writing_womans_lives_symposium_paper_book_v2

of life. Khalida Rathor, a student of Jinnah Islamia College for Girls and her teachers especially Miss
Siddiqui convincingly countered the negative propaganda of Congress women against the Two‐
Nation theory. It had great impact on Muslim females and they developed understanding of the
Muslim nationalism. In 1944‐45, Khalida along with her teacher and a peon of the college, would go
to the walled city of Lahore on daily basis. While in complete Purdah, they used to knock each and
every door. Fahmida Begum was another example in this regard. 9
Muslim women of Sindh and NWFP also propagated the idea of Pakistan among the females of
their provinces. They initiated their work from the urban areas. 10 Later, they visited far‐off areas of
their provinces and assured the women of abolishing Jagirdari system in the new country and of
having better status in the society. 11
Besides speeches, other methods of propaganda including distribution of the ML literature,
observation of Pakistan Days were used by the female workers of the League. At some places, songs
in favour of Pakistan were composed and sung at the women gatherings. The variety of methods
inspired the illiterate women a lot and message could easily be conveyed to them. 12
Propaganda of students and the ML Women workers had created a sense of nationalism among
the women. Now the women of middle and lower middle classes could not only talk about Pakistan,
but also were ready to set aside their home assignments for national cause. All India Muslim Women
Subcommittee of the Muslim League, which consisted of the sisters and wives of the League’s
politicians in the early days 13 had been converted into the Party of thousands of females of different
classes.
2. 1945‐46 elections
The elections were crucial for the achievement of Pakistan. The elections were the acid test of
what Jinnah had been arguing. The responsibility of reaching to the female folk of the society was
taken by the girl students and female workers of the ML. They were the most relevant persons of the
society who could convince the women voters of urban and rural areas to cast vote to the cause of
the ML, which was in fact, vote for Pakistan.
The women of the Punjab organized the female gatherings in mohalas and streets of cities and
villages. Besides developing awareness among the women of Lahore, female workers of the Muslim
League visited small cities for the same cause. Female students also did the great service. The value
system, the norms of society etc. did not permit the girls to go out of their homes openly, so they
always were clad in burqas. Central WML sent a female delegate to NWFP in November 1945 to give
training to females of the Frontier. The delegate of WML went to Mardan where Khanzadi Zari
Sarfraz had arranged a very big female gathering of about 4000 women of various classes. It was for
the first time in the history of Pathans such a big gathering of women that was held. Khanzadi
expressed women’s confidence in the Quaid‐i‐Azam. Begum Shireen Wahab, a very good debater,
visited many places of NWFP including rural areas to spread the message of Pakistan among Muslim
ladies. The simple, uneducated ladies were convinced gradually. 14 The same type of effort was
extended by the women of Sindh.
Muslim females had generally been more loyal to the ML than the males. The record of the polling
revealed that hundred percent female votes in the Punjab and larger votes in other present Pakistani
Provinces were polled in favour of the ML.
3. Civil disobedience movement, 1947
The next daring step of the women was their struggle and sacrifices during the Civil Disobedience
Movement (CDM), which was initiated against anti‐Muslim League government of the Punjab, led by
Khizer Hayat Khan of the Unionist Party. 15 The first women procession, during CDM, was taken out on
the 25th January 1947. Girl students, as instructed by Miss Siddiqui, came out of their college while
wearing veils and holding ML flag. Almost 100 girls of Islamia College attended the first day’s
224