Pakistan’s girls fight social norms to pursue boxing dreams

Karachi, Pakistan – In a gritty neighbourhood known for its gang violence and poverty, young girls from Lyari are defying social norms to pursue their dreams of boxing. Hoorain Zahra, a 13-year-old aspiring boxer, is determined to follow in the footsteps of her idol, Aliya Soomro, who made national headlines last year by winning an international bout in Bangkok.

This feat is particularly remarkable, as it is rare for young women in Pakistan, where patriarchal and cultural norms dictate that girls and women should remain at home rather than in gyms or sports clubs. Recently, Fatima Zahra, a 22-year-old boxer, became Pakistan's first female Commonwealth Games boxing medallist, earning a bronze medal in the 60kg category in Glasgow.

Thirteen-year-old Zahra, like her idol Soomro, hails from the sports-mad Lyari neighbourhood of Karachi. Despite facing societal backlash and the belief that boxing is not for girls and that girls are not safe outside, Zahra remains undeterred. She acknowledges that it is necessary for girls to venture outside, as life cannot be lived without leaving the house.

In Lyari's modest boxing gym, girls adjust their black hijabs, preparing for their training session. Their session, held in a rundown building, is supervised by coach Ustad Younis Qambrani, a grizzled 56-year-old who has trained dozens of young fighters since opening his gym to girls more than a decade ago. Qambrani strongly believes that women's boxing is essential for girls and cites his two daughters as the first to begin women's boxing. The girls who train with Qambrani show great courage and are not afraid of anything.

The struggle for girls to leave their homes and find safe spaces to play sports reflects Lyari's journey over the past few decades. Once considered one of Pakistan's most dangerous neighbourhoods, Lyari has undergone significant changes in recent years. A heavy-handed operation by paramilitary forces against gangs began in 2013, followed by the rise of religious parties in local politics.

These parties have since tightened restrictions on girls' activities, such as not allowing them to ride bicycles in some areas. However, sport has continued to thrive within the deeply conservative community, with Lyari renowned for producing talented athletes, including brave girl boxers. Some local parents, including Zahra's and Soomro's, strongly support their daughters' determination to box.

Soomro, who aspires to build on her win in Thailand, believes that girls have just as much right as boys to participate in sports. She asserts that our society often regards girls as weak, but she firmly believes that girls can do everything, sometimes even better than men.