Women around the world are rising to power now more than ever. From getting acknowledged in sports to gaining recognization in the administrative fields, women in Pakistan are to be found everywhere performing the male-oriented tasks diligently. Quetta’s Sobia Khan is no exception in this regard, who has been appointed as the first-ever female traffic police sergeant in Quetta, Balochistan.
Famously known as ‘Madam City’, Sobia’s main duties revolve around controlling the traffic and guiding drivers. According to Sobia, women have a better chance to perform in the police. The major reason behind her deployment can be attributed to the ever-increasing number of female drivers in Quetta. “The number of women drivers has increased in Quetta”, she said. “It is very difficult for male traffic sergeants to deal with women.”
In Pakistan, women are faced with many challenges when allocated in male-centric fields and Sobia Khan made it to this position despite all the tribal and social difficulties. She broke away the stereotypical feminine image of fragility when she stepped forward to serve the masses.
Acquiring her basic education from Quetta, Sobia is the recipient of a master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Balochistan. Later on, in 2009, she qualified for the position of Assistant Sub-inspector of Police examination from the Balochistan Public Service Commission (BPSC).
According to the sources, Sobia fined three women on the very first day of her duty for the violation of traffic rules. “My aim is to implement the law”, she said. Before her allocation, women drivers have complained about the misbehavior of male traffic sergeants, “I am here to deal with them. Now they (women) have no excuse”, she asserted.
In 2013, Sobia Khan has also served in the police department of Khuzdar, one of the remotest areas in Balochistan, for four years. She has also been to the United States for training. In terms of her professional capability, her colleagues have spoken very highly of her, describing her as very punctual and professional.
With shoddy traffic conditions faced by Quetta today, this comes as a challenge for Sobia to work for a smooth flow of traffic. We wish her more power.
