We don't fly over mountains but through them, say female PIA pilots

'We don't have words to describe how it feels after public's response to recent flight'

KARACHI: Already stars on social media, Captain Maryam Masood and First Officer Shumaila Mazhar of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) share their passion and fears in a candid interview on Tuesday.

"We loved the public response garnered from our flight to Gilgit and I personally don't have words to explain it," Masood said.

"We don't only fly over mountains but between them," she added.

When asked if they ever get a hint of fear while flying such daunting flights, Mazhar said, "No that is not the case at all and we are given special training for trips like this."

The weather and terrain on these trips is always a challenge for us, Masood said. She said that the sense of achievement is so great which makes all the hard work worth it.

"I don't think there is any field in the country in which women aren't excelling in," Masood said while commenting on women empowerment in Pakistan.



"I was the fourth female pilot in the national flag carrier's history and the hard work of my seniors has set the tone for me to do well," the pilot said.

"We work in a safe environment and it's a respectable job," they both shared.

"As soon as passengers come to know that there's a female pilot on board they immediately want to meet us," they said.

"Even when we travel to western countries they are amazed that there are even female pilots in Pakistan," they said.

Road to fulfilling dreams

"My father always wanted me to become a doctor but after completing my FCS, I told my father I wanted to learn how to fly," Masood said.

She said that it took her a while to convince him that this was the right field for her. "After getting my private pilot license I went a step further with bagging a commercial license," she added.

On the other hand, Mazhar said becoming pilot was her childhood dream. "My cousin would fly model planes near Karachi's Sea View Beach and I told him that I'll be flying a real one some day," she said.

"It took me a year to convince my father that this was the right profession for me," the first captain added.

"My sister would joke that one day I'll become a doctor to fix you," Mazhar said.

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