Pakistani Music Silences Women Beyond the Voice

A writer explores the underrepresentation of women in Pakistan’s music industry, noting a disparity between talented female singers and the lack of female instrumentalists, composers, and music executives. While Pakistan has celebrated iconic female vocalists like Noor Jehan and Iqbal Bano, women are largely absent from technical and leadership roles in music. This isn’t a formal ban, but a structural condition rooted in history and social norms.

Before 1947, Lahore fostered a vibrant musical landscape where women, particularly miraasans, actively participated. However, British Victorian morality and post-Partition societal shifts devalued female performers, associating them with prostitution and limiting their access to professional spaces. The traditional gharana system, with its patrilineal lineage, further excludes women from transmitting musical knowledge and earning titles like Ustad.

Despite these challenges, a new generation of women are emerging as producers, songwriters, and performers, leveraging digital platforms to bypass traditional barriers. Organizations like Lahore Music Meet, founded and directed by women, are actively building infrastructure to support female musicians and foster a more inclusive industry.