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| Sunday, 02 April 2006 |
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Pakistan gets first women fighter pilots ISLAMABAD, March 31, AFP, Four women have received their wings as the Pakistan air force's first female fighter pilots, officials said Friday. Saba Khan, Nadia Gul, Mariam Khalil and Saira Batool were inducted along with 32 male colleagues at a ceremony on Thursday following more than three years of rigorous training. They were given their flying badges by Vice Chief of the Army Staff General Ahsan Saleem Hayat at the Pakistan Air Force academy in the northwestern town of Risalpur, officials said. State media said the four officers had called on other women to join the air force, and quoted them as saying that it was "attractive and honorable despite various challenges." Gul received the trophy for best academic achievement on her course, officials said. "The female pilots performed well in all fields during their training," said the chief of the Pakistan Air Force Academy, Air Commodore Abid Khawaja. "In the beginning some difficulties were faced during training, but they made rapid improvement and overcame all hurdles due to their hard work and dedication," he said, without elaborating. Women in Muslim Pakistan can join the armed forces in non-combat roles but this is the first time that they have been given front-line jobs. Another three female pilots are currently being trained and are due to graduate within six months, officials said. However, the air force said it had stopped taking on any more female pilots while it assesses the performance of the four who have just got their wings, Air Commodore Khawaja said. "We want to check the operational fitness of these female officers, after which a decision about induction of more lady officers would be taken," he added. |
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