29/08/2020
It’s a man’s world, they say, and in Pakistan that’s possibly a truer statement than in many other countries. While we are proud to having had the first female Prime Minister in the Muslim world and while Pakistani women have excelled in many fields, sometimes in the face of violent opposition, the overall situation of women’s rights leaves a great deal to be desired.With this in mind, let’s relate the interesting example set by a petrol pump in Lahore where the job of pumping gas, for some reason seen exclusively as a male preserve, is conducted entirely by women.Zoom petrol station at the M.M. Alam Road has taken the bold initiative of employing women in what has always been essentially a male domain. Smartly dressed in pants, collared shirts and caps or scarves, young women go about filling up tanks of cars and motorcycles with an air of ease and professional nonchalance which makes you wonder why it took so long for this initiative to take off.I visited the petrol station recently to buy a bottle of water from the mini-mart, I noticed some girls in uniform, filling petrol in cars that drove in and out of the gas station. Surprised, I decided to sit in my car for a bit and observe what was going on. For some customers, it seemed to be business as usual but for others, it was a bit surprising and awkward. “Since we are located in a relatively upscale area and have a permanent customer base, the management doesn’t really have any issues with hiring female employees,” said Saeeb, the manager of the petrol station.
