Daily Times

Sir: Sitting in the conference hall of a five star hotel and listening and cheering on a tremendous lady like Rahila Hameed Khan Durrani made me hopeful for the future of women in our country. We should do everything in our power to highlight this incredible woman who made history back in 2015 when she was appointed the first female Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly. Her whole life she has paved the path for other Balochi women to follow her great example and pursue their dreams, no matter which field they might aspire to be a part of.

When she wanted to take part in sports, she excelled at that too, and became Balochistan’s first female athlete to win a medal in canoeing sports at the National level. Today she is the patron of the Pakistan Canoe and Kayak Federation as well, and is deeply involved in promoting these sports in the entire country.

Born in an area which is considered amongst the most conservative regions of Pakistan, it is highly commendable and very inspiring to see her live out her dreams without any fear of reprisals. I hope every woman in not only Balochistan and Pakistan, but all around the world has the strength and freedom to pursue her dreams, despite what their society might ask of them instead. Kudos to you, Rahila Hameed Khan Durrani.

NIMRA ALI

Karachi

Published in Daily Times, August 20^th 2018.