which she secured a decisive victory against her opponent, PTI’s Ali Asjad Malhi. Syeda Nosheen was re-elected to this seat in the 2024 general election and is currently serving as MNA. She also serves as president of PML-N’s Women Wing in Punjab.
In March 2023, Hina Pervaiz Butt was appointed as the youth coordinator of Lahore District. Tasked with the challenge of mobilising the youth in this sprawling metropolitan area, she reached every corner and performed her job remarkably well.
Sobia Shahid first entered the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly (KP) on a reserved seat in 2013. She emerged as the most active female lawmaker in the year ending in May 2015 by raising 89 questions and moving a call-to-attention motion. She returned to the KP Assembly in 2018 and again in 2024 amid intense harassment from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members when she waved a watch on the assembly floor to indicate PTI leader Imran Khan’s embezzlement of state gifts. Though she was lauded for her immense courage in the face of objectionable behaviour by fellow lawmakers, the incident highlighted the kind of atmosphere women lawmakers encounter in the workplace.
Shaza Fatima Khawaja is another success story of a young, educated woman choosing the field of politics to make her mark. Niece of PML-N stalwart and current defence minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, she was first elected to the National Assembly on a reserved seat for women in 2013, the youngest parliamentarian at the time at less than 25 years of age. Due to her active participation in the parliamentary business, she was elected general secretary of the Young Parliamentarians Forum in the National Assembly and has participated in organising various national and international conferences. In 2017, she served as parliamentary secretary for the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, and Textile. She was again elected to the National Assembly on a reserved seat in 2018 and remained an active opposition member. When the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s government took charge, she was appointed special assistant to the prime minister on youth affairs in the federal cabinet of then-Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in May 2022 – a role she performed with great dedication until the term of the assembly expired in August 2023. In the 2024 election, she returned to the National Assembly on a reserved seat for women and has been inducted into the federal cabinet as minister of state for information technology and telecommunication.
The daughter of a dedicated political worker Begum Sardar Khadim Hussain, Raheela Khadim Hussain has been active in politics since the 2000s, when she first contested the election of the Union Council nazim in 2005. The defeat in the election did not defeat her spirit. She continued her political work and first entered the Punjab Assembly in 2008 to return to the assembly in each subsequent election on a reserved seat for women. She has served as chairperson of the standing committee on gender mainstreaming and contributed to legislation for the empowerment of women during 2013-2018. In 2023, she was appointed organiser of PML-N’s Minority Wing and mobilised minority members from across Punjab to join party ranks.
The most renowned among PML-N women is Maryam Nawaz who stood by her mother, Kulsoom Nawaz, as she waged a campaign against dictatorship in 1999 and 2000, a role that she replicated from 2018 onwards when Mian Nawaz Sharif, Mian Shehbaz Sharif, and other party leaders were incarcerated in politically motivated cases.
Whether nominated on reserved seats or elected directly on general seats, PML-N women have consistently demonstrated their excellence as lawmakers and agents of change. The female members of PML-N have continually debunked the stereotype that women occupying reserved seats are less effective.
Although Maryam Nawaz had the advantage of being the daughter of PML-N’s founder, she worked hard for more than a decade and proved her worth before being nominated as chief minister of Punjab. None of the scions of the Sharif clan had the charisma or succeeded in rallying workers and supporters as Maryam Nawaz did. The party had other strong candidates for the position of chief minister, yet it chose Maryam Nawaz to lead the largest province of Pakistan, giving a strong message that women’s empowerment is a priority for PML-N.
To assist Maryam Nawaz in this onerous task, Marriyum Aurangzeb chose to not return to the National Assembly and took oath as a member of the Punjab Assembly instead. She was inducted into Punjab’s cabinet as senior minister with the portfolios of Planning and Development, Environment Protection and Climate Change, Forestry, Fisheries & Wildlife, also including Chief Minister’s Special Initiatives.
Since she assumed office, Maryam Nawaz has announced several steps to empower women. On 8 March, she launched a women’s safety phone application run by Punjab Police, which has detailed guidance and access to safety resources for women. In addition, she announced an increase in the job quota of women in the Punjab Public Service Commission from 10 per cent to 15 per cent. In her inaugural speech as chief minister, Maryam Nawaz announced the construction of hostels for working women in major cities and inclusive infrastructure in public buildings, such as separate washrooms and daycare centres. On Women’s Day, she indicated that one billion rupees would be allocated for this purpose. She vowed to enact and enforce strict legislation to eradicate domestic employment of young girls across Punjab. While talking about sports, she specifically highlighted the need to reserve time for women in stadiums and gymnasiums.
Maryam Nawaz brings with her a woman’s perspective to the powerful office of Punjab’s chief minister. Just her presence in this position has shifted the gaze to the neglect women face at various levels. In the post-MeToo era, she is the first public office holder in Pakistan to call harassment of women her red line. Maryam Nawaz is not only affecting policies and shifting the narratives but is challenging public perception and serving as a role model by her presence alone.
Whether nominated on reserved seats or elected directly on general seats, PML-N women have consistently demonstrated their excellence as lawmakers and agents of change. The female members of PML-N have continually debunked the stereotype that women occupying reserved seats are less effective.
