The military rule of General Zia ul-Haq, former President of Pakistan, had significant political repercussions for the country. Islamisation policies were far more pronounced and control over women became the key marker of the state’s adherence to religious norms. Women’s rights activists mobilised as a result, campaigning to reverse oppressive policies and redefine the relationship between state, society and Islam. Their calls for a liberal democracy led them to be targeted and suppressed. This is a history of the modern women’s movement in Pakistan.