For the first time in Pakistan's history, women are to be employed in a combat role, working to prevent airline hijackings.

Nine female recruits have been trained to work as sky marshals on planes, using unarmed combat techniques; if necessary, they can kill a hijacker with their bare hands.

The officer in charge of training said the women, who are all unmarried and in their early twenties, met the same standards as the male trainees.

One of the female recruits ,Nadia Farheen, said she had to get her family's permission before enrolling, but would not quit if she got married.

The commander in charge of airport security said the marshals would be deployed at random, dressed to look like passengers.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service