Breaking taboos: Karachi woman runs late father’s rickshaw

In a bid to combat rising inflation and unemployment, a young woman from Karachi has taken up the challenge of joining a male-dominating profession of driving auto rickshaw to support her family after her father's untimely demise.

Alisha Abdul Jameel, a resident of city's Drigh Road locality, is the youngest among her sisters and wants to fulfill the wishes of her late father by going against the trends of the society. Abdul Jameel a rickshaw driver had no son and he taught his youngest daughter to take the bull by the horn.

"When my father was ill, he taught me how to drive his rickshaw,” Alisha said. “He wanted me to fulfill his dream of becoming a breadwinner in the family like a son would... he wanted me to play this role to improve the financial situation of my family," Alisha said while talking to The Express Tribune.

She said that after her father Abdul Jameel died, she had to take care of her mother and sister, and therefore, she started driving the rickshaw a year ago but at the cost of her studies.

Alisha said that she lives in a two-room rented house in the Drigh Road area along with an unmarried sister and mother, adding that four of her sisters are married and are living a happy life.

Like a mission statement, Alisha has a couplet written on her rickshaw in memory of her late father which reads, “When the burden (of responsibilities) becomes unbearable to shoulder, I miss my Baba dearly.”

The hardworking woman said that she could only study till the 8th grade and had no source of employment except for a few jobs in different factories offering a very meagre salary.

Seeing the tough financial situation ahead, Alisha took it upon herself to become the breadwinner in the family and not seek financial assistance from relatives.

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She said that she faces criticism from some of her relatives for running rickshaw but added she ignores them and focuses on hard work and providing for her family.

"I have the backing of my mother so I didn't give up and I don't care about anyone else," she added.

Like other rickshaw drivers, Alisha too faces difficulties while searching for customers. "For my own protection, I try to offer rides to mostly families or women," she added.

Alisha said that if her rickshaw ever breaks down, she pushes it herself and reaches a mechanic to get it fixed. "When I go out, my mother sends me off with her prayers… and I have no fear after that," she added.

The girl said that a big chunk of her income goes into buying petrol for her vehicle, lamenting that the government had jacked up the fuel prices. "A large chunk of my money goes into buying petrol which is very expensive nowadays... I don't earn as much as compared to the hard work I put in," she added.

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Talking to The Express Tribune, Alisha's mother Salma said that Alisha is her youngest daughter and the sole breadwinner in her family. "Her father wanted Alisha to act like her son and support the family," she added.

Salma said that when her daughter goes out, she fears for her safety. "Once, few people chased her so she parked her rickshaw near a Rangers' check post," she recalled.

She said that Alisha has been driving the rickshaw for the past year. "When she brought the money for the first time, my heart got immersed in pride," she added.

Salma further said that every daughter should support their parents in such tough financial times.