ISLAMABAD - Flight Lieutenant Ambreen Gul made Pakistani history by becoming one of the country's first female fighter pilots in 2006.

Yesterday, she swopped her flight schedule in one of the world's most dangerous countries for an arranged marriage with a stranger.

'It's all set and planned, but I haven't talked to him,' she admitted, her face scrubbed clean, and wearing a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jumpsuit - a far cry from the make-up and ornate gown she would wear for the wedding.

The wedding between Ms Ambreen, 25, and an engineer from Islamabad has been arranged by their families in the best Pakistani tradition.

When she wakes up today - International Women's Day - she would be married to a man she had seen only once before and with whom she had barely exchanged a word.

Pakistan is a conservative Muslim country, where the United Nations says only 40 per cent of adult women are literate. Women are victims of violence and abuse, and the country still lacks a law against domestic violence.

But in 2006, seven women broke into one of Pakistan's most exclusive male clubs to graduate as fighter pilots - perhaps the most prestigious job in the powerful military and for six decades closed to the fairer sex.

Progress on women's rights has also been uneven elsewhere in the world.

In the Middle East, women's rights have inched forward, but gender inequality remains the norm in the region and in some countries, the situation has taken a turn for the worse, according to a study by US democracy watchdog Freedom House.

The report published last week found that Algeria, Kuwait and Jordan had taken large steps forward in improving women's rights. In contrast, Iraq, the Palestinian Territories and Yemen had fallen behind.

Women in Tunisia enjoy the greatest freedoms of any women in the region, followed by their counterparts in Morocco, Algeria and Lebanon, the study found.

In Kuwait, women now have the same political rights as men, and four women were elected to Parliament last May for the first time in the country's history.

India is also moving towards empowering the nation's often-marginalised women by presenting a Bill to lawmakers today on reserving one-third of legislative seats for them, a governing party spokesman said.

The plan has faced strong opposition since it was first proposed more than a decade ago, with many political leaders worried that their male-dominated parties would lose seats under a female quota system.

But Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government, which was re-elected last year, is confident it has enough support this time and is presenting the Bill to Parliament on International Women's Day.

Ms Ambreen and Flight Lieutenant Nadia Gul, 26, said PAF is a trailblazer for women's rights.

As respected officers with a 60,000 rupee (S$980) monthly salary, they are living out their dreams.

'It's a profession of passion. One has to be extremely motivated. I love flying. I love to fly fighter jets, to do something for my country that is very unique,' said Ms Ambreen, her hair tied into a pony tail.

'Families are very fascinated. Everyone's very impressed,' said Ms Nadia, describing her husband as 'very supportive' and 'proud'.

While PAF is outwardly very proud of its women pilots, some wonder privately whether women are strong enough to reach the top of the profession.

But flying transport and cargo planes, ferrying VIPs like Cabinet ministers around the country, Ms Nadia feels women's lot is improving and takes issue with Western perceptions of Pakistan as backward.

She said: 'PAF is giving us this chance on an equal basis. It was really a bold step that the Pakistan Air Force has taken in recruiting lady fighter pilots.'