Balochistan, known for its beautiful mountains, burqa-clad women and tribal culture, is in its transition phase these days. Much of this change is being brought by none other than the women of the society.
Some of these amazing women from Balochistan have chosen careers that have been unimaginable for women in past years, while others brought change by taking bold steps and starting entrepreneurial ventures. The change, however, is noticeable.
Here are some of the most amazingly strong women from Balochistan:
Batool Asadi
Batool is first female Assistant Commissioner of Quetta and made her way to the top through great efforts in a city where women are not easily accepted in authority positions.
Saira Batool
Saira Batool was among the first four female pilots that received their wings in 2006. This brave girl chose a career path that many guys, let alone women, don’t have the courage to actually adopt.
Rahila Hameed Durrani
Durrani is the first female speaker of Balochistan Assembly and is also known for her efforts to fight for justice and women’s rights in Quetta city. Rahila is a known philanthropist and a Tamgha-i-Imtiaz recipient. She’s also the first woman from Balochistan to be a member of Commission for the Status of Women who represented Pakistan in United Nations.
Dr. Shahida Jaffrey
Dr. Jaffrey is a powerhouse in academic circles of Balochistan, and beyond. She is the ex- Vice Chancellor of Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University, you can hear about her from almost every university-going girl in Quetta. Shahida Jaffrey is an inspiration for many and also a guide that left her mark on many upcoming women leaders.
Roshan Khursheed Bharucha
She is the CEO of HUNAR foundation and Chairperson of SOS Village. Presently, the Acting Chairperson of National Commission for Human Development and is board member of many NGOs and universities. Her Efforts for Education and Vocational Training got her Human Rights Award and Social Work Award from USA. If that’s not enough, she is also an ex-senator and minister.
Zobaida Jalal
Zobaida Jalal who belongs to Turbat, made her name in the field of education by becoming Federal Minister of Education in 2002. She established a school for girls in her village which got her the ‘Pride of Performance’ award from Government of Pakistan. At the same time she’s got many other changes in the curriculum of Pakistani schools to her credit. Zobaida Jalal took some bold steps while she was a part of National Assembly like efforts to integrate madrassas in the mainstream education programs.
Khalida Brohi
A girl who made to the list of 30 under 30 in Forbes, Khalida is also a member of MIT Media Lab. She gave a talk on TEDGlobal which brought her international fame. Khalida Brohi succeeded in her efforts to make the women from Balochistan earn for their living through her organization called Sughar Empowerment Society. Through Social Entrepreneurship she has helped many women achieve their potential.
Farzana Majeed Baloch
Her approach is a little controversial but one cannot ignore her tireless work for international attention to the Baloch missing persons cause. She is the general secretary of the campaign and had remained steadfast, searching for her brother who went missing 6 years ago. She was also a part of the long march and walked 3000 kilometers to reach Islamabad UN office. Sadly, her cause has been politicized because of a lot of hearsay and yet her brother remains missing.
Lt Zakia Jamali
Lt Zakia Jamali is the first female commissioned Naval Officer from Balochistan. She belongs to Usta Muhammad. Being from an underdeveloped town, she never gave up on her dream of joining the armed forces of Pakistan. After being rejected from her first choice, the PAF, she finally landed a job in the Pakistan Navy. To top it off, she is a gold medalist in Masters in Urdu from the University of Balochistan.So before men continue to stereotype women from Balochistan for their backwardness. Stop right there and show them these amazing women who’ve come much farther than many men in Pakistan.
Cover Image via: iyfnet.org
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