PRIME Minister Benazir Bhutto is trying to shake off her reputation for having little interest in improving the condition of Pakistani women.

But many women's groups remain unconvinced, believing that her preoccupation is with staying in power.

"Bhutto has been forced by the objective conditions that exist in society to act like a politician and not as a woman in matters of governance," commented a prominent member of her ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

And she is up against enormous male opposition. Even her easiest option — issuing an excutlve order for strict implementation of a five per cent job quota for women in the civil service — has' been complicated by the entrenched custom of treating !government Jobs as political avours to be given out by members of parliament.

Facing huge numbers of unemployed in a male-dominated society. MPs are fighting to keep the right to give government jobs to male political supporters.

Bhutto's image of disinterest In women's rights was earned during her previous stint in power, in 1988-90. Since returning of office last October she has tabled a con stitutional amendment to give 25 reserved seats to women in the National Assembly. But she knew the amendment would not be passed since she lacks the two-thirds majority required to amend the constitution.

The opposition’s election manifesto promised to Introduce 20 women's seats, but the party Is now unwilling to help. "Constitutional amend ments should be passed as a . package and not in parts.' said former prime minister Nawaz i Sharif, now leader of the par I I lament ary opposition

The idea is not new: the 1973 constitution reserved 20 seats for women for 10 years, on the assumption that after a decade women would have acquired enough political clout to be elected in straight con tests.

In the 1988 election after Zia's death all political parties promised to reserve seats for women. Bhutto won. but did little to improve the lot of women. Nawaz Sharifs subsequent right wing government also failed to fulfil Its promise to amend the constitution.

Only four out of 217 National Assembly members

are women — and they include Benazir Bhutto and her mother Nusrat, both elected in an area considered a family stronghold.

A third, Tehmina Daultana. also has a scat considered to be in her family’s pocket.

Critics of the reserved seats concept argue that they failed In their function, as they tended to be allocated to women from influential politi cal families, sometimes In place of men who for various reasons could not get them selves elected Supporters say that the presence of women MPs however they obtain their

seats, is symbolically important.

A second move by Bhutto to improve her credentials with women is her promise to establish wotnen-only police stations throughout the country. The first, in Rawalpindi, was recently inaugurated.

In a country where "every three hours a woman in raped," according to the pres sure group War Against Rape, the need is enormous. The idea is to encourage women to register cases with the police without being threatened or intimidated. Women are reluctant to visit police stations for fear of sexual assault.

Press cartoons after the In auguration of the Rawalpindi station gave an indication of. the dismissive attitudes towards women: they showed women officers putting on make-up and criminals voluntarily giving themselves up.

Yet appalling crimes are committed against women. In the feudal countryside, women can be gang-raped as revenged against tenants who refuse to obey landlords. They are also held hostage in order to extract work from their husbands.

The law Itself is against them. An ordinance Imposed under Martial Law stipulates that If a woman alleging rape fails to produce four witnesses ahe may herself face a charge of adultery for her "admission" of having sex

Bhutto has not been able to revoke the law, since repeal requires a two-thlrda vote.

She also wants to appoint women to all levels of the Judiciary so that women are able to approach the courts with more confidence But the Law Ministry says there are not enough qualified women lawyers lo be appointed to high judicial poets

— Omtm Neu*

The writer u> wi the »tqfl of The New* to l*iannibiid