Celebrating sisters in arms

This Defence Day, let us remember some great women who are sacrificing their today for the sake of our tomorrow

Although we rarely hear of these national heroines, there are plenty of women in our armed forces who overcome great difficulties every day and work tirelessly to keep Pakistan safe.

Be it the army, navy or air force, these fearless women have not only made strides in a male-dominated industry but shattered all stereotypes about them being little more than kitchen fixtures. They might be in charge of training, flying fighter jets or deployed to the borders but one thing is for sure: they all deserve to be saluted. Join us as we pay tribute to some of these great ladies and their services to our nation.

Major-General Shahida Malik



After graduating from Fatima Jinnah Medical College in Lahore, Major General Shahida was trained as an army medic and field combat office. Her commendable career includes serving in the Indo-Pakistan wars as well as the Soviet War in Afghanistan. She retired in 2004 as an inspector general and deputy commander of the Army Medical Corps. Shahida’s gutsy personality and patriotism led her to make history by becoming the first female general in not just Pakistan but the entire Muslim world, ever. She is the proud recipient of the two-star rank and is also credited as the first woman to reach this milestone in the Pakistani Armed Forces.

Flight Lieutenant Ayesha Farooq



At only 28 years of age, Lt. Ayesha Farooq has already become a source of inspiration for young women across the globe who dreams of conquering the skies. She is amongst the five female pilots in the air force, celebrated as Pakistan’s first war-ready female pilot as well as the first to be assigned to front-line dog-fighting squadrons.

Major-General Shahida Badsha



In October 2011, Major-General Shahida Badsha was on her way to become the first woman in Pakistan to achieve the coveted three-star rank. However, after serving the army as the second two-star Major-General, Shahida retired leaving the glory for other women to accomplish. Today, she is remembered for her valiant career and as the former principal of the Army Medical College in Rawalpindi.

Did You Know?

Did you know that Defence Day, September 6th is celebrated as a national day in Pakistan? The day was marked to pay respect to the armed forces who fought the 1965 war with India, also known as the second Kashmir war fought by the two countries.

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, September 6^th, 2015.