writing_womans_lives_symposium_paper_book_v2

woman from Punjab who played a fundamental and revolutionary role in educating the Muslim girls
of the province. 2 She herself was initially a teacher, but later became the first female Muslim
journalist in India and then served as the editor of the magazine for women, ‘Sharif Bibi. She was an
educationist, also served as an inspector of Girls Schools in Bombay during 1930s. However, her
major contribution was establishing Jinnah Islamia Girls College on her own property at Nawan Kot,
Lahore, in 1938. Her school played a vital role in creating political awareness among women. This
was a great service to a lot of Muslim girls who got education and served the cause of Pakistan in the
later years. 3 Fatima Begum’s role was crucial in motivating the students of her college. She invited
the girls from North West Frontier Province (NWFP) including Nazir Niaz to get education in her
College. 4 Miss Khudija Feroz‐ud‐din (1895‐1969), Begum Amna Ghani Ghuman of the Punjab also
extended same type of services to educate the daughters of Muslim families.
Education spread among females of lower‐income groups in urban areas of Sindh and NWFP again
through private ventures. Nusrat Abdullah Haroon and Sughra Hidayatullah of Sindh, not only got
education but also taught others. Nazir Niaz of NWFP who got education from the college of
FatimaBegum, was among the first ladies of the province who propagated the idea of Pakistan
among her students at Government school, Peshawar. 5 Khanzadi Zari Sarfraz of Mardan, NWFP, who
got religious education, regularly arranged female gatherings and gave them message of
independence. 6 Begum Saeeda Qazi Mohammad Isa, wife of Qazi Mohammad Isa, was the first
among Baloch women who spread awareness in her province. She helped her husband for the
establishment of the Muslim League (ML) in Balochistan as well.
Many women started work with individual effort for general awakening of Muslim women across
all classes and later as a force under the ML flag. The work done under both capacities was important
and effective. Overall girls’ education helped mobilization of women in social life, and later the
Pakistan movement made them politically active. 7
Establishment of women’s political organizations
Muslim women of various present Pakistani areas, who gradually got awareness of the deprived
conditions of the Muslims, established Political Organizations including Provincial Women Branches
of the ML, branches of the Muslim Girls National Guard (MGNG) and branches of the Muslims Girls
Students Federation (MGSF), with the support of their male counterparts in the 1930s and the 1940s.
Role in the Pakistan movement
The awareness which was created among the women of present Pakistani areas bore fruit during
last three or four years of independence movement, i.e. 1945‐1947. This section of the paper deals
with the question how politically motivated women successfully spread the message of Pakistan
among other Muslim women within few years and prepared them to participate in active politics. It
seeks that popular activism of the Muslim women was one of the major factors to establish Pakistan.
1. Spread of the ideology of Pakistan
Educated Muslim women helped in conveying the idea of Pakistan among common Muslim
women while following different methods. Many Pakistan Conferences were organized by the PMSF
in coordination with PMGSF from 1941 to 1944 to popularize the idea of Pakistan among masses.
Many Pakistan Conferences were held from 1941 to 1944 at different cities. MGSF helped and
supported PMSF to make the conferences successful in most of the cases.
Separate meetings of women were also arranged by them. The girl students also talked to the
gatherings where males and females were present. 8
The ideology of Pakistan was spread by the women Muslim League activists to the house‐wives of
lower classes. The ideology of Pakistan was that Muslims of India were a separate nation so they
needed a separate homeland where Muslim could form their government and introduce Islamic way
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