Dedicated Female Teacher Rides a Motorcycle to get to her Students

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Pakistan has had its fair share of great teachers throughout history and now it seems that Mahjabeen Baloch, 33, will also be added to that list. Hailing from Tonsa Tehsil in Dera Ghazi Khan, Ms. Mahjabeen travels 28 kilometers every day on a motorcycle from her home to a primary school in Kaleri Basti.

This is the only school in the area and was setup as a boy’s primary school. Ms. Mahjabeen is the only female teacher here and ever since she started teaching, parents started sending their daughters to the school too. Although the girls are not yet formally enrolled in the school, they are still very happy to receive an education.

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Ms. Mahjabeen holds a Master’s degree in Political Science from Bahauddin Zakariya University and decided to peruse her passion of teaching after completing her studies. This is where she faced a dilemma; how could she reach the school in Kaleri Basti when there was no public transport in the area? That is when she decided to learn to ride a motorcycle. Ms. Mahjabeen’s husband, who is also a teacher, taught her how to ride it.

Since that time (6 years ago) the 33-year old teacher has been riding her bike on a daily basis to reach her students at the school. Wearing a helmet and a burqa, she rides by herself and is seldom absent from class. Even severe weather conditions and security risks can’t stop her from fulfilling her duty.

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By riding a motorcycle, Ms. Mahjabeen is going against the norms of her tribal society and faces a lot of backlash from the community (women are accompanied by a close male relative when venturing outside their homes and sit behind their male escorts on a motorcycle). She doesn’t let this deter her because it’s her dream to educate the children residing in these areas. She has six children of her own and even though it gets difficult to maintain a work-life balance, she wants to continue her work so that she can empower the children of South Punjab.

Her students have nothing but words of praise and admiration for her and all of us here at Visitpk.com salute Ms. Mahjabeen for her boundless dedication, resilience and bravery.

Pakistan – The Best Adventure Travel Destination in the World

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The British Backpacker Society, an online adventure travel project with thousands of followers, has declared Pakistan to be the best adventure travel destination in the world beating out countries like Turkey, India, Russia and even China.

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Founders of the Society, Samuel Joynson and Adam Sloper, announced the ranking after travelling to over 100 countries. Both of them visited Pakistan in 2016 and say that the country provides a real and genuine travel experience, something which avid backpackers like themselves are always looking for. They started their journey from Lahore going to Islamabad and Rawalpindi and then they moved on to explore the northern areas.

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The group was simply awestruck by the breathtaking natural beauty of Pakistan. They encourage all backpackers to visit Hunza, Naran-Kaghan, Chillas and Gilgat-Baltistan as these areas are home to some of the most beautiful mountainous backdrops in the world. In memory of a famous British mountaineer, the travelers also scaled the Hon Pass in the Hunza Valley and stated that it was one of the most impressive sites that they had ever seen.

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In addition to the stunning sceneries, the hospitality and warmth offered by the locals won the backpackers hearts. According to the group, everyone they encountered was very warm and kind. Along with invaluable help and travel tips, they got constant invitations to people’s homes. Everyone wanted to shake their hands and take innumerable selfies with them.

According to Adam the only real concern for tourists in Pakistan would be the number of selfies that they will be asked to be in. He advises all prospective visitors to prepare to smile for the camera and get ready to enjoy some of the best hospitality on earth.

The Society will be travelling to Pakistan again later this year and is planning to go up to Skardu and some other areas around the Hindu Kush. Everyone here at Visitpk.com is looking forward to their visit and wishes them another great trip to Pakistan.