Pakistan is home to oodles of talent, and the country’s women are no exception. Meet Uzma Nawaz, one of the few female car mechanics in the country.
Hailing from Dunyapur, a small town of South Punjab, Uzma grew up with a passion for cars. Seeing her passion her father, a farmer, pushed her for studies, and she completed a degree in mechanical engineering.
Reflecting on her hard work and financial hurdles, she said:
I mostly relied on scholarships and often skipped meals to save money for transportation.
Following her degree, Uzma followed her passion and against all the odds, landed a job at Toyota Motors’ workshop in Multan.
I took it up as a challenge against all the odds and the meager financial resources of my family.
With sheer hard work and dedication, she was soon promoted to general repairs. She can now easily change tires, inspect engines, and handle a variety of tools like a pro.
After picking up a wrench, Uzma has mainly faced two reactions from costumers: shock and surprise, and then a bit of respect.
“When they see me doing this type of work, they are astonished,” she said, adding that nothing shakes her confidence and will.
Even Uzma’s co-workers appreciate her expertise and passion for work.
“Whatever task we give her, she does it like a man with hard work and dedication,” said co-worker M Attaullah.
Speaking of her expertise at work, the 25-year-old mechanical engineer claims that she can identify the fault from the sound of the vehicle.
Uzma’s father, Muhammad Nawaz, says despite the patriarchal society’s taunts and stereotypes, he is happy for her success.
Our society does not encourage girls to work at workshops, it doesn’t seem nice, but it is her passion, and I am very happy about it.