I have always been an advocate of ‘breaking the barriers .’ I recently came across a wonderful Pakistani woman challenging all the odds to fulfill her dreams. Zaryab Mehmood, a young woman from Sialkot, Pakistan, is a breath of fresh air amid the chaos for the country’s reputation. She is a traveller, trekker, and entrepreneur.

“Dare to live the life you’ve always wanted! 

Three years ago, she got on an inspirational journey to achieve her dream of exploring Pakistan. Apart from the mainstream tourist locations, she explored the hidden gems of the country as well. Back then, she was a student, but her passion drove her to pursue her goals, and today, she is a proud owner of a travelling company.

Despite stretching out her roots in the field, she is still committed to trekking. Recently, she ventured K2 basecamp. She crossed Gondogoro, which is at an altitude of 5600 meters. The challenges of trekking such a tremendous peak come with its challenges, and they are not untold. There are many risks involved in attempting such unpredictable peaks, but nothing stopped Zaryab from pursuing her ambition, and I think that is simply outstanding. Coming from a conservative society, she could bypass the pressure of treading an unchartered territory and created a mark for herself in the industry within three years. Running a successful travelling company in Pakistan is an applaudable achievement too. Girls like her are inspirational.

Apart from fulfilling her dream, she is also helping other girls to follow their dreams. She is working to spread awareness about the safety of travelling in Pakistan. Being a single girl from Sialkot (a small town), she has explored most of the country on her own, and it is her mission to inspire other women to do it too. 

Zaryab rightly says that “the only regret in life is the chances that we didn’t take.”

Zaryab Mehmood is the true face of women’s empowerment, and I’m highly impressed by her accomplishments. However, she is not alone. 

Thre country has produced some exceptional achievers, and they have accomplished great things. One of the phenomenal names from the travelling industry is Samina Baig. She is a high-altitude mountaineer from Pakistan. In 2013, she summited Mount Everest at the age of 21. She is the first Pakistani Muslim woman who had successfully done all Seven Summits before she turned 23. 

It is remarkable how talented, brave, passionate Pakistani women are, and talents like Zaryab and Samina are only taking things forward.