Woman have always worked, whether in paid jobs or in the home, and often in both. But their work is generally unrecognized and undervalued. Today, woman comprises nearly half of the Pakistan workforce. While there have been many important changes in recent decades, there are many continuities in the issues woman workers face in the workplace.
Devoted, hardworking and struggling woman Aisha Khan. Even if you cut my wings, you can’t break my flight; With this motto in life, Aisha Khan, has continued to soar up to new heights, despite her life changing accident which rendered her paralysed from the legs down. Refusing to let her injury hinder her dreams, she has continued to strive for her passion for singing whilst also furthering her career as a motivational speaker, social activist and fashion designer.
Her life took a 360-degree turn on December 27, 2017, when she was admitted to a hospital after a life threatening accident which resulted in severe damage to her spinal cord and loss of sensation in her limbs. After being diagnosed with the ASIA Conus injury, six screws were inserted into her spinal cord to stabilize its structure, but her limbs had left their mobility. Post surgery, her fragile spinal cord required the ordeal of bed rest for 7 months straight, leaving her bleak hopes of any movement at all in the near future. However, having seen death up close, she found a new strength and willpower to push her limits and to do her utmost in life. Bent on defeating total paralyses, she attended excruciating physiotherapy sessions which at first seemed futile.
“I had a dream and now nothing can stop me, I can’t walk, but I can sing”
singer Aisha Khan.
Thus with great difficulty, on her eighth month, she sat on a wheelchair and went out to welcome the world as life now presented it. Channeling her hope into her ambition, she started singing and recorded a cover of the ever classic song Lambi Judai by Reshma Jee. Her video on Youtube garnered thousands of views and caught attention of the media. She got interviewed in Express Tribune where she extensively discussed her journey and how she started pursuing her passion for singing.
She has also appeared on multiple television shows mainly in morning shows on various channels as a motivational speaker, and has spoken on a variety of topics including her career in fashion designing.
With a knack for show business, she also appeared in few TV dramas in short roles as well as on different FM radio channels as guest speaker to the extent that her health allowed.
As her social activism for various causes gained prominence, she was invited as a speaker on a seminar on Credibility, Risk and Legislative Significance Of The #Metoo Movement in Pakistan, sponsored by US consulate and its impact on human rights, security, health and economics on women. She also participated in the Mobile Journalism Conference as a guest speaker.
Multiple high-risk surgeries, agonizing physiotherapy sessions, confinement to bed, loss of her limbs and dependency on a wheel-chair have strengthened her new-found hope and belief in the value of life and how one should try to make a difference in the world with what they have for that moment in time.
After seven composers and dipping into her savings, Aisha composed a Poem on current situation of world. “I sat in the recording studio and I felt the most incredible sense of freedom,” Aisha shared. A poem video was then made which was posted on her Facebook handle.
