With every passing day, the women of Pakistan are proving their grit, determination and strong will in the public sphere. The restrictive concept of gender roles in this country has once again taken a backseat as Nida Saleh Malik, a transportation engineer from Lahore, has made history by becoming Pakistan’s first female train driver – for the Orange Line Metro Train. Fascinated by the sounds and speed of trains since she was a child, Nida opted for this career path despite resistance from her parents who wanted her to take reigns of the family business instead. Now, her passion has won them over.
In a strictly male-dominated field such as transportation engineering, it is a major challenge to even envision oneself as equally deserving of a spot within the industry. Most people starting out careers often need to look up to their seniors and past candidates for guidance and advice; therefore, it requires an unprecedented level of courage to take on a course where you have to carve your own path from scratch.
But Nida’s determination has now opened the gateways for young girls to take steps outside the box and encourage themselves to adopt professions they are truly inspired by. She proudly proclaims that now people often come up to her asking for advice on how their daughters can enter this line of work.
Traditional gender norms and cultural barriers have long confined women to household chores and child rearing in this country. They toil day and night without acknowledgement, praise or even opportunities for self-discovery because it is believed that women are ‘meant’ for it. But upcoming generations are resolute in their decision to take up space and invest in their interests. Nida Saleh has shown thousands of young girls that they too can do it if they dream it.
