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Feminism in Pakistan: Resistance, Backlash, and Struggle

Khadija-tul-Kubra

Khadija-tul-Kubra, CSS aspirant and writer, is a student of Sir Syed Kazim Ali.

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25 August 2025

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This editorial explores why feminist movements in Pakistan encounter intense backlash from both state institutions and conservative social forces. While advocating for gender justice, movements such as the Aurat March are often labeled anti-religious or foreign-funded. The article examines how patriarchal structures, politicized narratives, religious nationalism, and weak legal implementation contribute to suppressing feminist voices. Ultimately, it argues that the struggle for women’s rights is intricately linked to broader challenges of authoritarianism and social injustice.

Feminism in Pakistan: Resistance, Backlash, and Struggle

Despite decades of advocacy, feminist movements in Pakistan continue to face institutional resistance and societal backlash. From crackdowns on protests to targeted smear campaigns, women’s rights activists encounter formidable challenges in their struggle for gender justice. This editorial explores the historical and socio-political roots of these hostilities. Moreover, it examines the role of the state and public discourse in shaping resistance and argues that the backlash against feminism is deeply tied to questions of power, tradition, and patriarchal control. Ultimately, the road to gender equality in Pakistan cannot be paved without confronting the systemic forces that suppress feminist voices.

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To begin with, feminism in Pakistan has never existed in isolation from the larger socio-political landscape. It has evolved within a society shaped by colonial legacies, military regimes, religious conservatism, and deeply entrenched patriarchal structures. From the early activism of Fatima Jinnah to the bold resistance of the Women’s Action Forum during General Zia’s period of Islamization, Pakistani feminists have always stood at the intersection of gender rights and political resistance. However, as each wave of the feminist movement emerged, particularly the recent campaigns like the Aurat March, the state and society responded with heightened and often coordinated backlash.

Furthermore, the increasing visibility of feminist demands, whether regarding bodily autonomy, legal reforms, or workplace harassment, has not only sparked public debate but also triggered state-sponsored surveillance, arbitrary arrests, and digital vilification. Movements that advocate for women’s rights are frequently accused of promoting foreign ideologies or undermining traditional family values. Consequently, it becomes essential to explore why feminist discourse is treated as a threat and what this reveals about the political and ideological foundations of the Pakistani state.

First and foremost, feminism is often perceived as a direct challenge to patriarchal control and existing social hierarchies. At its core, feminism calls for an equal redistribution of power across various dimensions of life including family, religion, education, media, and governance. In Pakistani society, where power structures are heavily tilted in favor of male authority and built on the foundations of family honor, feminism is seen as deeply unsettling. The very idea that women can and should have agency over their own bodies, careers, and choices is met with unease by those who benefit from these imbalanced systems.

For instance, slogans used in feminist marches such as “Mera Jism Meri Marzi,” which translates to “My body, my choice,” have often been deliberately misinterpreted as vulgar or anti-religious. In reality, these slogans aim to highlight serious issues such as marital rape, forced pregnancies, and sexual violence, which are rarely addressed in mainstream discourse. The backlash against such phrases is not simply a matter of semantics but rather reflects a deeper anxiety about losing control over how womanhood is defined, enforced, and regulated in public and private life.

In addition to this, the feminist movement is increasingly politicized and criminalized. The Pakistani state, which has historically viewed grassroots movements as potential threats to national stability, tends to respond to feminist activism with hostility and suppression. When women organize public demonstrations or speak out against systemic inequalities, they are often met with disproportionate scrutiny, legal intimidation, and online harassment. In some notable cases, the organizers of the Aurat March have had First Information Reports filed against them based on entirely fabricated allegations of blasphemy or indecency.

Moreover, the state has failed to protect feminist voices from attacks by non-state actors. Feminist journalists and activists such as Marvi Sirmed and Gulalai Ismail have faced death threats, slander, and in some instances, forced exile. Rather than acting as a neutral entity upholding democratic freedoms, the state has at times appeared complicit in silencing dissent. Conservative groups are often allowed to disrupt marches, vandalize banners, and incite violence without fear of accountability. This alignment between state institutions and reactionary elements delegitimizes feminist activism by framing it as radical, foreign-funded, or destabilizing to the social order.

Another key factor is the role of religious nationalism in casting feminism as un-Islamic. In Pakistan, religion is tightly interwoven with national identity and political legitimacy. As a result, any discourse that challenges traditional gender roles is frequently accused of violating Islamic values. Right-wing religious factions often capitalize on this sentiment, accusing feminists of spreading immorality and undermining cultural values. By portraying feminism as an existential threat to religion and morality, these groups are able to mobilize mass opposition and frame the movement as an alien ideology incompatible with Islamic teachings.

This ideological framing allows the state to deflect responsibility by citing religious sensitivities. At the same time, it mobilizes large segments of the public, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas, where traditional norms prevail and access to education is limited. Consequently, feminist activism is met with hostility not just from state authorities but also from the very communities it seeks to uplift. Moreover, successive governments, both civilian and military, have used religion as a tool to consolidate political control. By aligning with clerical factions, they reinforce a cultural framework in which women are expected to be modest, obedient, and silent, which directly contradicts feminist goals of autonomy and agency.

Furthermore, media representation has played a significant role in mischaracterizing feminist movements. Mainstream media outlets often sensationalize feminist events, focusing on isolated incidents or provocative slogans without offering context. As a result, the broader goals of the movement are obscured, and the public perception of feminism becomes distorted. Talk shows frequently pit feminist representatives against conservative clerics or celebrities, turning serious discussions into polarizing debates aimed at entertainment rather than enlightenment.

In addition, elite-driven NGOs and corporations sometimes co-opt feminist language for branding purposes or donor-driven campaigns, stripping it of its political significance. While these campaigns might appear progressive on the surface, they rarely engage with the structural issues of class, labor, or violence that grassroots feminists emphasize. This selective appropriation of feminist discourse waters down its impact and fosters public confusion about what feminism truly entails. In this environment, many people begin to equate feminism with Westernization or moral decay, which further alienates the movement from broader public support.

On the legislative front, Pakistan has indeed enacted some progressive laws, such as those addressing harassment in the workplace and gender-based violence. However, the implementation of these laws remains inconsistent and often superficial. Police departments, the judiciary, and government institutions are frequently influenced by the same patriarchal biases that feminism seeks to challenge. Consequently, women face immense difficulties when seeking justice. Filing harassment complaints, accessing legal aid, or obtaining protection orders often becomes a bureaucratic nightmare, particularly for women from marginalized communities.

In rural areas, the situation is even more dire. Informal justice systems such as jirgas and panchayats often operate parallel to the formal legal system and impose draconian punishments that violate women's rights. For example, women are sometimes forced into marriage to settle tribal disputes or punished for speaking out against abuse. Feminist demands for structural reforms in policing, legal access, education, and media representation are often met with indifference or active hostility. At best, token measures are introduced that offer symbolic progress without altering the deeper foundations of inequality. At worst, the state actively undermines feminist initiatives through surveillance, censorship, or collaboration with conservative actors.

Taken together, these patterns indicate that the backlash against feminism is not merely cultural or religious but deeply political. Feminist activism challenges not only misogyny but also authoritarianism, feudal power, and elite privilege. This makes it a target for both state and non-state actors who benefit from maintaining existing hierarchies. As long as feminism continues to ask uncomfortable questions about who holds power, whose voices matter, and what justice really means, it will face resistance. However, this resistance is also a sign of the movement’s growing relevance and its potential to transform Pakistani society from the ground up.

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The backlash against feminism in Pakistan, therefore, reveals a deeper political logic. Suppressing feminist movements helps preserve not just gender-based inequalities but also broader authoritarian structures. The state’s alliance with patriarchal and religious forces is not coincidental. It is a deliberate strategy to silence voices that demand redistribution of power, autonomy, and justice. Feminist calls for bodily autonomy, freedom of expression, and legal rights do not merely challenge cultural taboos. Rather, they expose systemic failures in governance, law enforcement, and democracy itself. Hence, the resistance they encounter is not only about gender, but about preserving a system that is fundamentally unequal.

In conclusion, the feminist struggle in Pakistan remains one of the most critical yet most misunderstood movements in the country’s contemporary landscape. While the state and large segments of society continue to frame feminism as a threat to national, religious, or cultural identity, the truth is that feminist movements are striving for what every just and democratic society should uphold, which is equality, dignity, and justice. The backlash they face reveals how deeply power and ideology are invested in maintaining gender hierarchies. Therefore, unless Pakistan confronts its patriarchal foundations and the state's complicity in reinforcing them, feminism will remain restrained and under siege. However, its voice will continue to rise, unyielding and resolute, because the quest for justice can be delayed but never extinguished.

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25 August 2025

Written By

Khadija-tul-Kubra

BS English

Student | Author

Reviewed by

Sir Syed Kazim Ali

English Teacher

The following are the references used in the editorial “Feminism in Pakistan: Resistance, Backlash, and Struggle”.

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