Historically, Muslim reformers, such as Syed Ahmad Khan, tried to bring education to women, limit polygamy, and empower women in other ways through education. The founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, was known to have a positive attitude towards women.

After the independence of Pakistan, women’s groups and feminist organizations started by prominent leaders, like Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, started to form that worked to eliminate socio-economic injustices against women in the country.

Muslim women leaders from all classes actively supported the Pakistan movement in the mid-1940s led by Quaid e Azam. Their movement was led by wives and other relatives of leading politicians. Some like Syeda Safia Begum of Muslim Town Lahore started the first English School for Muslim Children in Muslim Town in 1935.

Other active women leaders who promoted girls’ education were begum Rana liaqat Ali Khan, Salma Zamman, Ms Rahila Khatoon Shirwani (opened Sir Syed college Karachi), Mrs Majid Malik, Begum Shanawaz and a number of others who opened educational institutions all across Pakistan.

Some of the Prominent women who held important posts in Educational field were Begum Mehmuda Salim Khan Minister of Education( 1962 -66), Zobaida Jalal Minister of Women Development and Education (2000- 2007) from Balochistan, Begum Atiya Innayatullah (1987- 2009) and many others.

There is little debate about the importance of higher education in Pakistan’s future. Yet, we often fail to recognize that nearly all institutions of higher education in Pakistan are headed by men.

The pathetic state of leadership in higher education and a lack of women leaders are problematic on multiple fronts. First, it paints a picture of a complex, hierarchical, male-dominated society, where the incoming students are largely female, while the leadership stays in the hands of men. It is also fairly common to see female students outranking their male counterparts in exams and overall university standings particularly medical institutions. Yet, this success and brilliance never get translated into leadership. Out of the 60-plus co-educational institutions listed on the HEC website, only two are headed by women, similar is the case of most of other academic institutions.

At present our educational system is greatly influenced by the Western norms, culture and un-Islamic customs and traditions.

Our future generation is also facing exposure to unethical ways of living through unchecked media. To cope with the emerging contemporary challenges Pakistan is desperately in need of committed, devoted and sincere women leadership in the educational field who have strong faith in their values and would inculcate those values in their future generation. Women Leaders in education directing and guiding youth to work together for the sake of progress, peace and prosperity inspired by Islamic values and teachings.

It is of extreme importance to educate society about rights and honors being ensured by Islam particularly about the range and scope of powers delegated by Islam to all women about their rights of ownership, inheritance and all other due rights as well as making them mindful of their duties towards their families which must never be ignored in the economic race.

Women are architects of a nation and as leaders in education they have to play a proactive role to establish a sound world order where there is justice and equity between both the genders where they can work together for the stability and prosperity of family — the key institution of the society as well as culminating in the development of a more stable and sublime civilization by means of extensive training and counselling sessions.

Alternatives must be explored for finding practical solutions to the modern era and clarification of doubts about status of women in Islam so as to empower women through education and revolutionize society within the boundaries of our Faith — bringing real prosperity.