Aliya Soomro: Fraud, govt’s pawn or victim of false media hype?

Pakistani boxer Aliya Soomro made headlines as the first woman professional boxer in the country to win an international title in Thailand earlier in May.

Her victory was widely celebrated by mainstream and social media and gained her financial recognition from the Sindh government, including a cash prize and sponsorship for her next fight in Dubai.

Later the Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF) publicly refuted Aliya’s claim, calling her a “fake” boxer and accused her of scamming the government as the boxer’s win was not sanctioned by any recognized body.

An investigation by Nukta explored the deeper issues at play, from media misreporting and lack of fact-checking to the government’s tendency to reward visibility over merit.

While Aliya maintains she has transitioned into professional boxing, the controversy reveals a fragmented system where narratives often get shaped by optics rather than oversight, leaving both athletes and institutions in a crisis of credibility.