Ayesha Farooq made a big name as the first female fighter pilot in Pakistan and South Asia. Her achievement was widely covered by the national and the international media. While speaking exclusively to Deutsche Welle, the 26-year old-woman from Bahawalpur, a small district of Pakistan, said, “I always wanted to wear a uniform and the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) gave me this opportunity. Now I am serving Pakistan on the front lines”.

A difficult beginning

Military forces worldwide are usually considered to be male-dominated and in a country like Pakistan, social and family pressures dissuade women from working side by side together with men in the military forces. For this reason, the journey towards becoming a fighter pilot was not easy for Farooq. Remembering the initial difficulties she faced, Farooq says, “the first step is difficult for everyone. I had to listen to different opinions at home. Because I was a woman I had to work harder, I had to make my male counterparts realize that I am equally aware and that I work hard just like any other good male pilot.” Farooq, who recently got married to one of her engineer cousins, says, “When you are working among so many men, everyone focuses on the work you are doing.”

Many women do complain of the discriminatory attitudes they face at the work place, but Farooq says that in Pakistan’s Air Force, she never felt any discrimination. “I have seen that all decisions are made on the basis of merit. No one in PAF treated me badly just because I was a woman,” she says.

Tough training

Farooq says that many people believed that she would not be able to face the tough training of PAF, but that only encouraged her to prove herself. Getting up early in the morning, physical exercises and tough studies are all part of the training.

Most memorable flying moments

The journey to becoming a fighter pilot and her ongoing job has made Farooq experience some great moments, but she cherishes her first flight the most. “It was a strange feeling, I was flying the plane alone and it was under my control. To celebrate this moment, I manoeuvred the plane up and down,” Farooq says.

Role model for other women

Without a doubt, Farooq has become a role model for many Pakistani women. According to Farooq, “Many young girls call me everyday to ask how they can also become part of the air force. Women are capable of working in profession and our society has started accepting this fact”.

Author: Beenish Javed and Imtiaz Ahmed

Editor: Manasi Gopalakrishnan

Beenish Javed is a reporter working for ARY News, Islamabad. She has been awarded a two-month long fellowship by the Friedrich Ebert foundation (FES) in Germany and is currently in DW, Bonn. You can follow Beenish on Twitter @Beenishjaved.