Naz Shah could become something of a role model for young women of her generation and cultural background. The 25-year-old Muslim, a former pupil of Tong Upper School, is about to become the first Asian woman-bus driver in the north, working for First Bradford. She will be seen as an example to young women everywhere for her determination to pursue her dream.

Naz Shah has been lucky enough to have supportive parents who have acknowledged her long-term ambition to follow her driver brother into public transport and wanted her to have a good job. They have understood that she is more likely to succeed in life if she is allowed to follow her own ambitions and persevere with something she is committed to.

That sort of independence and determination can, of course, cause conflict in some families where parents face a dilemma as they try to reconcile their traditional view of a woman's role with the ambitions of their daughters. But the cultural attitude, particularly of British Asians in the third or fourth generation, is changing and adapting - not least in issues such as the recent upsurge in opposition to forced marriages, with Ann Cryer MP collecting evidence in an attempt to get the Government to take this matter seriously.

The more examples there are of Asian women who are succeeding in society - as with Asian men - the more cultural barriers and misunderstandings will be broken down and the better the chances of the Bradford community achieving a lasting harmony.

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