By Laiba Laraib
I am Laiba Laraib. I am a daughter, a sister, a mother and a wife and also a Pakistani woman. Like millions of others, I have watched the women around me fight battles that should never have been theirs to fight. From the narrow streets of old Lahore to the valleys of Swat, the story of the Pakistani woman is one of extraordinary resilience—but also of systematic denial.
We have made progress. We have female pilots, judges, and activists like Malala Yousafzai and Asma Jahangir who shook the world. Yet, for every success story, thousands of women are still silenced by laws that favor the powerful, by traditions that confuse culture with religion, and by a society that too often blames the victim.
The Reality on Paper vs. The Street
Pakistan has progressive laws. The Protection of Women Against Harassment at Workplace Act (2010), the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act 2021, and the Domestic Violence Bills in various provinces exist. But a law is only ink on paper until it is enforced. Many women do not report abuse because they fear their families more than the criminal. In rural areas, the jirga (council of elders) still decides a woman’s fate, and “honor” killings, despite being illegal, continue to claim lives.
Education: The Silent Revolution
I believe the single greatest weapon for women’s rights in Pakistan is education. A girl who can read the Quran herself cannot be fooled by a maulvi who twists its words. A girl who passes her matriculation is less likely to be married off as a child bride. According to UNICEF, over 22 million Pakistani children are out of school—and nearly two-thirds are girls. We are not just robbing them of math or science; we are robbing them of the power to say “no.”
The Economic Struggle
My own name, Laiba Laraib, is a reminder that identity matters. Many women in Pakistan are not even given the right to inherit land, even though Islam and Pakistani law guarantee it. They work in the fields for no pay, stitch clothes in cramped rooms, or beg for petty cash from husbands. Financial independence is not a luxury—it is the foundation of dignity. When a woman earns, she can leave an abusive marriage. When she inherits, she can invest in her daughter’s future.
What Needs to Change?
1. Implementation, not just laws: Police stations need gender desks that actually work. Judges need training on gender sensitivity.
2. Ending the culture of compromise: Families often force women to “forgive” abusers for the sake of izzat (honor). We must stop prioritizing family reputation over a woman’s life.
3. Men as allies: Women’s rights are human rights. Fathers must teach sons to respect, brothers must stand with sisters, and husbands must share the home’s load.
4. Digital safety: As more Pakistani women go online, we need stricter action against cyber harassment and doxxing.
A Message from Laiba Laraib
To every girl in Pakistan reading this: Your voice is not a sin. Your ambition is not a flaw. When you speak up for your right to study, to work, to walk freely, and to say no, you are not dishonoring your family—you are honoring your Creator who made you equal.
And to the world: Do not only see Pakistan through headlines of attacks or oppression. See us as we are—fighters, dreamers, and builders. We do not need saving. We need justice.
