Smashing stereotypes: How girls in Karachi are owning public spaces through sports

Women in Pakistan hardly take up sports in open spaces as a pastime but a group of young girls in Karachi is changing that dynamic.

To overcome the drought of community sport options in the city, a twenty-year-old student named Saman Anwar started an initiative called ShePlays Karachi. “I started this initiative recently and it’s about empowering women in sports,” Saman told Nukta.

ShePlays Karachi is a digital media community, based on Instagram and WhatsApp, where girls from all backgrounds connect with each other and plan different sporting activities.

Initially, they played only cricket and futsal but have recently started organizing many badminton, throwball and basketball games as well.

Sports for women have always been about breaking boundaries and owning the field. With this initiative, girls in Karachi now have a community and a safe space to not only play games but also foster meaningful relationships.