Intl women’s day: From tailoring shops to offices, KP women drive national development
PESHAWAR (APP): Inside a modest tailoring shop in Nowshera district, the rhythmic hum of a sewing machine fills the room as 58-year-old Jamila Begum works steadily against the clock to meet the orders placed for Eidul Fitre..
Piles of unstitched fabric lie scattered across a wooden table alongside scissors, thread spools and measuring tapes at her home town Pabbi, the motivated lady tailor wakes up early in morning and continues stitching suits till late night .
Wearing spectacles and concentrating intently on her craft, Jamila who became a polio victim in childhood stitches garments, shalwar qamees and kurtas at remarkable speed while urging her assistants to work faster amid electricity load-shedding.
“We have to finish these different types of suits before Eid,” she says, carefully measuring fabric for the next order in her single room shop.
Unaware that International Women’s Day was being observed on March 8 under the global theme “Rights. Justice. Action. for All Women and Girls,” Jamila remained focused on her work by completing stitching of ladies and girls suites.
Her quiet dedication and commitment to her profession tells a powerful story of the KP’s women key role in progress and development of Pakistan.
Jamila learned the art of tailoring from her late mother at a very young age and assisted her especially during Eid-ul-Fitr, weeding and other joys occasions.
“She used to stitch clothes for brides, relatives and children during weddings and Eid,” Jamila recalled with a warm smile.
Inspired by her mother’s skill, Jamila opened a small tailoring shop in her village years ago. Since then, she has worked long hours to meet customer demands and help support her family amid rising inflation in KP.
Over time, she transformed the inherited family craft into a steady source of income and helped her father treatment.
Prior to Eid, Jamila mainly designs fancy bridal suits, which bring better earnings than ordinary stitching for her.
“Normally I stitch three suits a day and now five due to Eid’s demands,” she explained. “If there is no power outage, I can complete six to eight suits easily.”
For her services, Jamila charges around Rs700 for a simple suit and Rs12,00 for designer outfits as rates far below prevailing market prices.
Despite the modest earnings and cultural barriers in KP, she takes pride in the profession that allowed her to educate her children and improve her family’s life.
“Through this work I managed to send my brothers to the University of Peshawar for higher education, arrange their marriages,” she said with quiet satisfaction.
Jamila believes women of Pakistan have all the talents who can achieve financial independence not only through government jobs but also through entrepreneurship.
“A woman can earn with dignity by starting her own business,” she said.
However, she pointed out that six to eight hours of daily electricity load-shedding in her area negatively impact her work and causes economic losses for local tailors.
“If electricity situation improves, we could earn much more for her families,” she added.
Jamila’s story mirrors the experiences of thousands of women across Pakistan who are contributing to the country’s economic and social development.
Pakistan has produced many inspirational women who brought pride to the nation, including Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, Begum Rana Liaquat Ali Khan, Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, labour rights activist Syeda Ghulam Fatima, Pakistan’s first female fighter pilot Marium Mukhtar Shaheed, motivational speaker Muniba Mazari, CM Punjab Maryam Nawaz and Oscar-winning filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.
Across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, women are making their mark not only in small businesses but also in social development and public administration.
One such example is Najma Sahar, Director of Zamung Kor (Our Own Home)—a government initiative that provides care and education to vulnerable children.
Speaking to APP, she said the project aims to create a safe and nurturing environment for disadvantaged children.
“Under the Zamung Kor model school system, free education, accommodation and sports facilities are provided to destitute and underprivileged children,” she said.
Established in July 2016, the institution can accommodate around 1,000 students and provides free books, uniforms, school bags, stationery, qualified teachers and psychological support.
The provincial government has taken several legislative and administrative measures to promote women’s empowerment.
These include laws protecting women from workplace harassment, ensuring women’s inheritance rights and establishing a Women Empowerment Cell.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Commission on the Status of Women (KPCSW) also reviews policies and monitors initiatives aimed at improving women’s welfare and promoting gender equality.
Additionally, eight Darul Aman shelter homes, 235 industrial training centres, women’s hostels and a Girls Cadet College in Mardan have been established to support women’s education and professional growth.
At the federal level, the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) provides financial assistance to millions of deserving women across Pakistan.
Under the Benazir Kafalat Programme, registered women receive quarterly stipends, benefiting millions households.
BISP has also introduced Nashonuma and education stipend programmes aimed at improving maternal and child health while promoting education among disadvantaged families.
Similarly, the Prime Minister’s Youth Business, Laptops and Agriculture Schemes offer interest-free loans while higher categories provide concessional financing for entrepreneurs, including women.
The experts stressed that women’s participation is essential for transparent governance and effective implementation of the Right to Information law.
The KP women commission encourages women to actively seek information about their rights and government services.
The commission is also planning awareness campaigns to help women better understand their legal rights and access public information more easily.
Across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, International Women’s Day is marked by seminars, rallies, talk shows and debates in educational institutions highlighting women’s achievements.
For Jamila Begum, however, the day passed like any other busy working day and she continued to her mother legacy believing in her abilities.
Inside her small shop, the sewing machine continued to hum as she stitched one suit after another—determined to meet her Eid orders.
Her story reflects the quiet strength of countless Pakistani women who, despite social and economic challenges, continue to shape the nation’s development through resilience, dedication and hope.
If given a chance, the KP women can excell in other professions and richly contribute in the country’s devolopment process.
