In a sawdust-filled workshop tucked away in the Karakoram Mountains, a group of women carpenters crafts cabinets and builds an unconventional career path in Pakistan. While women represent only a small percentage of Pakistan's formal workforce, female-led businesses in several villages along the old Silk Road—linking China and Afghanistan—are defying traditional norms.

Bibi Amina, who founded her carpentry workshop in 2008 at age 30, stated, “We have 22 employees and have trained around 100 women.” The Hunza Valley, home to about 50,000 people and rich in apricot, cherry, walnut, and mulberry orchards, follows the Ismaili branch of Shiite Islam. The Ismailis are led by the Aga Khan, a hereditary title held by a family of Pakistani origin now based in Europe.

This family established a girls' school in Hunza in 1946, laying the foundation for educational initiatives that have since raised the valley's literacy rate to an impressive 97% for both men and women—far surpassing Pakistan’s national averages of approximately 68% for men and 52.8% for women. These efforts have helped shift societal attitudes, allowing women like Amina to take on greater responsibilities.

“People thought women were there to wash dishes and do laundry,” Amina recalled about past generations. Trained by the Aga Khan Foundation to help restore the historic Altit Fort, she later used those skills to start her own carpentry business. Her team is currently fulfilling an order for a luxury hotel.

Despite women making up only 23% of the official labor force in Pakistan as of 2024 (according to the World Bank), rural women often work in the fields to support their families without formal employment status. A recent Gallup poll revealed that one-third of women said they were forbidden by fathers or husbands from working, while 43.5% said they left work to focus on household responsibilities.

Nevertheless, entrepreneurial women like Lal Shehzadi have helped pave the way for others. She launched her café on a scenic hilltop to supplement her husband’s modest army pension. Sixteen years on, her eatery—offering local dishes such as yak meat, apricot oil, and mountain cheese—has become a popular spot for tourists. She now employs 11 people, most of whom are women, including her own children.

Inspired by Shehzadi, Safina left her job to open her own restaurant roughly ten years ago. Initially unsupported, she persuaded relatives to sell two cows and a few goats to fund her dream. She now earns around $170 per month—more than fifteen times her previous income.

According to Sultan Madan, a local historian and head of the Karakoram Area Development Organisation, Hunza’s women have advanced further than in other rural Pakistani areas due to three key factors: a very high literacy rate (thanks to the Aga Khan Foundation), limited land ownership that pushed women into alternative sectors, and agricultural roots requiring collaborative family efforts.

This increased female participation has extended beyond economics to sports. “Every village in the valley has a women’s soccer team—Gojal, Gulmit, Passu, Khyber, Shimsal,” said 17-year-old Nadia Shams. Wearing jogging pants or shorts—unusual for much of Pakistan—she trains with her team on a synthetic field.

Here, the name Malika-e-Noor is legendary. A former vice-captain of Pakistan’s national team, she scored the winning penalty against the Maldives in the 2010 South Asian Women's Football Championship. Inspired by her, Fahima Qayyum, who was six years old at the time, has played internationally and now mentors future players.

“As a girl, I emphasize the importance of playing sports—it’s great for health,” she told AFP. “And if they perform well, they might even earn scholarships.”