Mahrukh Chohan, a 23-year-old from Bahawalpur, has become the youngest Central Superior Services (CSS) officer to join the Pakistan Customs Service Group.
She ranked seventy-third in the CSS examination 2021 and was allotted CSS (50 Common) Pakistan Customs Service Group. With this feat, she became not only the youngest officer to join the Customs service this year but in the history of Pakistan Customs.
Chohan is the daughter of Major (Retd.) Muhammad Akhtar Abid Chohan, and is originally from Kharian Tehsil of Gujrat, Punjab. She studied at institutes in different cantonments and had to change schools a lot due to her father’s postings. Despite this, she continued her journey to success.
In an interview with Daily Pakistan, Chohan, who passed the CSS examination in her first attempt, mentioned that she had not studied at an academy to prepare for it, rather it was the result of self-study.
She told the publication that she has a BS in Accounting and Finance from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Islamabad.
Chohan also revealed that her last semester could not be completed on time because of the pandemic.
“The university was closed and then later the university took the online exam. In June 2020, I graduated, and in February 2021, I made my successful CSS attempt,” she said and added that the pandemic-induced lockdowns had helped her prepare for the CSS examination.
Chohan responded to a question by saying that attempting a CSS examination is more a test of nerves than of knowledge or skills.
“The more pressure you can withstand, the greater the chances of your success,” she remarked.
She also clarified that her family hails from Kharian but has been residing in Bahawalpur for the last 10 years due to her father’s post-retirement job.
