16 amazing Pakistani women who have made us proud

This International Women’s Day, let’s take a quick look at all the wonderful achievements of Pakistani women here and around the world. These women make us proud with their unwavering strength, dedication and efforts in being experts in their respective professional fields, and today is the perfect time to celebrate them and their accomplishments.

1. Ayesha Malik – Supreme Court Judge

In a landmark decision, Pakistan swore in Ayesha Malik as its first female Supreme Court judge. Malik is also known for her ground-breaking ruling last January for abolishing the two-finger virginity test that was previously performed on victims of sexual violence and assault during rape exams.

2. Perniya Khan – Table Tennis Champion

Perniya Zaman Khan (18-years-old) has become Pakistan’s table tennis champion. The masterful WAPDA player claimed the title by defeating former National Champion Aisya Sherjeeal, also from WAPDA, in the thrilling 4-3 final.

3. Zara Naeem Dar – ACCA Topper

Zara Naeem Dar internationally topped the exams for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in December and was the global prize winner for the test.

4. Amna Baig – Assistant Superintendent Police

Assistant Superintendent Police (ASP) Amna Baig took oath as a sub-divisional officer in January last year. Her contributions towards making positive changes and devoting her time towards raising women and gender issues in Islamabad won her the Integrity Icon Award by the Danish ambassador to Pakistan.

5. Dr Zubaida Sirang – Made it to the Book Authority List

An eye surgeon from Chitral, Dr Zubaira Sirang made headlines for becoming the first-ever Pakistani author to have her work featured on the prestigious Book Authority List. Her book Optics Made Easy: The Last Review of Clinical Optics (written for ophthalmology students as a last-minute revision tool) was included in the list of ‘Best Ophthalmology Books of All Time.'

6. Saira Malik – CIO of Nuveen

A Pakistani American, Saira Malik has been appointed as chief investment officer (CIO) of “Nuveen”, a leading global asset management firm. Malik drives weekly market and investment insights of Nuveen’s $1.2 trillion fund. Not only that, as Chair of the Equities Investment Council (EIC), she authors a quarterly market commentary. Malik is also the lead portfolio manager for more than $120 billion CREF Stock strategy and a listed portfolio manager for over $30 billion CREF Growth and over $20 billion CREF Global Equities strategies. She also serves as the sole manager of a $5 billion global equity portfolio.

7. Nigar Johar – Three-star colonel commandant, AMC

Lieutenant General Nigar Johar has become Pakistan’s first ever three-star female general to be appointed the colonel commandant of Army Medical Corps (AMC). She has been decorated with Tamgha-i- Imtiaz (Milit­ary) and is also the recipient of Fatima Jinnah Gold Medal for laudable services in Army Medical Corps from the prime minister of Pakistan. She has also received the Hilal-i-Imtiaz.

8. Shazia Parveen – Pakistan’s first female fighter

Shazia Parveen is the first female fire fighter of rescue unit 1122 in Vehari (near Multan), and the first female fire fighter in Pakistan.

9. Sana Mir – Cricket icon

Sana Mir has been the face of Pakistan women’s cricket for many years. Mir took the top spot in women’s ODI rankings in 2018. She has played 226 international matches, including 137 as captain, since her debut in 2005. She is one of only nine women cricketers to have taken 100 ODI wickets and among only five women players to score 1,000 runs in ODI matches. She was ranked ninth among bowlers and the most successful female spinner at when she retired at 34.

10. Dr Sarah Qureshi – Aerospace engineer

Dr Sarah Qureshi is a Pakistani aerospace engineer who is developing the world’s first contrail-free aircraft engine to reduce aviation-induced global warming and make air travel environmentally safe.

11. Karishma Ali – Football player, Entrepreneur

Karishma Ali, 22-years-old, is the first ever female from Chitral to have played national and international football. She has been named among Forbes’ 30 under 30. Ali is also the founder of the Chitral Women’s Sports Club – a training school for girls which aims to encourage other young girls in the region to take up sports and activities. Her initiative to set up a handicraft centre in Chitral led her to take part in Milan Fashion Week where she represented Pakistan’s unique embroidery.

12. Sana Amanat – Cartoon artist, Activist

An American with Pakistani origins, Sana Amanat is the Director of Content and Character Development at Marvel Entertainment. Her most celebrated idea of creating Kamala Khan aka Ms Marvel, one of the comic book giant's newer superheroes – a teenaged, Muslim, American girl. Amanat is known for breaking stereotypes and believes in developing more inclusive characters in comics, in particular, movies, films and books.

Photo: Marvel

13. Ayesha Gul – First female police officer posted as AIG

For the first time in the history of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), a female police officer has been posted as the assistant inspector general (AIG). Ayesha Gul, originally from Swabi, became the first woman in the provincial police force to achieve this honour. As AIG Gender Equality, Gul vows to work towards the protection of the rights of women, transgender persons and children.

14. Laraib Atta – Hollywood VFX artist, Oscar nominee

Laraib Atta has recently been making headlines for her Oscar and BAFTA nominations as part of the visual effects team for James Bond film No Time To Die. The Hollywood VFX artist is known for some amazing work which includes movies like The Chronicles of Narnia, Godzilla, and X-Men: Days of Future Past. She has previously been a part of the Nike football commercial, Olympics promotions and Disney commercials and some TV series for British Television like BBC, ITV and Sky.

15. Arooj Aftab – First Pakistani artist to perform at Coachella

Arooj Aftab will be the first Pakistani artist to perform at Coachella this year, the world’s largest American art and music festival.

16. Dr Sara Gill – Physician and transgender activist

Dr Sara Gill has become Pakistan’s first transgender doctor as she secures a house job at Karachi's Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC). Dr Gill vows to advocate for the security of the Trans community, particularly when it comes to educational rights and opportunities. Her future plans include completing a Fellowship of the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Endocrinology (study of hormones) in an attempt to include health related issues faced by transgenders in the country’s medical curriculum to make sure they are treated appropriately.