For the first time, a gas station in Pakistan has employed girls to run the operation of pumping gas, a major move to empower women in a conservative Muslim country where they are often discouraged for adopting public roles.
Zoom petrol station in Lahore has taken the bold initiative of employing women in what has always been essentially a male domain.
"More women should be hired at petrol stations, for they are no less than men. When a car drives up, we greet customers and ask them if they would like Hi-Octane or Premium and that's all, we don't chat unnecessarily," said Aysha, one of girls working at the station.
Women at the petrol station work in two shifts - from 8 am to 5 pm and 10 am to 7 pm.
They get paid more than the male staff and are hired directly by the petrol station whereas the men are either hired on contract or daily wage basis.
"Since we are located in a relatively upscale area and have a permanent customer base, the management doesn't really have any issues with hiring female employees," said Saeeb, the manager of the petrol station was quoted as saying by Dawn.
When asked if any special security measures are in place for them, Saeeb said: "No, we've never felt the need for it, as we have never received a complaint from the staff nor the customers."
The upper and lower classes don't mind their women working, it is the lower-middle and middle classes that tend to be more conservative in their outlook and frown upon women working outside their homes, the news report said.
