FAFEN’s analysis of the Participation Rate Index — which measures the proportion of attended sessions in which a member participated in debate — shows a consistent divergence between the two categories of female MNA. General-seat female MNAs, who contested and won open constituency elections, recorded a higher debate participation rate than reserved-seat female MNAs.

How this is measured

The Participation Rate Index (PRI) is calculated as the number of plenary debates in which a member spoke divided by the number of sittings the member attended. A PRI of 1.0 means a member spoke at every sitting attended; a PRI of 0 means the member attended sessions but never took the floor. FAFEN calculates PRI separately for reserved-seat and general-seat members. Verbal participation is based on verbatim proceedings records published by the National Assembly secretariat. Supplementary questions during Question Hour are not included, as this information is not documented in the Daily Bulletin.

Why this matters in parliamentary terms

Pakistan’s parliamentary system provides for a specific reserved quota for women — currently 60 of 336 National Assembly seats — allocated to parties proportionally based on their general-seat results. The reserved-seat mechanism was introduced to ensure women’s numerical presence in the legislature. The FAFEN data raise a more granular question: does numerical presence translate into equivalent institutional engagement? The finding that general-seat female MNAs debate more frequently than reserved-seat MNAs is not a criticism of reserved-seat members. Most of the highest-performing female MNAs by agenda volume hold reserved seats. While women on reserved seats contribute most of the participation, the overall engagement across all reserved-seat women remains low. Considering the composition of reserved and general seats, this leads to the conclusion that women elected on general seats participate in plenary debates at a higher rate than those on reserved seats. It is a finding about the differential conditions under which the two categories of member operate — conditions that include electoral mandate, party standing, and access to institutional resources — and whether the current reserved-seat design is optimised for legislative empowerment, not just presence.

Source: FAFEN Women Parliamentarians Performance Report 2025–2026, Key Finding 04. Data period: 1 March 2025 – 28 February 2026.