Abstract
On women issues, the response of democratically elected governments of Pakistan Peoples Party
Parliamentarian (PPPP) and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), remained vague and noncommittal. Both parties in their manifestos for general elections, vowed to take steps for women
socio-economic and political empowerment. However, after assuming power, these parties could
not fullfill their promises. They could neither enact appropriate legislation on women issues nor
they repealed or amended gender discriminatory Hudood Ordinance of Zia-ul-Haq. More so,
these two leading parties failed to restore the expired women quota in National and Provincial
Assemblies, resulting in insufficient representation in the legislative bodies. Nevertheless, in
comparison with conservative PML (N), the expectations from a liberal Benazir Bhutto to
enforce pro-women policies was more promising. Both parties formed coalition governments,
thus remained incapacitated to enact women related laws. Furthermore, they were confronted
with orthodoxy within and outside the legislative bodies, posing challenges to their political
agendas. Nonetheless, the last two tenures of both parties marked a little difference in their
approach towards women issues, resulting in some serious legislation, targeting women problems
in socio-economic and political domains. It is imperative to say that the effectiveness of these
newly in-placed women related laws and policies has yet to bring change in society as their
proper implementation and required institutionalization is in its infancy stage.
Shehzadi Zamurrad Awan . (2018) Placement of Pakistani Women during Democratic Regimes: 1988-2018, South Asian Studies, Volume 33, Issue 2.
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