In the shadows of the towering Himalayas, Hindu Kush, and Karakoram mountains, where rivers flow with a whispered promise of progress, lies a region where half of the population remains politically muted, their voices drowned by the echoes of patriarchy. Gilgit-Baltistan, a land of breathtaking beauty and untapped human potential, is also a place where women’s political aspirations are routinely marginalized, their leadership potential locked away, and their right to representation pushed to the periphery.
By and large, women in Gilgit-Baltistan continue to be confined within rigid patriarchal frameworks, where their identities are shaped by social conventions and established patterns that restrict autonomy and agency. This pervasive system perpetuates the notion that women’s existence is contingent upon validation from the dominant narrative, limiting their access to spaces of power and decision-making.
The dismal underrepresentation of women in politics exposes the region’s profound democratic deficit, a harsh reality that imperils the very fabric of governance. Despite constituting approximately 46 percent of registered voters, women’s representation in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly remains woefully inadequate, with only a handful of reserved seats occupied by women. This exclusion has severe consequences, as women’s perspectives and priorities are systematically marginalized in policy formulation, reinforcing patriarchal hegemony and entrenching structural inequalities.
The quota system, originally designed to promote women’s political participation, has paradoxically created a complex dilemma. It has cultivated the perception that women are only viable within reserved seats, thereby undermining their credibility in leadership roles. As a result, women who contest outside the quota system are effectively sidelined, while those occupying reserved seats often face questions about their capacity and legitimacy. The ability of women elected on reserved seats to meaningfully represent women’s interests and influence policymaking remains under intense public scrutiny, and in many cases their role is reduced to symbolic tokenism.
Furthermore, the repeated allocation of quota seats to a select few has fostered patronage-based politics, where women’s representation is tied more closely to party hierarchies than to the will of the electorate.
Countries such as Rwanda and New Zealand demonstrate that meaningful change is possible. Rwanda currently has the highest proportion of women parliamentarians in the world, with women holding over 60 percent of seats in the lower house. New Zealand, operating under a proportional representation system, has consistently maintained high levels of women’s parliamentary participation. These examples illustrate that with the right policies and political will, women’s inclusion can be transformed into a cornerstone of democratic governance.
In Pakistan, political parties are legally required under Section 206 of the Elections Act, 2017, to allocate five percent of general seats to women. Yet implementation remains weak, with many parties failing to embrace this provision, thereby preserving the status quo of exclusionary politics.
It is imperative that political parties adhere to the law, shatter the glass ceiling, and create genuine pathways for women’s leadership rather than confining them to symbolic quotas. A paradigm shift is needed, one that prioritizes merit-based participation, education, and institutional reform. Such a shift would enable women to enter public life based on their capabilities and contributions, ensuring their perspectives are organically integrated into policymaking processes.
Pakistan, a nation that produced the first Muslim woman Prime Minister, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, must now translate this legacy into tangible progress for women in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The women of this region are not asking for favors; they are demanding their rightful place in the corridors of power. Their participation is not optional, it is fundamental to sustainable development and participatory governance.
The future of Gilgit-Baltistan hangs in the balance. The women of this region will no longer be silenced.
The contributor is a governance and public policy practitioner, and a political activist
