Mahrukh Farooq

Breaking Barriers Driving through incredibly rough terrain during all hours of the day (and night) is a feat not easily managed by many; yet, Shamim does it with a level of effortlessness that is almost enviable. At 53-years-old, one would think she would at least consider slowing down. But, thanks to years of fighting for her right to earn a decent living for both herself and her five children, Shamim has now become somewhat used to dealing with such challenges in her daily life. “People here call me ‘Bhai Jan’ because I am very daring,” she says of her colleagues. “Those at the institution where I previously worked as a sewing teacher used to call me ‘brave’.” Married at the tender age of just 17 to a gardener serving in a government department, Shamim constantly struggled to ensure her family lived a respectable life. Soon after her marriage, it became evident that her husband had no interest in sharing the responsibilities of the house and their family; a womanizer by nature, he eventually ended up marrying someone else, leaving Shamim and her five children to fend for themselves. In spite of having experienced such hardships in the past, Shamim refused to let feelings of helplessness and grief overtake her and still insists on facing adversity head on. “Nothing is too difficult if you have the will,” she explains. “However, if women make themselves believe that they can’t do certain tasks then nothing works for them.” With three of her daughters having reached marriageable age and faced with the prospect of imminent homelessness, Shamim immediately took action. Her first job was as an insurance agent for a life insurance company; for every policy she sold in her neighborhood, she used to earn Rs. 800. Later, she learned sewing and embroidery and ultimately got herself a job as a sewing teacher at a vocational institute that was being run by a local charity. Things seemed to be looking up for the vivacious young woman until one fine day, when the vocational center had to be closed down. Once again, Shamim had nowhere to go. Refusing to give up, Shamim decided to take up driving lessons at the Islamabad Traffic Police School. With time, she was able to earn a Light Traffic Vehicle (LTV) driving license followed by a Heavy Traffic Vehicle (HTV) driving license after which she ultimately passed the test for all kinds of Public Service Vehicles (PSV). Soon after, Shamim opened her own driving center, so that she could impart her learning to other young men and women looking to drive and with a wish to become more independent. One would think that would be the end of Shamim’s story; yet, nothing could be farther from the truth. Armed with her exceptional driving skills and training, the daring young woman figured she had a promising future in the field. She applied to the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Service, a new and state-of-the-art bus service which had then been introduced by the Punjab Government for the benefit of the general public. Alas, here again, she was met with an insurmountable obstacle. Even though she had passed the driving test, she found that she could not be employed as the authorities had no room for a female bus driver. By this time, Shamim was finding it difficult to keep her driving center afloat; funds were dwindling fast and she still didn’t own a car of her own. Desperate for a solution and running out of options, Shamim contacted a local truck station for aid, hoping they would understand her plight and offer her a job. Fortunately for her, she was hired on the spot for Rs 1000 a trip. Through her bravery and determination to improve life for both herself and her children, Shamim was able to land herself a steady job, but it was not without risks. One of her most recent trips involved the transport of 7000 bricks from a factory in Rawalpindi to Azad Jammu and Kashmir, a long and arduous drive of nearly 200 kilometres. “My son tells me not to drive too far, it’s dangerous,” she said. “He worries about where I will be sleeping at night so he insists that I should only do this job during the daytime. But I told him that we have to earn a living. We only eat when we earn.” In spite of their worry, though, their mother’s fearlessness gives them strength. “My children say that I am very brave.” As if the dangers associated with the job itself weren’t enough, Shamim also had to bear with immense discrimination from the authorities and her fellow colleagues, many of whom found it difficult to grasp the possibility of a truck driver being a woman. As news of Shamim being the country’s first and only female truck driver spread, many male citizens around the country voiced their concerns regarding this new trend. “I think that for this lady who drives a truck, this profession does not suit her being a woman," said one man. "It is a very tough and difficult job. If she wants to she can do something else. And if she wants to drive then maybe she should just drive a smaller car." Still, Shamim did manage to garner respect from at least some of her co-workers. Shaukat Ali, a fellow driver, treats her with utmost reverence, even referring to her as ‘mother’. “We have no hesitation working with her,” he says. “If somebody is working hard to earn a livelihood, it’s great. It doesn’t matter that she is doing an unorthodox job. What’s wrong with a woman driving a truck? At least she’s working hard.” Shamim herself excitedly talks about how she has become ‘famous’. "Some come and ask my colleagues who I am. Then my colleagues tell them, 'She is like our mother and she is also a truck driver.' That amazes them and they are very happy to see a woman driving." With one of life’s major challenges now finally out of the way, Shamim felt that it was time she attended to her desire of attaining a formal education. Having gotten married at a very young age, she never accomplished her dream of finishing school and was soon after caught up in the travails of ensuring her family led a good life. It was only when her supervisor at the vocational institute where she worked encouraged her to pursue her matriculation certificate that she realized she still had a chance. “As a child, I learned the Quran and got a formal education up to fifth grade,” she says. “When I started training girls in sewing and embroidery, my manager observed my intelligence and encouraged me to resume my education. I got up to eighth grade there and now have appeared four times in the matric examinations so far. I still have five papers to clear to get my matriculation certificate; I am determined to get it, no matter what.” Having come so far in such little time, Shamim has still not forgotten where she came from and the people and places responsible for getting her to where she is today. “Whatever I am today, it is because of the Islamabad Traffic Police training course,” she says with the utmost humility. She also claims that she has been incredibly fortunate to have come across people who were genuinely helpful. “I consider myself very lucky when I say that I have never faced any big problems while driving trucks. Anytime I have any trouble on the road, I’ve been able to find someone to give me a hand.” Through her hard work and perseverance, Shamim has managed to earn her place amongst a largely male-dominated profession. She begins her day on an equal footing with all her male co-workers; inspecting the engine underneath the bonnet while simultaneously checking the truck’s water and oil levels. Remarkable as her story may seem to many, Shamim refuses to harvest the spotlight and instead focuses her attention on serving as a role model for other women to take control of their lives. “I don’t feel like a woman anymore,” she says. “ I wish that God protects all women so that they don't feel compelled to leave their home to earn a livelihood but if they have to do it because of financial constraints then they should forget that they are women they should only concentrate on the work and kill the woman they are inside… she only needs to be courageous." When asked what message she would like to give to others like her, she said, “Women, try to do something all the time, don’t make yourselves lazy or believe that you are weak and can’t achieve such milestones. We can do everything. We are capable enough, by the grace of God.”