KEY POINTS
- Nida Saleh makes history by becoming the first woman to drive a train in Pakistan
- From family hesitation to national inspiration, her journey reflects resilience and ambition
- Nida’s role is a powerful symbol of gender equality in motion
LAHORE, Pakistan: With her hands firmly on the controls and eyes fixed on the track ahead, Nida Saleh has made history to become Pakistan’s first female train driver.
Behind the wheel of Lahore’s Orange Line Metro train, she’s not just operating a train; she’s breaking barriers in a profession long dominated by men, inspiring a new generation of women to pursue roles once considered out of reach.
Breaking the Rails of Tradition
In a nation where public transport has long been a male-dominated frontier, Nida’s presence in the driver’s seat is more than remarkable; it is revolutionary.
She is not just navigating rails, but also charting a path for thousands of women who dare to dream beyond the boundaries society once set.
High-Stakes Ride
The Orange Line Metro is no small feat: 26 stations, hundreds of thousands of daily riders, and a tight schedule with a train departing every five minutes between Ali Town and Dera Gujran.
In this fast-paced world of precision, safety, and pressure, Nida stands calm and composed, ensuring smooth journeys from sunrise to nightfall.
But her own journey began far from the tracks.
“At first, my family was unsure. It’s not something they’d ever imagined for a woman,” Nida recalls. “But I believed in the possibility. And eventually—they did too.”
Training, Grit, and Discipline
Her passion led her to rigorous training, sleepless nights of study, and tireless mornings of drills. Today, she is more than a metro operator, but a guardian of the system.
Each morning, before even setting foot in the cabin, Nida carefully checks the train’s maintenance protocols, reviews safety systems, and ensures every switch and sensor is in perfect harmony.
“Driving a train isn’t easy,” she admits. “But it’s not impossible either. It demands full responsibility, and that’s exactly what I signed up for.”
