Two sisters, one sea, a path less travelled

Dua, Aleena charting a new course for Pakistani women in merchant navy photo: express The sea has never been known for making life easy. Its waves can be unforgiving, voyages can stretch for months and the horizon can become a lonely companion when home is thousands of miles away. For two sisters from Karachi, however, the challenges of life at sea were not a warning - they were an invitation. Dua and her younger sister Aleena chose a career that few Pakistani women have traditionally considered: the merchant navy. Their journey has taken them from the classrooms and training facilities of Karachi to the City of Glasgow College in Scotland, and from navigation simulators to the deck of a ship. Along the way, their performance earned them certificates of appreciation during their overseas training. For the sisters, however, the real achievement is not the certificates. It is proving that the sea does not have to be a man's world. Dua completed the first year of the National Diploma in Nautical Science at the Pakistan Marine Training Institute in Karachi before travelling to Scotland for the second year of her education and training. The programme was far removed from conventional classroom learning. Alongside academic study, the sisters underwent practical maritime training and gained experience aboard ships - learning the skills needed to navigate vessels safely and operate at sea. "It is certainly not an easy life," Dua told The Express Tribune. "Sea life is a little difficult, but once we decided to pursue this career, we did not allow the challenges to stand in our way." Then came the thought that, perhaps, mattered most. "Someone had to take the first step. Some Pakistani woman had to become a pioneer," she added. In Pakistan, the merchant navy remains relatively unfamiliar as a career option for women. Dua believes that is partly because young girls simply do not know what opportunities exist. "Women in other countries can choose this field. Why not Pakistani women?" she asked. The sisters want to change that perception. For them, a career is not necessarily confined to the familiar choices of medicine, engineering or architecture. "There is a whole world beyond medicine, engineering and architecture," the siblings told The Express Tribune. And the world they chose comes with responsibilities far greater than simply standing on a ship's deck. As deck cadets, they are being trained in watchkeeping, navigation, route planning, determining a vessel's course and other technical aspects of ship operations. Their training also includes the use of simulators to develop practical navigation and deck-handling skills. Eventually, their responsibilities will include helping ensure that vessels follow the correct routes, alter course when necessary and navigate safely under changing conditions. Choosing the same profession was no coincidence. For Aleena, having her sister beside her was a source of strength in an unfamiliar and demanding environment. "One of the main reasons we chose the same field was so that we could stay together, support each other and make our country proud," she told The Express Tribune. Their shared journey also made the difficult periods easier. Training was demanding. Life away from home was unfamiliar. But having a sister experiencing the same challenges meant neither had to face them alone. Perhaps the most surprising part of their story is that the sisters did not come from a maritime family. No one in their family had worked in the merchant navy. Their family background was primarily connected with medicine. It was their parents who first introduced them to the field. The sisters, who had been fascinated by adventure since childhood, found themselves drawn to the idea of a career that promised something very different from the conventional. Their parents supported the decision, allowing the sisters to turn an unusual idea into a professional journey. Dua and Aleena are not the first Pakistani women to venture into the merchant navy. Another Karachi woman, Neelam, had entered the profession before them. But the sisters hope their journey will encourage many more to follow.