The 50 percent populace of Pakistan comprises of females. Women have always played an active role in guidance and consultation, may it be any movement, social work, challenging jobs, sports or even military campaigns or politics. A number of examples are on the record of our history where women have been rulers, assisted the rulers in their affairs or have exhibited tremendous intellectual efforts for the reforms and betterment of society.
Participation in the Pakistan Movement was of a great historical significance for Muslim women of the subcontinent who had never participated in such a great numbers in any political movement. It was a befitting culmination of the reformist movements of the late nineteenth century for the emancipation and education of Muslim women. The Khilafat Movement of the 1920s had been the first instance when Muslim women had made their presence felt. With Maulana Shaukat Ali and Muhammad Ali Johar in jail, their mother, Bi Amman, had taken up the cudgels against British imperialism with assistance from her daughter-in-law. She addressed meetings from behind the curtains and travelled to various parts of India to whip up support. Women came to listen to her, and they were motivated to raise funds.
The list of women is quite large who have very significantly elevated the status and grandeur of women by virtue of their devoted efforts and activism for the cause of social welfare, struggle for freedom and Pakistan Movement. These great ladies bore enthusiasm for social uplift and high qualities of leadership, sincerity, intellect, courage and command among their colleagues. They stood hand in hand to offer strong resistance against the British, Hindus and Sikhs. These ladies showed such a great degree of patience; exemplary sacrifice and intellectual expertise that their participation in the politics enabled them to win a respectable place for Muslims of the subcontinent. Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah always guided and encouraged Muslim women and praised them for excellent performance for organization, unity and socio-political services of the Muslims.
SAMINA GHILMAN
Lahore
