Women make inroads in Pakistan as they become firefighters and barriers slowly fall

Women in Pakistan are gradually entering the firefighting profession, a field traditionally dominated by men in the patriarchal nation. Syeda Masooma Zaidi, a 23-year-old firefighter in Karachi, exemplifies this trend, working alongside male colleagues to combat fires. While still representing less than 1% of firefighters, the presence of women in these emergency services is growing, with authorities anticipating more to join in the future. The first woman firefighter in Pakistan, Shazia Perveen, began her career in 2010, and women started joining the Sindh province firefighting services in 2024 after training in Punjab. Although most Pakistani women pursue careers in medicine, engineering, or teaching, individuals like Zaidi are motivated to prove that women are capable of performing demanding and courageous roles. Despite facing doubts about their abilities, women firefi... download the app to read more