Modernist Trends and varied responses: Reflections on Muslim Women in Urdu Prose by Male authors of South Asia (1900-1936).

Many Indian writers and activists in the 19th century South Asia made the subject of women as central topic as their agenda of cultural reform, expressing the same concern, above all, through the newly available medium of print. The main objectives of these writings were to check the decadence and resuscitate the values which had gone dormant. In order to do that, a few authors supported the British and others criticized it and tried to find out the solution in the religious or traditional education. Whether Hindus or Muslims, they were now seen at least in part as colonial collaborators. These are, above all, people who internalized the Orientalist argument that Indian traditions had fallen into decay and stagnation, and prescribed the western education necessary for their revitalization. Education for women, in particular, was not catered for. This paper argues that Urdu journalism was the dynamic tool for persuading the common people to educate their female folk to enable them to face the changed socio-political circumstance, which had impinged upon the traditional family structure. The development of that new literature focusing on Muslim women pointed to the emergence of Urdu as the common language. It also became the medium of instruction for women. By publishing of various books and journals led to the establishment of the educational institutions and societies. That’s why the Urdu literature with theme centering on women in the latter half of the 19th century also helps us to visualize various aspects of different local cultures, customs, the regional idioms, proverbs and parables that formed the essence of the local language used only by the women. These writings also underscore the emergence of Muslim women from middle echelons as professional ladies.&nbsp

Election Campaign Strategies of PML-N in 2013

This study brings to light the election campaign strategies of political parties in general election 2013 and unveil the response of the voters of Lahore. Through the study of PML-N it is observed that PML –N used candidate based strategy but 43.59% voters of PML-N of Lahore were not inspired by campaign strategies rather they cast their votes because of the party affiliation.71 % voters were inspired by Shahbaz Sharif’s performance in previous Punjab government (2008 to 2013). It is also observed that 60% voters of PML-N did not like the candidate and 65% votersdisliked the campaign tools and cast their vote because of party affiliation. Only 52% voters of PML-N focused on manifesto during the campaign

Female voices in 19th century Urdu prose and Reform movements

In 20th century British India, the debate over the role and status of Muslim women was the attention of the reformers. In the movement for women’s emancipation, the early efforts of reforms were directed towards defining the domestic role of women and dire need was felt to educate them. In a sense, this marks what could be called the beginning of a distinct feminist perspective. In 20th century Urdu literature and journalism male Urdu prose authors represented women problems in their writings due to lack of education and set agenda to provide religious and traditional education to them. The domestic and religious character sketches represented in Urdu writings by male authors were not acceptable to women due to their traditional agenda, they join Urdu Literature to write and represent female voices in a professional way to speak for them