Abeera Kamran and Zara Afshan speak to the media at the Pakistan Pavilion in Expo 2020.

Inayat-ur-Rahman, Business Editor

K-Electric – the Saudi and Kuwaiti-backed sole privatised power utility, introduced its ‘Roshni Baji’ programme at Expo 2020 Dubai by honouring Abeera Kamran and Zara Afshan as the country’s first certified female electricians at Pakistan Pavilion on Friday.

The company, which powers the country’s largest city with a population base of over 25 million people, highlighted key features of the pioneering programme and women’s role to promote inclusivity and drive safety awareness in communities is reshaping Pakistan’s power sector.

The Roshni Baji, Beacon of Light, programme was conceived by K-Electric under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5) – gender equality and women empowerment – to provide a platform for women to showcase their talents while driving a grassroots transformation of their communities. Abeera Almas and Zara Afshan represented the ‘Roshni Baji’ programme in a country where female labour force participation (FLFP) has remained the lowest in the past two decades as per the World Bank. As per reports, FLFP in Pakistan’s power sector hovers around 4%.

Two unique women, Abeera Almas and Zara Afshan, took the center stage at the Pakistan Pavilion’s event “Women of Pakistan: Leading a Change”, a first-of-its -kind initiative organised by the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan (EFP) as part of proceedings of the on-going Expo 2020 Dubai.

Speaking at the event, the ‘Roshni Bajis’ shared their inspiring journey to become the bastions of safety within their neighbourhoods. They spoke about their critical role in creating awareness towards safe usage of electricity within premises, which was becoming one of the leading preventable injury/death causes in the country’s financial and economic hub. Launched in February 2021, these 40 women have collectively engaged over 100,000 homes across Karachi, gaining access to areas where cultural sensitivities prevented male staff from engaging with women who were present at home.

Sharing her delight to be the part of this illustrious occasion, Abeera Almas said: “We are proud to be representing Pakistan on such a prestigious platform and share our stories with the audience. Programs like ‘Roshni Baji’ prove that if women are given the right support and opportunities, they can excel and create a space for themselves even in technical fields.”

“We hope that other organisations also create similar programs and empower more women to enter the workforce. We look forward to playing our part in driving Pakistan’s prosperity and reshaping its perception on the global stage,” she added.