You can be smart, active, witty and beautiful at this age and can still follow your heart.

Robina is in Tribal Montage 2-Pc for Rs.2,498/- Shop in stores and online.

 
Robina Ahmed is the chairperson of the National Tariff Commission and a writer/comedian! She loves to travel, does stand up comedies in Punjabi with Auratnaak and is currently writing dialogues for a short film!
 

How did you decide to become CSP officer?

 

Robina is in Tribal Montage 2-Pc for Rs.2,498/- Shop in stores and online.

 
Civil service was the best available choice to become financially independent and explore the practical world where at that time women were not allowed to enter. I took CSS exam after completing masters in Economics.
 

How did you manage your work and family?

 

Robina is in Tribal Montage Suit for Rs.5,599/- Shop in stores and online.

Life for a working, married woman was not easy. My life was an all-out effort to become a good wife, good mother, good daughter, good daughter in law, good officer. In these 16 years I raised three beautiful kids. But in all that effort, I lost myself. Probably there was no one to tell me that I am losing my self until one day an old friend who met me after 18 years told me that I am not the same person. I was really surprised when she said that. Next 16 years was a constant effort to get back the Robina that I lost. Finding myself, regaining my confidence and getting back to life was not easy.

Robina is in Tribal Montage Suit for Rs.7,919/- Shop in stores and online.

 

 How did you end up becoming a traveler, comedian and writer?

 
As the kids grew and became independent, I found more time to pursue my interests. Travel, which in the beginning was work related, later became a passion. Solo travelling gave me an opportunity to spend time with myself. It made me think about myself and encouraged me to stretch my limits.
 
Close to my retirement, I heard about Art of Living and joined a short course run by Shahnaz Minullah. Meaning of life changed for me. I found my passion, my purpose, infact I found myself. I started exploring the art scene in Islamabad. Art galleries. theater, music shows, literary circles, movies, documentaries, dance performances became places to visit.
During my visits to Theater walay, a local community space, I came across a small group of comedians, 6-7 young men performing standup comedy. After watching them for 2-3 times, one day I requested them to include me in their group. There started my standup comedian career. My comedy revolves around women. I strongly believe that being a woman is not easy generally and especially in conservative societies like ours.
 

Tell us about your new project BB Bags?

 
 
BB Bags project is a product of my exposure and understanding of environmental hazards of plastic and my desire to do something for this. I began with turning my house plastic free by replacing plastic BB Bags are made from excess fabric sold by factories and stitched by women from low income households.

 
Do you agree with Robina that “There are other things in life than shadi, buchay, kapray, zaiwar and property”. Let us know in comments.