ISLAMABAD: The president of Azad Kashmir, Sardar Masood Khan, has recognized Maryam Mujtaba, the first female pilot from the region, as a source of pride for all Kashmiris.
Born and raised in Shopian, in the Indian-administered part of Kashmiri territory, Mujtaba moved with her family to Muzaffarabad, the capital of AJK, and joined Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in 2018, right after obtaining her commercial pilot license (CPL). She has been flying with Pakistan's national flag carrier ever since.
Mujtaba's "success in the aviation field had made the Kashmiris on both sides of the border proud," Khan said on Saturday, as quoted by his office.
He added that she had also encouraged "a number of women" in Kashmir to consider the male-dominated field of aviation as their possible path of career, which would see a boost once the industry rises again when the coronavirus pandemic is over.
Mujtaba told the AJK president that flying was her dream since childhood and "PIA had given her the opportunity to realize this dream."