Daily Times

Waking up early, as the first rays of the sun light up the green hills of Haripur District, Maimoona looks forward to a busy day ahead, as she has too many things on her mind: From the timely refilling of litres of fuel to the tank, to the sales management of tanks of CNG every day, she must perform well on a daily basis, at a fuel station, which she has owned, managed and enriched for more than a decade now.

But before she reaches her fuel station, located 35 kilometers away from her house, she must make sure that her children have been served a nutritious breakfast, so they can leave home, on time, to reach their educational institutions. Being a single mother and one of the progressive entrepreneurs in Pakistan’s petroleum industry, she has been successfully managing her family responsibilities, along with her hectic professional routine, as a rare female boss, operating a tough business in a conservative, semi-rural region.

Around fifteen years ago, when Maimoona’s husband unfortunately passed away, this housewife had no option but to practically support her family. At a Shell fuel station business where she had a partnership, she entered the male-dominated energy-sector. Maimoona had to face many distressful challenges, in taking over operational control of the business, most of her employees initially resisted accepting a female as their new boss. However, due to her managerial wisdom, soon the conservative rural workforce realized her intellectual capability and accepted her authority. Proving her abilities and diligence, within a few months, Maimoona was able to take on the reins. Since then she has spearheaded tremendous growth in this business, by expanding the capacity of the underground fuel reservoir, adding a convenience store, tyre shop, lube bay, green belt, prayer area, washrooms for customers at the fuel station. Maimoona also introduced free medical, pension and an Umrah program for her employees.

Being one of the exemplary female contributors in the nationwide retail network of fuel and motor-oils, Maimoona expressed her immense gratitude stating: “Working with one of the leading oil marketing company has been a rewarding and enlightening experience for me, as the company has always ensured equal opportunities and empowerment for women. Like the world’s progressive and socially responsible organizations, the company nurtures and develops their human resources, regardless of their gender.”

Ayesha Malik is another highly competent woman rising to a leadership role in a major distribution company associated with Shell Pakistan. Due to her robust performance, since 1997, she is now entrusted with the position of ‘Director Operations & Marketing’ at Malik Group of Companies, where she is proactively managing 8 petrol pumps and several CNG stations. She has excelled in Pakistan’s competitive energy industry, by resolving complex challenges with her deep insights, intelligence and experience. Her socio-economic contributions have been recognized by the leading oil marketing companies in the country and the other stakeholders of the energy industry. Over the years, she has focused on business growth, by developing more effective processes, and diversifying into fresh revenue-streams like; transport, LPG and other innovative services.

Over the recent decades, the role of Pakistan’s female population has been significantly enriched. Many women are now entering the professional sectors as competent managers and achieving great results. Every resourceful enterprise in Pakistan must contribute towards women empowerment. Economic experts believe that; literacy and financial inclusion of women has proved to be the fastest way to multiply productivity, promising more prosperity, sustainability and global respect for the nation.