Essential Pakistani Women on Twitter

This list came out of a thread that was started by Nighat Dad (@nighatdad) who asked people to tag the Twitter accounts of Pakistani women that they found compelling enough to follow.

There was a valid question in the thread raised by Oil_is_Opium (Karachi Feminist) about whether lists like these are exclusionary and perpetuate the power structure that women’s Twitter seeks to subvert. But there is a strong need to highlight women who speak up in a public way on social media and to highlight the conversations that are taking place about and between women, so I’ve compiled all the names that were listed in the thread.

Note: This is an open list and can be added to at any time (just leave the Twitter handle in the comments). I haven’t included any descriptions of the women because they can be easily found by clicking on their names. I haven’t edited the list in any way or added or removed accounts – this is a crowdsourced list, not one that belongs to me or anyone exclusively.

January 10: This list is now being maintained on this public document here. 

 

@_sarahkhan	Political scientist
@afiasalam	Journalist
@AfshanMasab	Blogger	Dawn
@aimaMK	Editor	Friday Times
@AimenBucha	Academic	LUMS
@AliaChughtai	Awesome woman
@AmberMDarr	Academic	UCL
@AmberRShamsi	Journalist	Hum News
@amnaappi	Police	Punjab Police
@Anarchistani	Awesome woman
@aneelashaheen	Journalist	Dunya TV
@anilafatima2	Awesome woman
@Anny_Marri	Awesome woman
@anushenoor	Author & translator	Global Voices
@arfashahid	TV Reporter	ARY News
@asmaamir87	Anti-VAW Activist
@asmashirazi	Journalist
@AsraRizwann	Policy analyst	TechJuicePK
@atanzeem	Journalist, Bureau Chief	VOA Afghanistan & Pakistan
@AtikaRehman	Editor	Dawn
@ArmeenaRaza	Awesome woman
@ayeshaijazkhan	Lawyer, writer
@aysharalam	Bookstore owner	The Last Word
@BaberMaheen	CEO	Mushawar UK Ltd
@BakhtawarBZ	Awesome woman
@benazir_shah	Journalist	Newsweek Pakistan
@BhopalHouse	Editor	Bloomsbury UK
@BinaShah	Writer
@BinteArif84	Project manager
@bloggoodlife_	Feminist
@Bluemagicboxes	Awesome woman
@bus_kerdou	Awesome woman
@caustichazmat	Awesome woman
@critoe	Writer & Mentor	Ananke Mag
@curlistani	Writer, reporter
@curlyintentions	Awesome woman
@daanistan	Lawyer, mental health advocate	Asia Foundation, ColourBlue
@DrGulnazAnjum	Social psychologist
@Durremahmood	Environmentalist	Pak2W2
@ell_enn	Blogger
@ErumRabbani	Country Manager	Pakistan Australia Awards
@FaizaYousuf	Technology	WomeninTechPK
@FaiziaZaidi	Awesome woman
@fajerrabia	Activist, editor	Pakistan Alliance for Girls Foundation
@FariehaAziz	Journalist	BoloBhi
@FarielS	Energy analyst	Goats For Water
@FatimaAli09	Journalism
@fatimarizwan	Engineer, journalist	TechJuicePK
@fatimatassadiq	Anthropologist
@Fatmounh	Awesome woman
@FauziaKasuri	Former politician
@fauziaviqar	Women’s Rights Activist	Punjab Commission for the Status of Women
@fifiharoon	Journalist	BBC World Service
@firuzap	Awesome woman
@FizzahSajjad	Urban planner
@gabeeno	Awesome woman
@gigglypundit	Journalist
@girlsatdhabas	Activists	Girls at Dhabas
@Gulalai_Ismail	Human rights activist	Aware Girls
@GulBukhari	Journalist
@guldaar	Writer, sociologist
@Hafsa_Khawaja	Awesome woman
@hamnazubair	Writer, Editor	Dawn
@HassanSumeera	Human rights defender
@HijabShah	Academic	CSIS International Security Program
@hijakamran	Development, human rights
@HummaSaif	Doctor, political activist
@humeirakazmi	Novelist
@iAlvinasajid	Broadcast journalist	Express News PK
@iamthedrifter	Political Scientist
@ImaanZHazir	Lawyer
@IramGhani	Journalist	Express News
@ismatshahjehan	Political worker	Awami Workers
@itsmeeshashafi	Actor
@javerias	Journalist	TRT Urdu
@jehan_ara	Technology goddess	The Nest I/O, PASHA
@kalsoom82	CEO	Invest2Innovate
@kamilashamsie	Novelist
@kanwalful	Owner, Editor	Soul Sisters Pakistan
@karachista	Journalist, blogger
@kashmala_14	Awesome woman
@khadeeeej751	Lawyer, activist
@KhayaAhmed	Writer
@laaleen	Writer, editor	Austenistan
@LodhiMaleeha	Pakistani Ambassador to the UN	United Nations
@Lyari_GirlsCafe	Girls’ empowerment	Lyari
@Mahamali05
@Mahim_Maher	Journalist	SAMA TV
@mahnoorsheikh03	Researcher, journalist
@Mahobili
@mahwishafridi	Entrepreneur
@mahwashajaz_	Writer, Journalist
@malala	Girls education activist	Oxford University
@MalBokhari	Parliamentary secy for law and justice	National Assembly
@MaleehaMengal	Media	Asma Jehangir Legal Aid Cell
@mairahayat	Anthropologist
@MarianaBaabar	Journalist
@MariaUmar	Technology, activist	WomensDigitalLeague.com
@marvimazhar	Architect, conservationist	Marvi Mazhar & Associates
@marvisirmed	Development, activist
@MaryamarshadA	Technology, entrepreneurship	Impact Dynamics
@Mbano	Activist	Auratnaak, Girls at Dhabas
@MeeraGhani	Awesome woman
@meheknaeem	Child rights activist	PAHCHAAN
@MehrFHusain	Author
@MehrTarar	Journalist
@minerwatahir	Awesome woman
@MizNaQ	Awesome woman
@momina711	Awesome woman
@moodee_q	Technology, development	Women4PeaceTech
@munazzaanwaar	Photojournalist
@NadiaNavi	Researcher	The Wilson Center
@NadiaUmar20	Awesome woman
@nailainayat	Journalist	Associated Reporters Abroad
@NamHameed	Energy	Punjab Government
@NatJapanwala	Writer, Teacher
@Natrani	Journalist	Global voices
@NayabGJan	Social entrepreneur
@NazranaYusufzai	Journalist	Pashto VOA
@nha3383	Professor urban planning	Karachi Urban Lab IBA
@NidaUsmanCh	Researcher, activist	Info Learn PK, Women in Law initiative
@nidkirm	Sociologist
@nida_tahseen	Academic	UNSW
@nighatdad	Activist	Digital Rights Foundation
@ninoqazi	Awesome woman
@noorejazch	Lawyer	SOAS
@nosheenali	Sociologist
@nuqsh	Journalist, director	Media Matters For Democracy
@Nuri_ibrahim	Producer	Patriot Act
@Nyra_Mah	Islamic finance	Simply Shariah UK
@OhTripe	Awesome woman
@oil_is_opium	Feminist activist
@Palvashits	Blogger
@pind_wave	Academic, activist
@puruesh	Researcher	Agahi Foundation
@qrratugai	Blogger	orbala.com
@r_sufi	Awesome woman
@Rabail26	Researcher	Amnesty
@Rabiaanoor	Broadcast journalist	ARY News
@RabiaAnumm	Television Host	GEO TV
@RahmaMian	Academic	Habib University
@ramshajahangir	Journalist	Dawn
@reema_omer	Legal adviser	ICJ Asia
@RehamKhan1	Journalist
@RehanaAzizGB	Solar engineer	ReOne Energy
@reracinated	Law & politics
@rj_kulsoom	RJ, Blogger	Tarkaashi
@rinasaeed	Environmental journalist
@RoshanehZafar	Microfinance	Kashif Foundation
@S_khalid2	Activist	Aurat Raaj
@sabagl	Entrepreneur	Popinjay
@sabahbanomalik	Writer, editor, comedian	Arab News PK Auratnaak
@SabaImtiaz	Journalist, author
@sabin_journo	Journalist
@sabizak	Journalist	The News on Sunday
@sadaffeabid	Microfinance	Circle Women
@Saadia_Qayyum	Energy economist	Punjab energy department
@sadiqaa551	Entrepreneur	IIUI BIC
@SafiehShah	Medical doctor, researcher, feminist
@SaimaKarim89	Technology
@Sairaishtiaq	Climate, entrepreneurship
@salma_bakar	Womens rights activist	Punjab Status for the Commission of Women
@SamanAhsan	Researcher	Girlsactionfoundation.ca
@SamarHasantwtr	Social entrepreneur	Epiphany PK
@sameen_mohsin	Political scientist	LUMS
@samramuslim	Entrepreneur
@sanamanna	HR
@SanamMKhi	Journalist
@sanasaleem	Activist, writer	BoloBhi
@Sana_Jamal	Journalist	Gulf News
@SarahDawood	Awesome woman
@sarahzafar23	Awesome woman	GNN
@SarahBelal_	Activist	Justice Project Pakistan
@SaraKhlili	Human rights	Education For All
@Sarritorialist	Awesome woman
@SBGillani	Awesome woman
@SeeduwaJ	Technology director	Ops Code for Pakistan
@seeratkhan92	Feminist
@sehartariq	Awesome woman
@seraphina444	Feminist
@sfarrukhsh	Awesome woman
@ShadBegum	Social entrepreneur	ABKT
@ShaheenSabiha	Awesome woman
@shamimrajani	Founder, COO	Genetech Solutions
@ShandanaGulzar	Parliamentary Secy Commerce	National Assembly
@ShanzeyMustafa	Awesome woman
@sharmeenalikhan	Lawyer
@shazaffatima	Writer
@ShaziaAttaMarri	Politician	National Assembly
@SheharBanoKhan	Awesome woman
@sherryrehman	Politician	Senate
@ShireenMazari1	Minister Human Rights	Government of Pakistan
@shmyla	Awesome woman
@Sid_huma	Researchers
@sophiaahmed	Awesome woman
@sophiasaifi	Journalist	CNN
@sophoya	Awesome woman
@SsamanJay	Politician
@SRM_Sherazi	Business reporter	ePakistanToday
@SumeraShams	Doctor, activist, MPA	KPK Provincial Assembly
@su_kaina	Entrepreneur
@tabinda_m	Writer, academic
@TaniaQureshi	Communication, Marketing
@tanzilabari24	Politician	Sindh Assembly
@theD_inDNA	Awesome woman
@themewlyweds	Gender activist
@Tooba_Sd	Gender academics	Women Democratic Front
@TubaSiddiqi	Education activist
@UnitedsFreak	Editor	Zau Magazine
@UmaimaBlogger	Writer, editor	The News on Sunday
@valekhan	Activist	ADFE-FdM
@VeengasJ	Journalist, author	The Rise News
@WrrangaLunri2	Political activist
@YusraSAskari	Journalist	Asia 21
@ZAbbasOfficial	Sports Journalist
@ZainabQ	Human rights law
@zburki	Editor	The News International
@ZeeaHasanTalib	Director	N Shields Solutions
@zeinatoricazad	Loud-mouthed feminist
@zenabSalimKhan	Software Engineer	SastaTicket.pk
@ZohaWaseem	Academic	War Studies, Kings College
@zoiatariq	Gender Activist, media	News One PK