Courageous lady driver breaks social norms, myths in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Female drivers are often mocked for their driving skills or lack of it and there is no shortage of jokes like ‘women drivers are like honest politicians’ but 53-year-old Begum Shamim Akhtar has proved such parables wrong.

She not only can drive heavy trucks for living but also cleared the tough driving test for Metro Bus service. She enjoys the honour of being the country’s first woman to possess a public service vehicle (PSV) license.

Her tale is that of courage and determination as she never gave up in the face of financial difficulties and learnt how to drive heavy vehicles after the retirement of her husband as a gardener in the ministry of industries and production in 2013.

Begum Akhtar has also succeeded in providing basic education to her three daughters before bearing all expenses of their weddings.

She is currently running a low-key driving school in the federal capital and finding it difficult to make both ends meet. She has demanded of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif to provide her a job where she can apply her skills.

Humble and down to earth as she is, Akhtar gives a lot of credit of her achievements to Islamabad Traffic Police department.

Women like Akhtar are not only a great example of courage and fortitude for the Pakistani women but the society as a whole.