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At home in India, Pak pool girls wait for Shah Rukh Khan : The Indian Express
HYDERABAD, OCTOBER 27: They were the focus of all eyes - and cameras - at Friday`s opening ceremony of the Afro-Asian Games here. Now, the six woman members of the Pakistani contingent have one particular wish they want fulfilled - Shah Rukh Khan turning up, as promised, for the closing ceremony
HYDERABAD, OCTOBER 27: They were the focus of all eyes — and cameras — at Friday’s opening ceremony of the Afro-Asian Games here. Now, the six woman members of the Pakistani contingent have one particular wish they want fulfilled — Shah Rukh Khan turning up, as promised, for the closing ceremony
The six athletes offer proof that women’s sport is alive and well in Pakistan. And not just behind the cloisters. Sana Wahid, Ayesha Tajwar, Mahira Karim, Mehrunnisa Khan, Kiran Khan and Rubab Raza are swimmers, who’ve swum in pools around the world.
While the first five have taken part at the 2002 Asian Games, Rubab — the youngest, a student of Class VIII — competed at the World Championship in the US this year. For all of them this is the first trip to India and they intend to make as much of it as possible.
Though tired after an exceptionally long flight here — via Dubai — they have already managed a couple of trips out, and away from the swimming pool. ‘‘The first two days went in the ceremonies but we did manage to go shopping in one of the malls. However, we also want to go to other shops to buy Kolhapuris, jeans and kurtas’’, says Mehrunnisa, the extrovert in the squad.
They were given a guided tour to the city by their Indian counterparts. ‘‘We are friendly with some of the Indian swimmers’’, Mehrunnisa said, listing Shikha Tandon, who qualified for the 2004 Olympics, and Richa Mishra among her friends.
Their first impressions of the city were positive. ‘‘This place is like home. Hyderabad is a combination of Karachi and Islamabad and the people are very friendly here’’, said Ayesha, an A-level student in Karachi.
Still on the agenda is a visit to the Old City for traditional Hyderabadi cuisine, the exclusive bangle bazaar, shopping for silver ornaments and even a Hindi film or two. ‘‘We don’t wear bangles that much in Pakistan but after we reached here we heard that the city is the main centre for bangles in the region’’, said Kiran.
They are equally enthusiastic while talking about sport back home. Women started receiving encouragement after their success at the Islamic Games in the early 90s. ‘‘Things are changing now. The public schools are supporting sports like swimming but it will take time for a complete change in attitude’’, said 16-year-old Mahira.
‘‘It’s only in the last five-six years in Pakistan that women taking up sports is seen as a normal thing. But some of us are hoping to take up swimming as a full-time career’’, said Mehrunnisa. However, in deference to sentiments at home, they won’t appear in swimsuits; instead, they will wear leotards.