Seven Pakistani women are trained to fly the country's F-7 fighter jets -- though none have seen combat so far.
Pakistani fighter pilot cadets go through their paces at Risalpur air base in Pakistan.
Posted on 09/16/2009 9:14:48 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Pakistan's female fighter pilots break down barriers
September 14, 2009
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Six years ago an ad in the Sunday paper changed a young Pakistani woman's life and made aviation history.
The ad read: "Pakistan Air Force recruiting females cadets."
Back then Ambreen Gul was 20-years old and living in Karachi. Her mother wanted her to be a doctor. She remembers her reaction when she told her she wants to fly.
"She was like: 'You're a girl,'" says Gul. "How will you do it? How will you fly?"
The following day Gul took the first step in proving her mother wrong. She was among the first in line at the recruitment center.
For nearly six decades it was only men who had flown Pakistan's fighter jets. Today Gul is one of seven women who are trained and ready to fly Pakistan's F-7 supersonic fighter jets.
"This is a feeling that makes you proud and makes you humble also," says Gul.
Humility doesn't mean lack of confidence.
"We can do everything better than the men," explains cadet Nida Tariq.
"We're more hardworking, more consistent and more patient," adds cadet Anam Faiq.
To become a fighter pilot takes three years of training at the Air Force Academy in Risalpur, Pakistan, where the halls are lined with grainy black-and-white pictures of nearly six decades of male graduates who went on to fly for the Pakistan Air Force.
The training is often intensely physical........
"Islam gives equal opportunity to females. Whatever we want to do we can," says pilot Nadia Gul....
(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...
Seven Pakistani women are trained to fly the country's F-7 fighter jets -- though none have seen combat so far.
Pakistani fighter pilot cadets go through their paces at Risalpur air base in Pakistan.
Very cool. thanks for posting
Gonna be hard to see wearing a burka.
Good grief! They still have their heads covered with scarves!
Oh brother...
At least we know who will be ordered to fly the suicide missions deep into India now...
Yup.
That will definetly make hearing any communications in the headset (in the helmet) a little difficult...
“Islam gives equal opportunity to females. Whatever we want to do we can,” says pilot Nadia Gul....
What version of the koran was she allowed to read???
Ambreen...Ambreen...pretty name. So many Islamic female names sound like they’re being spoken around a mouthful of taffy.
And even more deep meaning given the person’s profession-
http://names.newkerala.com/baby-name/10682/ambreen
Nice move by Pakistan to win kudos and approval in the West.
Nicely timed to tell America, see, yer tax dollars are helping to modernise Pakistan.
Well, another future target for Indian pilots.
I guess defending your country does not earn you the right to uncover your head in public?
I certainly hope Pakistani women fly better than they drive.
So what? Pakistan is playing a two faced game with us and the less power they have against India the better.
Are they breaking down the barriers with the Christians who are persecuted there? How much our money did two-faced Musharraf use to train their military to fight India?
India is aligning with Brazil, Russia, and China to form a bloc as a counterweight against American interests.
That does not make Pakistan our ally and India still helps us with the jihadists of Pakistan.
But Pakistan has been our marginal ally back when Musharraf was in power.
“Gonna be hard to see wearing a burka.”
Insteand of a pressurized flight suit they can have a pressurized flight burkha. Gonna be fun to see how they deal with the relief tube issue (diapers).
I’m sure when the Taliban takes over these girls will be among the first for the chopper.
Pakistan is also friendly with Brazil and China.
Islam is a much bigger threat to the US than India is. It is just a matter of time until Sharia spreads across Pakistan and then who knows who will get their hands on those nukes.
If you consider someone who admitted they used us an ally, OK. Him like the rest of the Islamic world made a fool of our govt.
Former president Pervez Musharraf says the US military aid given to Pakistan during his tenure was used to strengthen defences against India.
Mr Musharraf said he did not care if this diversion of aid angered the US.
“Whoever wishes to be angry, let them be angry, why should we bother? We have to maintain our security, and the Americans should know, and the whole world should know that we won’t compromise our security, and will use the equipment everywhere.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8254360.stm
India is not a stable ally, either. They were with the socialists during the Cold War.
Face the fact. ITS US that's not really a stable ally and does not deserve to have one.
Besides US is more socialist then India, try arguing with me on that.
India’s healthcare is government-provided. Not through the national government, but through states nonetheless.
I’m saying that we should play both of them against each other. Pakistan was once our ally. India is for now. FOR NOW.
“I’m saying that we should play both of them against each other”
Which obviously US is doing already. India is not your ally anymore. Bush has hosed India and Obama has snubbed her already. You get the ally you deserve.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.