Nida Saleh, Pakistan’s first female train driver, takes her journey from Lahore’s Orange Line to London

LONDON: Nida Saleh Malik, who made history as Pakistan’s first female train driver on Lahore’s Orange Line Metro, is now studying for a master’s degree in the UK, with plans to push for greater gender equality in the transport and engineering sectors.

Nida is studying MSc Engineering Management with AI at the University of Sunderland’s London campus, the university said in a statement.

“In Pakistan, women are generally considered homemakers,” she said. While her brother learned to drive and quickly gained independence, she wondered why it was so rare for women to do the same.

Determined to build her own independence through a career in engineering, she earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) in Lahore. Some people questioned why she would want to work in such a male-dominated field, but her family supported her.

She credits her mother for her success. “In a society where women are encouraged to choose traditional roles, my mother taught me never to allow other people’s expectations to define what I could achieve,” she said.

After working as a transportation engineer, she decided to move, quite literally, into the driver’s seat. “I did the research, and I thought, why not me? I wanted to be an example to other women,” she said.

She qualified in April 2025 after six months of training and began working on Lahore’s Metro system. “To me, the best part of the job was being fearless, getting stuck in, and showing just how capable I am,” she recalled.

Her impact continues back home. She says she has helped train 20 female drivers, and on a recent visit to Pakistan, former colleagues told her more women were now pursuing careers in transport.

“I joined the university because I wanted to learn how to become a leader and keep encouraging that change,” she said. She hopes to move into an operations manager role and work towards making the transport and engineering sectors more inclusive.

Nida is also a student ambassador and a member of the UoSiL’s SU Crew. “I’ve learnt so much during my time here,” she said. “All my lecturers have been so supportive, and through taking advantage of other opportunities like the Student Ambassador role and the Employability service, I feel so motivated and prepared to achieve my goals.”