Analyzing the Impact of Women Empowerment on Mainstream Politics during Musharraf Regime (1999-2008)

Abstract

This paper explores the impact of women empowerment under the Musharraf regime. It is argued in the paper that women's representation in the parliament was increased in order to improve the image of the military regime at the international level. Thus political empowerment of women was used as an instrument of projecting the liberal orientation of the Musharraf regime. Secondly, this paper also describes the socio-religious circumstances for the application of Musharraf's political reforms. Under these circumstances, Musharraf's regime promoted women’s participation in order to reduce the rising influence of fundamentalism. Thirdly this paper attempts to evaluate the impact of women's participation on mainstream politics in Pakistan. This article further argues that the reservation of seats for women at national and local levels significantly improved their position in politics.