Cadet colleges in Pakistan, which are run by the government with officers from the military’s education branch, strive to prepare bright male students for the armed forces and civil services. As a result, such colleges play an outsized role in Pakistan’s education system, which has been woefully underfunded for decades. But girls are still not allowed in these elite schools, with the special college at Mardan the one exception. But military dictator Pervez Musharraf opened up the combat branches of the army, navy and air force to women beginning in 2003. Durkhanay and her classmates are confident the college will give them a fighting chance in Pakistan.

Source: Pakistan Today December 31, 2017 03:56 UTC