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Editorial In the
fastest lane issues Officially
ignored Maiden
performance Career goals By Aasim Akhtar TNS: In a society that doesn't quite encourage the female component to join sports, how did you make your incursion into the field? Gul Zaman Khan: My father had been a sportsman himself, and he wanted us all to follow in his footsteps. My other two sisters are also sportspersons -- they excel in martial arts. We have never had any difficulty in joining sports per se. She squashed the tribal tradition By Javed Aziz Khan Maria Toorpakai Wazir is the 19-year-old squash star who has dominated the Pakistan women's team for the past over six years. What makes her achievement even more 'newsworthy' is the fact that she comes from the troubled South Waziristan agency.
Editorial Sportswoman spirit Naseem Hameed and Sara Nasir have done this for us.
They have brought us joy with their success. The president has rightfully
appointed them as sports ambassadors -- to honour their extraordinary
achievements. Naseem Hameed's case is special; the fastest woman of South
Asia comes from a slum locality in Karachi. And this has been a cause of
double celebration. Together these two sportswomen have drawn our
attention to the state of women sports in this country and the potential. On this international women's day, on March 8, we want to celebrate our sportswomen as well as raise the issues faced by these brilliant performers. Women sports are tied to both the state of sports in general as well as to the issues faced by women in our society. In a country where sports figure low on the priority list of the policy makers -- with negligible budgets and poor facilities -- women's share is obviously more meagre. And yet as we look around, we find winners in every field -- athletics, tennis, swimming, squash, you name it. Naseem Hameed did it out of a slum. But these are exceptions. Generally, conditions are not conducive, to say the least. Women face social and cultural barriers. The sports regime is strict: there is a dress code; there is travel involved; they have to deal with male coaches. This worries the parents and girls are generally discouraged. The period they can play in is limited because parents want to marry them off as early as possible and the husbands do not encourage them to go back to the fields. Then there are other factors. There is lack of professionalism and virtually no jobs. The sports budget is low and there is nothing left for women after their male counterparts have consumed it. On a regional scale, Pakistan's performance is not impressive -- its first women cricket team was formed in 1997, exactly 21 years after India formed its team. Most importantly, there are no school leagues where it should all begin. We have tried to gather a few champions from different fields on our pages today to see how motivated they are and what's the secret behind their passion. What do they think lacks in our country and who will fix it and how. Over to you, champs!
It took Naseem Hameed a little over 11 minutes to become a top sprinter in South Asia By Zahra Chughtai Nothing feels better than a resounding sporting victory. Naseem Hameed did the nation proud and made sports history when she became the first Pakistani woman to win gold in the hundred-meter dash at the South Asian Games for Women. Clad in a T-shirt and track pants, which is not the most streamlined of athletic wear, she nevertheless sprinted past her body-hugging lycra-encased competitors to beat them by a convincing margin. Naseem clocked in at a little over 11 minutes to win the title of the "fastest woman in South Asia". To the casual observer, this slim 22 year old seems
like dozens of other girls her age. But a closer look reveals the firm jaw
and the determined look in her eyes. Naseem's journey into the
international spotlight has not been an easy one. She hails from Korangi,
dhai number, one of the lower income areas of Karachi where she lives with
her parents, a sister and a brother in a modest 40 square yard dwelling.
The house sits in a tiny unpaved alley, crowded with other homes as is
typical of such areas. But what they lacked in material comforts, Naseem's
parents made up for with their determination to educate their children. It was in school that Naseem's talent was first spotted. By the standards of developed countries where children are screened for athletic ability at a very early age, Naseem had a relatively late start on her road to fame. She was in class six when she was picked to participate in the school's athletic programme. She was given a permission letter to be signed by her parents, allowing her to enrol in the training programme. Anxious that the precious permission would be denied, Naseem signed the letter herself and gave it in. However, when her parents finally realised what was going on, to their credit, they made no objection. In fact, it was their far sightedness and encouragement that has led to Naseem's rise to stardom. Over the years, they recognised their daughter's drive and encouraged it, even if it meant going without comforts themselves. And in a society where girls are hardly encouraged to take up such "boyish" pursuits, this also meant dealing with acrid comments and criticism from within their community. Naseem's first ambition was to be a pilot but when this dream proved to be an impossibility, she squared her shoulders and set her sights elsewhere. Draped in an abaya, she sets off to her training sessions at her sports club, indistinguishable in the melee from scores of other girls travelling in buses and rickshaws to school or work. It is only when she sheds her covering and steps on to the track that she becomes exceptional. Today, Naseem enjoys the status of a heroine. On her return from the South Asian Games to Karachi, she was welcomed by local dignitaries and showered with accolades and rewards. Even sweeter was the tumultuous welcome she received in her home locality where the streets were filled with jubilation. In these small mohallas, everyone shares in everyone else's business, all joys and sorrows are common, Naseem is everyone's daughter and sister. Since her victory, their tiny home has been over run by visitors, neighbours and relatives who want to get close to the real live celebrity in their midst. Now no one has any bitter words or unwanted pieces of advice to offer. Naseem's remarkable victory has done more for female emancipation and social progress in general than any number of workshops or training programmes. She serves as an inspiration to countless young women who may feel cowed down by the odds stacked against them. She is also an inspiration to parents to let their daughters pursue their dreams and to give them equal opportunities with their brothers. Naseem's iconic status will surely last for times to come.
Part of the game From societal pressure to family opposition, security hassles to employment blues, the women in sports have to fight myriad odds before they can have their way By Naila Inayat Movies like Bend it like Beckham, Chak De! India or Dil
Bole Hadippa -- the Bollywood version of She's The Man -- give us to
understand the 'natural order of the universe' whereby man was made for
the sports field and woman to keep the house. In a world where kicking the
ball or jumping the fence are considered a man's domain, the sports woman
has to fight all sorts of societal odds and family issues before she can
win herself a place in the scheme of things. Be it Jess in Bend it… who
runs away from her sister's wedding to finish off the final soccer match,
Viola in She's The Man who is forced to become Sebastian because she
cannot find a place in the girl squad, or the 16 Chak De girls all of who
battle external pressures, regional and ethnic divides in the society. Or,
last but not the least, our very own Naseem Hameed -- the fastest woman in
South Asia -- whose rags-to-riches story deserves to be filmed (Is Danny
Boyle or Shoaib Mansoor listening?). How all these characters fight the
odds to realise their dreams is what makes the life and struggle of these
girls document-worthy. While in school, girls actively participate in games, but not every one has the burning passion to pursue a sport as a 'career'; this is true only to 'some' of us. I remember one such chosen girl who would limp through the classroom with a hurt leg or foot and go, "Today, I literally made my team cry! I missed by a goal first up…" "So, what exam is it now? Arithmetic? Phew! I'll miss it for obvious reasons then." And then she would calm down. I wonder where she is now but the last time I connected with her, she was about to join the national women's cricket camp and had issues with her mother who was pushing her to start lectureship at some university. God knows, this wasn't exclusive to her. Hina Cheema, a college student from Karachi says, "Since school I've been playing sports of all kinds -- hockey, table tennis, badminton, net ball, etc., but never have I thought of taking it up as a profession because it isn't considered a 'secure' field." Shagufta Nasir, a local basketball champ, asks, "What do you expect from someone like me who has a middle class background and want to excel in the sports field? My issues are only economic -- think sports kit and all. I can't buy these things with my pocket money. Though my family is really supportive and it is up to me to take it up professionally or quit." Amal Khan's issues, on the other hand, are different. A budding swimmer, Amal is faced with a lot of criticism from her family and even friends who find the "costume" as "inappropriate". "I am reminded of how Sania Mirza was threatened by the hardliners because she had to wear shorts at the tennis court. So, I've decided to complete my education and look for a job. Swimming will always be a passion but I cannot take any more of family opposition," she says. For all practical purposes, Sania and Amal are two sports persons with two completely different attitudes to society -- while Sania withstood all pressure and came out a winner, Amal could only succumb. "We understand that there are several issues regarding women's active participation in sports, but now the government has decided to take up the challenge and go all-out to streamline the policy of the departments," says Niva Usman Umar, Chairperson, Punjab Chief Minister's Task Force on the Promotion of Sports, talking to TNS. "I have also been nominated to the Sports committee by the Federal Government and its first direct impact is Naseem Hammed's performance at the South Asian Games for Women. We are on the right track now," she adds. Having represented Pakistan at the national and international levels as an athlete, Niva feels she knows what issues the sportswoman of today faces when deciding to play for her country. "We are currently working on the coaching department. They are skilled women coaches who come from different parts of the country and don't have a place to stay. I have often seen girls crying because they've to live away from their children and families. We want to construct proper hostels for women players where they can bring at least their children. Another idea we are floating is to hire coaches in their own tehsils so that they can be there to train the local girls. Refresher courses for these coaches will also be initiated," she says. Niva says that in the entire district there isn't a single stadium which is dedicated for women and where they don't have to face issues of harassment by male spectators etc. "We're not too sure if the women-only stadiums will help because segregation can't be the answer to our societal problems. Ultimately if you want to promote girls you need male as well as female crowds to see their game," she adds. Mamina Arshad, Public Relations Officer, Pakistan Sports Board, speaks of the lack of coaching clubs for women sports. "You find people like Javed Miandad and Abdul Qadir promoting talent through their clubs. But clubs like these or departments such as Wapda should also encourage women." Mamina, who herself played hockey at the national level, is of the view that the support of the family is foremost. "Then only can the girl put in her best to reach heights of success. "Girls, if they're playing at the national level, have usually had their issues sorted out," adds Mamina, "But the problems resurface when they are required to represent their country abroad. Security is the foremost concern of their parents. I was lucky because I had the support of my father. Not every girl is going to be that lucky. So, instead of leaving things to chance, such conditions should be created that suit the girls' parents."
The present sports policy has little to offer for sportswomen By Shaiq Hussain Pakistani nation has been celebrating the brilliant performance by Naseem Hameed, a poor girl from Karachi, in the 11th South Asian games for days now and the young sportsperson has been rightly encouraged. But, that could not compensate the years' long failure of successive governments to improve the lot of sportswomen. Pakistani authorities dealing with different games have always boasted of producing women's team in every sport from cricket, hockey, football, table tennis and swimming to taekwando and karate. They always try to portray the image of being open-minded people willing to earmark enough resources to run such activities in a smooth way and train the country's future in every sport, but practically the facilities to promote sportswomen are insufficient. President Asif Ali Zardari recently appointed gold medal-winning Pakistani women Naseem Hameed and Sara Nasir as sports ambassadors to honour their extraordinary achievements in sports. Naseem was awarded for becoming South Asia's fastest woman by winning the 100-metre race in the South Asian Federation Games (SAF) held in Dhaka, whereas Sara Nasir was honoured for clinching a gold medal in Karate. These steps on the part of government are laudable, but what actually is required is a comprehensive policy for women in sports. Unfortunately, sportswomen are looked down upon in the society in general, and in addition to that those at the helm of affairs in the Sports Ministry or Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) have done little to provide them facilities, proper trainers and coaches. Even in some cases it's almost impossible to find someone who agrees to coach a women's team. Hence, country's sports managers have failed to produce the likes of Naseem and Sara though they await a chance to bring more laurels for the country. The present sports policy has little to offer for sportswomen. However, the authorities at the Sports Ministry say improvements would be made in the sports policy with focus on ensuring proper facilities, including funds and jobs etc in the months to come. Faiq Ali Chachar, spokesman for Sports Ministry, tells TNS a special task force has been formed on the directives of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani to improve the sports policy and do away with the shortcomings. "One major responsibility of the task force will be to come up with recommendations regarding promotion of women in sports. Women are above 50 percent in this country and a large part of them take part in sports, so we can't ignore them," says Chachar. He said the task force would comprise heads and representatives of different sports bodies across the country and it would also seek input from prominent women athletes. "The task force has been asked to draft its recommendations in the next two months for inclusion in the new sports policy after approval by the prime minister," Chachar concluded.
Sana Mir and her squad have won Pakistan women cricket recognition in the international arena By Adnan Rasheed Middle order batswoman and off spinner, Sana Mir
debuted at the 2005 Asia Cricket Cup in Karachi. She captained the
Pakistan women's cricket squad in 2009 to Ireland and was nominated for 'ICC
Cricketer of the Year' after a performance of 4 for 10 against Ireland the
same year. The skipper's performance won her the 17th position on the
one-day bowling list. A star performance indeed, after all she is the only player from Pakistan, both among the men and women's teams, to be nominated for this award. But the skipper is humbled. "I must give credit to my teammates, management and the nation for supporting the team," she says. She was honoured to be the vice-captain of the Pakistan team for the ICC Women's World Cup 2009 in Australia, where the team finished 6th -- an improvement of two places in the international rankings. The same year she was asked to lead the squad in Ireland and then the T20 World Cup in England. Mir has also captained the Zaheer Abbas Academy team that toured China in October last year. "I was born in Abbottbad. I grew up in different cities of Pakistan and learnt most of my cricketing skills from my brother in grounds and streets near our house," she recalls. She completed her matriculation from Margalla Academy in Taxila, where "my cricket was limited to intramural matches. I played basketball, tennis and swimming after my family moved to Karachi in 2002. There I attended DHA Women's College to acquire B.Sc in Mathematics, Statistics and Economics. In Karachi, I attended the Shaiza Khan Cricket camp in 2004." Sana was selected for the Pakistan Women's Cricket team in 2005 for the home series against the visiting India Women's Under 21 team. She played her first international match in the 2005 Asia Cup in Karachi and was awarded the Best Player for Pakistan. Since then she has been a regular member of the national side, and has led Karachi, ZTBL and South Zone in domestic tournaments. "In 2008, I played the World Cup Qualifiers Round in South Africa." "The tournament was important for us. We had to fight for a place in the main stream of cricket. By reaching the final we qualified for the World Cups in 2009 and 2010," she says adding: "One of my biggest cricket achievements is getting the 'player of the tournament' during the qualifiers. This was the first time in women's cricket that this award was given to a Pakistan player by the ICC. My best performance was against Scotland with half a century and 9 wickets." The year 2009 will perhaps be the most memorable year for Sana's cricketing career. At the World Cup 2009, she was the highest Pakistani wicket taker in Australia. "In our first ever victory against Sri Lanka, I remained not out at 22 with 2 wickets." This win qualified us for the Super Sixes for the first time in Pakistan's women cricketing history. Overall, she was one of the10 most economical bowlers of the tournament. Following her promising performance, in April 2009 she captained the national women's team to Ireland. The squad won the ODI series and the T20 series against Ireland and Nottingham -- "This was Pakistan women cricket team's first-ever win abroad. We lost the first T20 match in Ireland with a huge margin but we bounced back and won the five remaining matches." Recalling the T20 World Cup in England 2009, she say, "though we did not reach the semis, our performance in the bowling department showed some promise. We fought really hard against India in a low scoring match and restricted them to 75 runs in 19 overs -- and we dismissed their star batswoman Mithali Raj with intelligent field placement."
-- Hurria Hussein, 25, football player and administrator By Sarah Sikandar As opposed to the idea that many girls in sports come from elite background, Huriya got her early education from public schools and went on to do Intermediate from Lahore College for Women. Although she doesn't play anymore, sports remain a vital part of her life through management and administrative responsibility. Support comes mainly from her father. "My mother had her reservations always," she tells TNS. "She only allowed me to play within college or school but when I had to go to other cities for the game she would have objections." Huriya is among those lucky girls from homes where
sports are encouraged, despite gender restrictions, as healthy activities
rather than a waste of time. Huriya doesn't buy the notion that students get into sports at the cost of their education. "I don't think that girls who were not into sports were exceptional students. Most of them got married. That's why." She thinks that sports, unlike "unhealthy activities", shouldn't be discouraged because by investing their time in sports girls are actually doing something positive rather than wasting their time in useless activities. That girls like to act like boys when they become sportswomen is something Huriya doesn't deny. "This is one of those things that discourage parents who, in turn, believe they need to protect their girls from such tendencies." Parents are disappointed and become overprotective when they see threats like these. "Convincing the parents of some of the players in the team was nothing short of achievement for us. Only we know what we have to deal with." Huriya thinks women sports are stigmatised and ignored just like the other fields such as music. "When we go abroad we are so overwhelmed by the appreciation we get, we wonder if we'd ever feel this way back home." It is like, she says, our musicians not getting any work here but when they go abroad they make a name for themselves because people appreciate their work. A sportswoman, Huriya believes, is always under pressure. This not only makes your favourite pastime a fruitless effort but also eventually drains the energy you invested in 'protecting' your favourite sport. The idea that sports are a waste of time needs to be revised. Healthy living and sports go hand in hand. But at the end of the day, with no future in international arena and no scope for sports like football, Huriya and her team can best be amateur players.
-- Gul Zaman Khan, athlete and squash player
By Aasim Akhtar TNS: In a society that doesn't quite encourage the female component to join sports, how did you make your incursion into the field? Gul Zaman Khan: My father had been a sportsman himself,
and he wanted us all to follow in his footsteps. My other two sisters are
also sportspersons -- they excel in martial arts. We have never had any
difficulty in joining sports per se. When I started playing squash, I had no money to buy either the racquet or the ball. I could not go home alone; my father had to quit his job as a coach in Railways. Then the Railways created a lot of problems for me, complaining I could not play on behalf of the Punjab. That resulted in my father's premature retirement. TNS: What have been your achievements in athletics? GZK: I don't call myself an athlete despite the fact that back in 2005, I participated in the marathon from Lahore. I covered 42 kilometres, and stood 3rd nationally while my world ranking was 14. Since then, I have been practicing judo but the last couple of years I've been on rest due to a knee injury. I have written twice to Wapda for help in treatment but there has been no gesture of support, whatsoever. After the initial three months of training as a judo player, I became captain of our national team. Soon after, I became Secretary of Pakistan Women's Association. I was also selected as the national coach of women's judo team at the national camp set up for competitions in Thailand and Iran. Later on, I was the Manager of my team at the Islamic World Championships. TNS: What does it take to be a sportswoman in a country like Pakistan where mostly men rule the rooster? GZK: Most women in Pakistan are afraid to join sports. But take Naseem Hameed, for instance, who's won a gold medal. Some of the boys in judo have also won gold medals, and some girls silver. Nobody has rewarded those young men, not even with a paltry sum of money whereas Naseem Hameed has been awarded 250,000 grand. Sara Khan also won gold in karate but she was never awarded. All the achievers in sports should be rewarded on egalitarian grounds. There are several bodies, such as Women's Association, the Chief Minister, the Prime Minister, the sponsors, the Federation, etc, who are capable of rewarding a sportsman. Since, Naseem Hameed was from Sindh, the government of Sindh awarded her. TNS: What kind of preparations is underway for the upcoming National Games in Peshawar? GZK: The camp for the National Games 2010 commencing on March 25 should have been set up at least two months in advance but it started just a few days back. Even though players are expected to do their best, there is a serious dearth of facilities. Take, for example, the judo mats. In India, even in a city like Patiala, there are 100 judo mats whereas in Pakistan, the entire Federation has only 01 mat. Females inducted in judo have no idea of the game. When the Federation formed the Women's Association it failed to realise what type of females should be inducted into the programme. Women who have neither played judo nor are acquainted with its decorum now run the system. The elections are often held discreetly without a common consensus. TNS: What, in your opinion, is the future of sports for women in Pakistan? GZK: There is virtually no future for women in sports in Pakistan. Women who come forward do so for their self-satisfaction. They play mostly out of passion without any consciousness of where it may lead them. It happens so that they get identified at an early stage while they are still students at school or college, or are asked to join the teams. In my case, the female in charge of sports in school summoned me. At the mere age of 15, I had already toured Asia. My younger sister has played judo for 7 consecutive years, and has been playing for Wapda for the past 3 years on a measly stipend. The managers are not very kind to us either. I want to request the media to highlight deserving female talent in sports so that women in general feel encouraged to join sports.
She squashed the tribal tradition -- Maria Toorpakai Wazir, leading squash player.
By Javed Aziz Khan Maria Toorpakai Wazir is the 19-year-old squash star who has dominated the Pakistan women's team for the past over six years. What makes her achievement even more 'newsworthy' is the fact that she comes from the troubled South Waziristan agency. Put in other words, this young tribeswoman not only
clinched national records but also defied all societal norms that would
otherwise deter any such excursion for a lady in the under-developed
areas. Born in Shakai town of South Waziristan's headquarter, Wana, and raised in Miranshah sub-division of North Waziristan, the young champ -- till only a few years ago -- used to cut firewood from the nearby forest for her mother and fetched water from far off streams in Mangi, and made pots with clay. Precisely what motivated her to take such a giant leap? Maria says, "In my childhood, I was a kind of a tomboy. I also had a short temper and could be outraged very easily. My father -- a teacher in a professional college in Fata -- had nicked me 'Changez Khan'. "You can say that I took a leap into the squash court on the insistence of my father who believed this way I'd be able to work off my anger and also weight," she tells TNS. In 2002, her family moved to Peshawar where Maria says she started weight training but later switched to squash. "I got great encouragement from former world champs Qamar Zaman and Muhibbullah who were very glad that a local girl had taken up the sport. Jansher Khan was also very supportive. He often visited the Qayyum Sports Complex where I was playing. The trainers at Hashim Khan Squash Complex were also a great source of inspiration." When asked as to what was the reaction of her relatives, Maria says, "We belong to the Ahmadzai sub-tribe of Wazirs and most of our relatives are based in Bannu. But none of our relatives dared to criticise me, as I had the support of my father." Interestingly, 'purdah' was never an issue. "I never wore a burqa," she declares. Talking about her achievements on the national and international levels, Maria says that she has been Pakistan's No 1 among senior and junior female players, from 2003 onwards. "I am probably the only sportswoman who represented our country across the globe, including England, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Kuwait, India and Iran. This year, I am up for the US championship." Maria's highest ranking at world level was 66 in 2008. She now aims to get the slot among the top 50 players. "I recently came off 3rd in a world junior event held in India which had 700 participants from different countries. "I became senior only a month back," she reveals. "Up next are events in Malaysia and the US. After that, my target is to win the world cup!" She laments the fact that the government is loath to provide support to women squash players. "If the government helps us financially and facilitates our participation in international events, I can assure you highest accolades for the country." Here she relates how she had approached the national flag carrier to sponsor her ticket but there was no response. "So far, Wapda is the only department that has been of support. Besides, Governor NWFP Owais Ahmed Ghani gave me Rs 100,000 a few months back." But, she agrees, this help is not sufficient. "Squash is a very expensive game!" Her younger brother Babrik has also started playing squash, and his coach is, inevitably, Maria. Presently finishing her Intermediate, Maria desires "to become the UN Peace Ambassador of my country" besides improving her game and taking it to the highest level.
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