Farooq, hailing from Bahawalpur, is one of 19 women who have become pilots in the Pakistan Air Force over the last decade - there are five other female fighter pilots, but they have yet to take the final tests to qualify for combat.
"I don't feel any different. We do the same activities, the same precision bombing," the soft-spoken 26-year-old said of her male colleagues at Mushaf base in Sargodha, where neatly piled missiles sit.
A growing number of women have joined Pakistan's defence forces in recent years as attitudes towards women change.
"Because of terrorism and our geographical location it's very important that we stay on our toes," said Farooq, referring to Taliban militancy and a sharp rise in sectarian violence.
Deteriorating security in neighbouring Afghanistan, where US-led troops are preparing to leave by the end of next year, and an uneasy relationship with arch rival India to the east add to the mix.
Ayesha Farooq, 26, Pakistan's only female war-ready fighter pilot, gives the thumb-up sign from the cockpit of a Chinese-made F-7PG fighter jet at Mushaf base in Sargodha. PHOTO: REUTERS
Farooq, whose slim frame offers a study in contrast with her burly male colleagues, was at loggerheads with her widowed and uneducated mother seven years ago when she said she wanted to join the air force.
"In our society most girls don't even think about doing such things as flying an aircraft," she said.
Family pressure against the traditionally male domain of the armed forces dissuaded other women from taking the next step to become combat ready, air force officials said. They fly slower aircraft instead, ferrying troops and equipment around the country.
"Less of a taboo"
Centuries-old rule in the tribal belt area along the border with Afghanistan, where rape, mutilation and the killing of women are ordered to mete out justice, underlines Pakistan's failures in protecting women's rights.
But women are becoming more aware of those rights and signing up with the air force is about as empowering as it gets.
"More and more ladies are joining now," said Nasim Abbas, Wing Commander of Squadron 20, made up of 25 pilots, including Farooq, who fly Chinese-made F-7PG fighter jets.
"It's seen as less of a taboo. There's been a shift in the nation's, the society's, way of thinking," Abbas told Reuters on the base in Sargodha.
There are now about 4,000 women in Pakistan's armed forces, largely confined to desk jobs and medical work.
But over the last decade, women have became sky marshals, defending Pakistan's commercial liners against insurgent attacks, and a select few are serving in the elite anti-terrorist force. Like most female soldiers in the world, Pakistani women are still banned from ground combat.
Pakistan now has 316 women in the air force compared to around 100 five years ago, Abbas said.
"In Pakistan, it's very important to defend our front lines because of terrorism and it's very important for everyone to be part of it," said avionics engineer Anam Hassan, 24, as she set out for work on an F-16 fighter aircraft, her thick black hair tucked under a baseball cap.
"It just took a while for the air force to accept this."
COMMENTS (44)
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Mashallah!! Subhanallah!! Aysha v r very proud of u & Pak. U r the real ideal woman for Pak & Muslim women. Your brave & courage may change Pak Taliban & govt.for better humanity & living of Paki. May u go higher & higher above defending culture & society. Insha Allah!!! wish u a bright future.
May Allah Guides you to right path gives you strength, good health, prosperity,courage, and most of all True Imaan so that you can serve your country with honour and flying colours. AAMEEEN!!!!!!
@Insaan: Grow up. So what could happen? Why, don't men and boys do all sorts of nasty and shameful 'things' when they are given freedom to drive and go places??!!! As far as SA is concerned I'd rather keep my mouth shut!
@Green tiger:
You reckon 60kmph is sufficient for this kite to aiborne?
Rex Minor
F-7 isn't a fighter plane. Its a 1960 plane which moves at 60 kmph. Guys, cool. This is just propaganda.
@Sita White Bhabi: @Muhammad:
The world saw the performance of the Pakistan Air Force combat readiness a few days ago when the enemy fighter air crafts entered its air space. Now the PAF press announces and presents a female combat fighter pilot, who appears on the AlJazeera TV channel and talks about terrorism! In other words where the long range artillery has failed to subdue the Pashtuns in the tribal territory a female Pilot is just about ready to drop the bombs from the air on them with more accuracy.. A macabre proposition and a PR stunt.?
Rex Minor
One Word. Awesome!!!!!!
You do not need any appreciation from any one of us, you have been rewarded by ALLAH, that the biggest and the most satisfying appreciation one can ever imagine. All I can say is............... Including myself the nation is proud of you, we very respectfully salute you, and pray for your success.
@Singh: The only people who cover their heads to take care of their hair is male sikhs. You are talking about reason why Muslim women cover their hair. Ask any muslim woman taking a headscarf and you will have your answer. Please go ask first then comment out of ignorance. There are female pilots in US, Israel etc but they don't cover like this lad does. So you are saying they don't need protection while flying or working in field?
Rubbish!
@Singh: I agree with you when you said don’t drag religion into everything. But without any prejudice love to inform a nice person like yourself that scarf is not just to protect hairs from getting entangle, although it is not the pillar or must in religion, but it is recommended in Islam for a women to keep herself covered head to toe as well as possible. And nowadays the educated women allover the world and specially understand the importance of these Islamic instructions and are following them without any pressures. As I believe I have seen among Sikh women too specially in the Gurdwaras
@Insaan: Please improve your knowledge about Saudi Arabia, you are not very right.
salute to the female fighter pilots of PAF! and salute to president pervez musharraf who opened up the ranks of military for our women.
@Traditionalist: Mashallah ! How beautifully she has covered herself with a scarf……….All the women who go for work should cover themselves like her when going to work………..May Allah give her reward for setting an example for women Female don't cover their head with scarf due to some religious sentiment. It is required to tied the hair & cover with head scarf so they don't entangle during flight or working in field.
don't drag religion into everything.
Saudi arabia will never allow a Muslim woman alone with a non-Mehram man in Cockpit of jet fighter plane. Saudis being true Muslims don't let women drive, they know what could happen when a woman is given freedom to drive and go places.
Proud of you!!!
Thank you President Musharraf! You made it possible and we all, men & women, in Pakistan must accept this fact that without you at the helms it won't be possible for our women to enter and train for such wonderful job.
It gives me great pleasure to see women progressing in Pakistan. Matter of Pride
"Centuries-old rule in the tribal belt area along the border with Afghanistan, where rape, mutilation and the killing of women are ordered to mete out justice, underlines Pakistan’s failures in protecting women’s rights".......... Please do some research before spreading out misinformation.
Mashallah ! How beautifully she has covered herself with a scarf..........All the women who go for work should cover themselves like her when going to work...........May Allah give her reward for setting an example for women
Allah may protect her from all eveils, Ameen. We certainly, proud of you, you are brave, courageious and an example for other daughters in Pakistan. S Parvez Ali
Very well done
I am glad that pakistan's society is changing for good iA. But pakistani parents who left the country some twenty yrs ago still think pakistani society to be the same and may not be comfortable with daughters entering a male dominated profession in pakistan even though they wont object to their daughters practising it in another country.
Extremely proud of such daughters. Bravo!!!!!!!!
Being a male, I quite intimidated by the title "Battle of Sexes" come on give me a break. I hate the way western media and ours alike portray Pakistani women as they are oppressed beyond comprehension. Lets not dance on others tunes. Good for her and good for Pakistan, she did well, she got the job. I also appreciate the way Ayesh Farooq she knocks down the questions about male domination and what not. Kudos to you.
Courage written on her face !
@Muhammad: MashaAllah! May there be many more! The Taliban must be having a heart attack right now…
PTI and JI as well !
Fahrenheit! Now that's one cool call sign.
Once again, Pakistan Air Force leads in improving gender parity within the military.
@Dajjal: Misogynistic! Nobody gets to be a fighter pilot for nothing.
Awesome, but lets hope they fly better than they drive....
wow wow just wow. You are an inspiration :)
you go girl..so proud to have such beautiful women in our country.They are the real face of pakistan.Say no to the ages old system where female oppression and injustice to women was rampant.Say hello to the liberated woman of today.God bless Pakistan!!!
Proud to have a daughter like you ............... Happy Landings !
You go girl. We are proud of you.
I am proud that daughters of Pakistan have gone one step further with courage and boldness that they are equally capable to defend their motherland like our Jawans of Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force.
Women of Pakistan must come out from their shells, as Pakistani Women are talented and can do wonders, like any other women of any developed nation.
Jeeti Raho Beti Ayesha Farooq.
AMEEN..
Very encouraging to see... proud of you !!!
"Fahrenheit" - two thumbs up!!
Michael Jackson famously said: "Make love not war".
Allah may protect her from all eveils, Ameen. We certainly, proud of you, you are brave, courageious and an example for other daughters in Pakistan.
"Rape and Mutilation of women is ordered in tribal belt along Afghanistan border..." - ET : This is an absolutely new one for me ! Are you sure about this ?
It gives lots of pride to us Pakistani Americans to see that women could do the same as men do.The society has pushed back the female population but things are opening up for all those girls who are as intelligent or even more so than some of the men in our country. Congratulations to these girls and hopefully their service to the nation will encourage other girls to become fighter pilots. The nation should be proud of these girls, who knows one of these girls could become Air Marshall one of these days, I hope so.
A brave daughter of Pakistan........really proud of you !!!!
How are these terrorists? They must name India as number one enemy!
MashaAllah! May there be many more! The Taliban must be having a heart attack right now...