ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, the first woman to head a democratic government in a Muslim majority nation, once said: “It’s not easy for women in modern society, no matter where they live. We still have to go the extra mile to prove that we are equal to men. We have to work longer hours and make more sacrifices. And we must emotionally protect ourselves from unfair, often vicious attacks made on us via the male members of our family.”
The Pakistan women in the list below have taken Bhutto’s words to heart and powered on against all odds and obstacles to become pioneers in their respective fields.
Rayeedah Amir
(Photo courtesy: US Embassy)
Chosen as one of 25 students across the world, Rayeedah Aamir earned a prestigious spot in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) internship program earlier this year and has been representing Pakistan in Washington DC since last February.
Manmeet Kaur
(Photo courtesy: Twitter)
In 2018, the Peshawar-born Manmeet Kaur became Pakistan’s first Sikh photojournalist and news reporter. Hoping to be an inspiration to others, Kaur said she intends to use photojournalism and news as a tool to encourage other Sikh women to tackle illiteracy and promote gender equality.
Suniya Khan
Suniya Khan, front, second right, with Mauqa Online staff. (Photo courtesy: Mauqa Online)
Suniya Khan of Islamabad joined the Williams F1 Team in 2018, becoming the first rocket scientist who is also the only female Formula 1 engineer. Khan is also the founder of Mauqa (‘chance’ or ‘opportunity’ in Urdu) — a portal which helps connect individuals with employers in their fields.
Laraib Atta
(Photo courtesy: TedX)
Imagine a resume that boasts X-men, Godzilla, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Oscar-winning film Gravity. Those credentials belong to Laraib Atta, a Visual Effects Artist from Hollywood, who is widely-acclaimed for breathing life into graphics and turning them into visually-appealing films. She also holds the title of being the youngest female VFX artist from Pakistan.
Marina Iqbal
(Photo courtesy: Twitter)
Women in sports, particularly from a conservative country like Pakistan, are few and far between. All that could change with Marina Iqbal urging young girls to think otherwise. As Pakistan’s first woman cricket commentator, Iqbal began her career with the national cricket team.
Dr. Anoosh Masood
(Photo courtesy: picswe.com)
She’s studied the law and hopes to ensure that everything in society remains in order. In 2018, Anoosh Masood of Lahore was declared the best crime-fighting investigator in an annual performance review of investigating teams. Besides being a qualified medical doctor, she is a trailblazer in the field of fighting crime and also holds the record of the first woman ASP to be appointed in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
