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Meet one of Pakistan's rare female butchers, Zahra Bibi

"The fact that butchery was always a man’s world did not ever deter or discourage me," she tells us.
Updated 03 Sep, 2019


As told to Sheharyar Rizwan, by Zahra Bibi


Salam!

I’m Zahra Bibi and I’m Pakistan’s only female butcher, or at least the only one who faces customers at the counter. I’m not sure if there is any other woman in the country who works as a butcher at the front, facing customers and dealing with them firsthand. I think I’m the only one around.

I live in the small Samsani village of Johar Town. I come from a family of three sisters and two brothers but last year, one of my brothers passed away. Two of my sisters are happily married, so that leaves me, my mother, an elder brother and a sister-in-law in my family at home.

Zahra Bibi at work. Photo courtesy: Murtaza Ali
Zahra Bibi at work. Photo courtesy: Murtaza Ali

I was earlier working at an embroidery shop in a plaza in Model Bazaar near our house for four to five years, but had to quit because of their issues with payment.

Two years ago, I had gone to grab a roti from a tandoor when I thought I’d just say hi to a friend who worked at the Emporium Mall's supermarket, Carrefour (operated in Pakistan by Majid Al Futtaim).

She suggested I apply for a job here, which I did and got in. I thought I’ll do anything they’d ask me to, including security duty, but they placed me in the chicken butchery section.


Domestic needs compelled me to get out of the house and start working after one of my brothers died. Nobody works for fun you see; there’s a need that makes everyone take up jobs. We live in a rented house and my other brother was the only breadwinner. It was time I helped him and my family.


Since I knew nothing about butchery obviously, I was trained for four to five months and now I regularly butcher around 15-16 whole chickens in a day from 9am to 6pm that come slaughtered from the slaughterhouse.

Domestic needs compelled me to get out of the house and start working after one of my brothers died. Nobody works for fun you see; there’s a need that makes everyone take up jobs. We live in a rented house and my other brother was the only breadwinner. It was time I helped him and my family.

She's a pro at butchering chicken now. Photo courtesy: Murtaza Ali
She's a pro at butchering chicken now. Photo courtesy: Murtaza Ali

I had no problems adjusting from the previous job to this. It seemed like a piece of cake; there was no difficulty. The training lasted four to five months with a French trainer. The process was slightly difficult because I had no idea what this was about and I started from scratch.

But the support from my boss, my senior Azam, the store's GM, Kyoung Mun Lee and butchery section manager Zohaib helped me overcome any fears and hurdles.

This was the reason that a few weeks into the training my confidence level shot up and now I love what I do. The work environment here is great with very friendly and encouraging people around.


My family is also really proud of me and support me completely, which is why I have come so far. My mother supports me and prays for me a lot; other relatives would especially come to the supermarket to watch me work and feel really happy about it.


My favourite task here is marinating. I also make sure that we all wear clean uniforms, as I’m a stickler for hygiene. I believe if we present ourselves satisfactorily, we’ll be able to handle customers in a better way.

In the initial days of training, I was hesitant only about handling those huge knives, which I hadn’t even touched before, but gradually I overcame that fear and now I’m a pro and can butcher a chicken under a minute. During training, I was the only woman there; no woman has been even trained for this job, let alone has worked.

Zahra Bibi with her colleagues. Photo courtesy: Murtaza Ali
Zahra Bibi with her colleagues. Photo courtesy: Murtaza Ali

Customers have been really happy to see me taking up such a job that was considered a man’s territory so far. But in my initial days after the training, there was just one man, who seemed very angry and refused outright to buy chicken from me, saying I was a woman and that this wasn’t a woman’s job.

I asked him if he thought women were any less than men and if there was any difference between a man and a woman in current times. But he was adamant so I stepped aside and asked a male colleague to deal with him. Besides that one person, there hasn’t been any customer that gave me a tough time.

There are some customers who don’t even want a new worker dealing with them. I’ve got repeat customer, who have specifically asked me to step up and butcher chicken for them because they liked my work and my skilfulness.


My female colleagues call me qasai, and I own the title proudly. They ask me why I chose a job where there’s a lot of stench. Some often tell me I stink because I spend so much time in the butchery, but I tell them not to disrespect someone’s work.


Now that I believe I have mastered butchering chicken, I told my boss I wanted to move to the harder section of beef and mutton. It’s hard because the equipment used there takes a lot more strength than it does for chicken. The boss appreciated my commitment and said gradually they’ll shift me there.

There will be a separate training session for that. But I have started practicing myself by just removing fat from small pieces of beef. I believe a person can achieve and learn anything if he/she is determined and committed. My seniors, Azam and Zohaib, have supported me a lot and given me feedback that I’m doing great. And now that I like doing this, I don’t want to quit. I’m proud of myself.

She loves being right at the counter and interacting with customers. Photo courtesy: Murtaza Ali
She loves being right at the counter and interacting with customers. Photo courtesy: Murtaza Ali

My family is also really proud of me and support me completely, which is why I have come so far. My mother supports me and prays for me a lot. In fact, recently during my younger sister’s wedding my family would joke with me that they’d get me all the chicken to butcher and cook.

My mamoo’s family and other relatives would especially come to the supermarket to watch me work and feel really happy about it. Some relatives even shop for meat from here. At home they tease me that I’m a qasain (female butcher). When I’m off from work and cooking at home, the household knives seem really tiny to me now as compared to the ones I use at work.

My female colleagues call me qasai, and I own the title proudly. They ask me why I chose this job where there’s a lot of stench, and I tell them they’re misunderstood. Some often tell me I stink because I spend so much time in the butchery, but I tell them not to disrespect someone’s work.

After seeing me work, some of my women colleagues even expressed interest in this job, but they never returned, saying they couldn’t work here. But I love working here, and want to become a butcher permanently. Some of my women colleagues joke with me that they’re scared of me now; the men have been really appreciative.

Zahra Bibi's moniker is qasai and she owns it. Photo courtesy: Murtaza Ali
Zahra Bibi's moniker is qasai and she owns it. Photo courtesy: Murtaza Ali

I firmly believe that women aren’t any less than men in any field, and I think I’ve proven that. Any woman who is willing and wants to do something for herself, her family should support her in whatever she chooses to do. I want to tell other women also that they shouldn’t hesitate in doing something, if at all they’re hesitant to take up unfamiliar jobs. The fact that butchery was always a man’s world did not deter or discourage me ever.

From here I don’t know where fate takes me. I feel now I can even train people for this job and would like to become the supervisor eventually -- I do see myself taking up the role one day. Life is unpredictable. so one doesn’t know what will happen even in the very next moment.

Comments

Khawaja Sep 02, 2019 08:59am
Best Wishes to Zaha Bibi for a very successful future.
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Sanity 101 Sep 02, 2019 09:27am
proud of you mam !
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Kazim Sep 02, 2019 09:34am
Good initiative
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Riaz khan Sep 02, 2019 10:11am
Keep it up Zahra bibi, you are really great
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Aram Hussain Sep 02, 2019 10:34am
Really appreciate and salute to this courageous women. Zahra Bibi proved that women can do anything in the world for what she wants
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Syed irfan ali Sep 02, 2019 10:39am
Wow! truly inspiring story. Hats off to Zahra Bibi and all the best to her in her career.
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OWAIS MASOOD Sep 02, 2019 10:51am
Super proud of you Zahra Bibi! The only thing which stinks is the people's thinking when they look down upon your work! Women are more than 50% of the population and they should be accounting for 50% of the roles across the spectrum! Carry on and shine!
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Ahmed Bilal Sheikh Sep 02, 2019 11:09am
Mashallah
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AZAM AKBAR Sep 02, 2019 11:56am
You are doing a job with respect and dignity.
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tony johnson` Sep 02, 2019 12:04pm
We are very proud of you young lady!
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tony johnson` Sep 02, 2019 12:05pm
Wish you all success in your career!
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Babu Sep 02, 2019 12:07pm
She is a real asset to our society
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Anand Sep 02, 2019 12:39pm
awesome & inspiring story ! keep up the good work !
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ahmad Sep 02, 2019 12:51pm
Best wishes to zahra. btw in villages it is common practice for women to know butchery
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Mehtab Ahmad Sep 02, 2019 04:06pm
It feels proud to work with you miss Zahra. You are our inspiration.
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Syed Zaheer Sep 02, 2019 04:07pm
Hats off for you Zahra bibi, good job.
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Syed Hussain akbari Sep 02, 2019 04:32pm
Why not ? Zahra Bibi's first step broadens the scope of jobs for the women in Pakistan . Best of luck for her.
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Shahnaz Sep 02, 2019 06:20pm
We often visit her to purchase the meat, she looks so professional, we see in different countries the females doing the job of butcher and now Zahra Bibi make us proud, may you gather many successes in your hands
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SK Sep 02, 2019 07:02pm
Good on you, lady! Stay strong! Feels so good to read a positive, inspirational story from Pakistan.
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ahmedabout Sep 02, 2019 07:11pm
Good work Zahra Bibi. You shine!
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N abidai Sep 02, 2019 09:19pm
Good women and girls should be working every jobs,and men should creates safe environments for them !
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Goraya Sep 02, 2019 09:30pm
You are really great. I salute.
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Asiya Sep 02, 2019 10:32pm
More power to you lady!!
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Chris Roberts Sep 02, 2019 10:55pm
And why not? Man or woman, if you are so inclined and believe in yourself, go for it! All the best to Zahra Bibi.
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Captain Sep 02, 2019 11:08pm
Good luck and appreciate ur efforts and commitment!
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Ali Sep 03, 2019 02:49am
Very impressed at the cleanliness of the store
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Imran Khan Sep 03, 2019 04:25am
Wishing you all the best Zahra and on my next visit to Pakistan i will definately come and buy my chicken from you, by that time i am sure u will be a Supervisor...All the best and in western countries like the one where i am based most of Butchery section in Supermarket chains in run by women, so there is bring future for you ahead..Wish you sucess
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iqbal Sep 03, 2019 03:23pm
Good honest job. Well done. Glad the good lady takes professional pride in her important work. Wearing a face mask when actually cutting up slaughtered meat is a good hygiene practice. It protects both the worker and the customers. ...Having a proper shower, including shampooing the hair, after finishing work, before changing back into normal street clothes, is essential hygiene. ...Presto ! No more 'Butchery smell'. ..Cleaning up time: including 'shower time and drying of hair time' must count as paid work time. Uniforms should never be taken home. On-site or commercial laundry should wash and iron them.
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Mahanteshappa Sep 03, 2019 04:36pm
Great job Zahra...there is no job small in this world. Each one should learn from u.... Great inspiration for today's youth..
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nighat Sep 04, 2019 10:46am
more power to you Zahra Bibi
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Ms. HADI Sep 04, 2019 11:22am
More power to you!!!
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