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The article examines the performance of press in Pakistan with regard to the issues central to women status in society. In Pakistan, the movement for women rights was at its peak during the days of military regime of General Zia-ul-Haq whose politically motivated Islamization, particularly targeted women in the country. Pakistan’s women activists challenged him by coming on the streets in 1983. The protest opened a new chapter in the struggle for women emancipation in Pakistan. The article analyses the coverage of four newspapers, two under the government–controlled National Press Trust and two independent, including the Muslim (now closed), to know about the trajectory Pakistan’s press had adopted. This historical case study provides a view of the trend of newspapers with regard to gender issues in Pakistan and offers a reference to judge the performance of present day media with respect to the issue of women. The articles includes a background of the women movement, organizations and the 1983 protest itself before analyzing the coverage of the press, ending in conclusion. The article analyzes the press and women issues in the backdrop of the harsh political climate that exists in Pakistan.