Latest news with #Sumeera
Daily Mirror
27-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
TikTok star death mystery as body found at home while police make two arrests
Sumeera Rajput has been found dead in her home in Pakistan, with her 15-year-old daughter claiming she was given poisonous tablets by people pressuring her into a forced marriage An up-and-coming TikTok star has been found dead in her home in mysterious circumstances and police have made two arrests. Sumeera Rajput, who had thousands of followers and over a million likes on the social media platform, was discovered in the Bago Wah area of Ghotki, in northern Sindh, Pakistan, in yet another case of violence against women content creators in the country. According to Pakistani media, Sumeera's 15-year-old daughter has alleged that she was murdered by individuals who had been coercing her into a forced marriage. She claimed her mum was given poisonous tablets, which led to her death, reports say. Sumeera's brother has also made the same accusation. Police have taken two suspects into custody and authorities are currently investigating whether foul play was involved. According to reports, an autopsy has been ordered, but the results are yet to be confirmed. Sumeera's death comes weeks after police in Pakistan said TikTok sensation Sana Yousaf, 17, was murdered in her own home following "repeated rejections" of a man who had tried to "reach out to her time and again." A 22-year-old suspect was arrested on suspicion of murder after had been spotted lingering outside Sana's residence for hours. Police said the teenager became the victim of the "gruesome and cold-blooded murder" in Islamabad, Pakistan, following the rejections, which went on for some time. During a press briefing, Islamabad police chief Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi said: "It was a gruesome and cold-blooded murder... It was a case of repeated rejections. The boy was trying to reach out to her time and again." Sana had more than one million TikTok followers. She used the platform to share comedy clips, lip-sync performances, skincare tips, and to promote beauty products. Her final post on both Instagram and TikTok, dated Monday, June 2, captured her birthday celebrations in a montage featuring cake-cutting, time with friends, the venue, and the food enjoyed on her special day. The tragic passing of Sana has captured the hearts of her followers and netizens alike, prompting an outpouring of grief on her social media accounts. On her Instagram profile, Waliya Najib, a renowned Pakistani actress and social media influencer, penned a heartfelt message: "This doesn't feel real. "You were glowing, just being 17. I'm so sorry this world didn't protect you. Rest in peace, sweetheart [broken-heart emoji]." Another devastated individual shared: "This news shook me, you deserved the world Sana. Rest in peace."
Business Mayor
22-04-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
OIC urges member states to implement science, technology agenda during Islamabad moot
ISLAMABAD: Clad in a crisp blue uniform and gripping the nozzle with practiced ease, Sumeera Bibi pumped fuel into the tank of a car, gesturing to the driver to check the reading on the dispenser machine. While fuel stations in Pakistan have been traditionally staffed by men, there is a growing movement toward gender inclusivity, with some stations now employing women like Sumeera as attendants. One notable example was the launch last year of Pakistan's first all-female staffed fuel station, located in Johar Town, Lahore. In the federal capital of Islamabad also, hundreds of women are now working alongside male staff at fuel stations. 'Since getting this job, I have been able to care for my children on my own and overcome all my problems,' Sumeera, a mother of five, told Arab News on Monday at a Pakistan State Oil station on Constitution Avenue, home to major government buildings and embassies. Sumeera Bibi receives cash from a customer after refueling a car at a fuel station in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 22, 2025. (AN) Getting the job has been life changing for Sumeera, married for years to a drug addict, before the relationship spiraled out of control and she was forced to move in with her sister. 'There were many difficulties as I had no job and was dependent on my sister,' said Sumeera, who works an 8 am-6pm shift six days a week. 'We faced many problems in the beginning, especially when customers would often try to touch our hands while returning their [credit] cards,' she said. But getting a timely salary, annual bonus, free medical care and the means to raise and educate her children without being dependent on anyone have made all the difficulties worth it. 'Before this, I had never worked. I had never even dealt with strangers,' she said. 'Now, I deal with all kinds of people every day. There's no shame in hard work.' 'POSITIVE RESPONSE' The overall labor force participation rate for women in Pakistan at 25 percent is significantly lower than the global and South Asian average. A large portion of women in the labor force (67 percent) are employed in agriculture, with only 16 percent in services and 14 percent in manufacturing, according to UN Women. Even among women with higher education, labor force participation rates are relatively low, with only around 25 percent of women with a university degree participating in the labor force. Several factors contribute to the lower female labor force participation, including social norms, safety concerns, lack of mobility, and the availability of transportation. A female worker prepares a bill at a fuel station in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 21, 2025. (AN) But despite the challenges, more and more women are venturing out. Another fuel station attendant, Sana, who only gave her first name, said getting a job had taught her how to face the world and deal with all kinds of people, including those who did not appreciate women working in public spaces in a male-dominated filed. 'Every type of customer visits the station,' she told Arab News. 'Some customers praise our work, saying it's great that we are working in an open environment instead of being confined to an office, while others discourage us, saying it's not suitable for women.' But management was supportive and helped to protect against and handle customers who caused trouble or misbehaved, Sana added. Sana, a female fuel station attendant, refuels a car in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 21, 2025. (AN) Rukhsana Bibi, who works at a PSO station in Islamabad's F-8 sector, said she felt 'secure' at the job, as all stations were monitored by CCTV cameras. Coming from a middle-class background with limited education, Rukhsana said she stepped out of her home not just to earn but to build a better future for her children. 'My husband is a laborer, and his income couldn't cover our household expenses and children's education, that's why I left home.' Jahanzaib Abbasi, Deputy Division Manager at PSO Islamabad, said the company, as an equal opportunity employer, had started hiring women during the coronavirus pandemic. 'We received a very positive response,' he said. 'Many women have now been working for six months to two years, and they are satisfied and happy with their jobs.' For customers like Azka Durrani, seeing women confidently working at fuel stations is a 'heartening sign of growing empowerment and changing social norms.' 'Whenever I see these ladies working at a fuel station,' she said as Rukhsana filled her car's tank, 'I feel empowered.'
Arab News
22-04-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Breaking barriers: Women fuel change at Pakistan's male-dominated petrol pumps
ISLAMABAD: Clad in a crisp blue uniform and gripping the nozzle with practiced ease, Sumeera Bibi pumped fuel into the tank of a car, gesturing to the driver to check the reading on the dispenser machine. While fuel stations in Pakistan have been traditionally staffed by men, there is a growing movement toward gender inclusivity, with some stations now employing women like Sumeera as attendants. One notable example was the launch last year of Pakistan's first all-female staffed fuel station, located in Johar Town, Lahore. In the federal capital of Islamabad also, hundreds of women are now working alongside male staff at fuel stations. 'Since getting this job, I have been able to care for my children on my own and overcome all my problems,' Sumeera, a mother of five, told Arab News on Monday at a Pakistan State Oil station on Constitution Avenue, home to major government buildings and embassies. Getting the job has been life changing for Sumeera, married for years to a drug addict, before the relationship spiraled out of control and she was forced to move in with her sister. 'There were many difficulties as I had no job and was dependent on my sister,' said Sumeera, who works an 8 am-6pm shift six days a week. 'We faced many problems in the beginning, especially when customers would often try to touch our hands while returning their [credit] cards,' she said. But getting a timely salary, annual bonus, free medical care and the means to raise and educate her children without being dependent on anyone have made all the difficulties worth it. 'Before this, I had never worked. I had never even dealt with strangers,' she said. 'Now, I deal with all kinds of people every day. There's no shame in hard work.' 'POSITIVE RESPONSE' The overall labor force participation rate for women in Pakistan at 25 percent is significantly lower than the global and South Asian average. A large portion of women in the labor force (67 percent) are employed in agriculture, with only 16 percent in services and 14 percent in manufacturing, according to UN Women. Even among women with higher education, labor force participation rates are relatively low, with only around 25 percent of women with a university degree participating in the labor force. Several factors contribute to the lower female labor force participation, including social norms, safety concerns, lack of mobility, and the availability of transportation. But despite the challenges, more and more women are venturing out. Another fuel station attendant, Sana, who only gave her first name, said getting a job had taught her how to face the world and deal with all kinds of people, including those who did not appreciate women working in public spaces in a male-dominated filed. 'Every type of customer visits the station,' she told Arab News. 'Some customers praise our work, saying it's great that we are working in an open environment instead of being confined to an office, while others discourage us, saying it's not suitable for women.' But management was supportive and helped to protect against and handle customers who caused trouble or misbehaved, Sana added. Rukhsana Bibi, who works at a PSO station in Islamabad's F-8 sector, said she felt 'secure' at the job, as all stations were monitored by CCTV cameras. Coming from a middle-class background with limited education, Rukhsana said she stepped out of her home not just to earn but to build a better future for her children. 'My husband is a laborer, and his income couldn't cover our household expenses and children's education, that's why I left home.' Jahanzaib Abbasi, Deputy Division Manager at PSO Islamabad, said the company, as an equal opportunity employer, had started hiring women during the coronavirus pandemic. 'We received a very positive response,' he said. 'Many women have now been working for six months to two years, and they are satisfied and happy with their jobs.' For customers like Azka Durrani, seeing women confidently working at fuel stations is a 'heartening sign of growing empowerment and changing social norms.' 'Whenever I see these ladies working at a fuel station,' she said as Rukhsana filled her car's tank, 'I feel empowered.'
