WOMEN'S POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN: A CASE STUDY OF SOCIO-POLITICAL CHALLENGES FACED BY FEMALE CANDIDATES WITHIN PTI (2013 2023)

Abstract

This study explores the obstacles experienced by women in the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, emphasising the socio-political and institutional impediments that restrict their full engagement in the political arena. This study uses thematic analysis of secondary data from academic sources, political papers, and reports to show how gendered gatekeeping practices, cultural resistance, and patriarchal norms in PTI make it harder for women to get into important political positions. The study examines the influence of male-dominated decision-making, insufficient money for gender focused programs, and inadequate support for female candidates all of which contribute to the marginalization of women inside the party. The study also examines how PTI's dependence on conservative political coalitions and its failure to enact significant structural changes further constrain women's political agency. The results emphasise the need for PTI to go beyond symbolic gestures and achieve substantive reforms that prioritise women's involvement and leadership within the party.