Women Autaq

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A room of one’s own: Women claim men-only ‘Autaq’ community spaces in Pakistan’s Balochistan

Autaq is a communal space in Sindh and Balochistan provinces where male guests gather, decisions are made, and dialogue takes place
In province marked by poverty and patriarchal norms, emergence of women’s Autaqs signals rare and radical shift in reclaiming public space

By NAIMAT KHAN · 23 June 2025