PUBLISHED
October 19, 2025
KARACHI:
Where most people go to the mountains for peace, they go there to fight.
High in the raw, unforgiving beauty of Hunza, where the air thins and the slopes cut like glass, twin sisters Manisha and Maliha Ali train with nothing but grit and gravity. Their boots crush frost into dust, their punches echo off the rocks, and the cold bites hard enough to test their resolve. “We train in the raw beauty of Hunza,” says Manisha. “We don’t have luxurious resources, but our eyes burn with passion. It’s brutal. The altitude, the sickness, the unpredictable weather. But we crave it. We never give up.”
On those frozen mornings, when most people would retreat indoors, the sisters face each other in the open valley. “Being twins, it’s hard to compete,” Maliha says with a grin. “But in the ring, we’re like enemies. We fight hard, then laugh harder. We feel each other’s pain, sweat, breath. It’s a twin bond like no other.”
They were never drawn to glitter or comfort. “We weren’t girls dreaming of shining things,” Maliha adds. “We were different. No fascination with makeup or sparkles. Something wild inside made us want something daring.” That wildness found its place when they first stepped into a ring. “After our first ever national championship in 2015, we didn’t even know much about the sport,” says Manisha. “But we played against top teams like the Army, even won fights, and got third position in our first event. That’s when we knew this was made for us.”
Living in a remote valley where talent often goes unseen, they began sharing glimpses of their world online. Known as Mountaintwinfighters on TikTok, it became their window to the world, a platform that turned their passion into recognition and their training ground into a story worth following. And that story is now about to reach its biggest stage yet.
Roots, rocks, and the road to purpose
For Manisha and Maliha, the mountains were never a backdrop. They were home. Growing up in the breathtaking valley of Hunza, the peaks weren’t something to look at, they were something to climb, conquer and belong to. “Our childhood was different,” says Manisha. “The mountains were our playground. We never wanted normal things. We wanted something wild.”
That wild streak was shaped early on by their biggest inspiration, their older brother. “He dedicated his life to serving humanity,” Maliha says softly. “He’s the reason we push boundaries. His selflessness and courage showed us what it means to live with purpose.” It was his strength, they both agree, that gave them direction long before they had the words for it. “He was our role model,” Manisha adds. “He showed us how to be brave, how to care, and how to dream differently.”
But following a different dream came with its share of resistance. “In the beginning, it was tough,” Maliha recalls. “Our society was scared and surprised. People asked, what are girls doing in the mountains?” The questions didn’t stop them. “We had passion,” she continues. “We knew this was what we were meant to do.”
Over time, as the sisters started winning, the doubts began to fade. “When people saw our achievements, they understood,” says Manisha. “Now our family is super supportive. They’re our real heroes. They believed in us when no one else did.” Today, even the community that once questioned them celebrates their success. “People see we’re doing something for Pakistan,” Maliha adds. “Now they’re proud of us. Family’s support made a huge difference. They’re the real reason we keep pushing limits.”
Living in a remote valley, it was hard for their story to travel beyond the mountains. That changed when they started sharing short videos online. “People began to see our mountain adventures, our crazy sports,” says Manisha. “TikTok helped us show Pakistan’s spirit. It helped us inspire others to chase their dreams.”
From a childhood spent in the shadow of snow-capped peaks to a growing digital presence that now reaches far beyond Hunza, the sisters have carried the same spirit, one born from courage, family, and an unshakable belief that even the hardest paths can lead to something extraordinary.
When the mountains found a voice
For years, the mountains kept their story hidden. But TikTok changed that. Living in a place where internet signals fade between peaks and winters last half the year, Manisha and Maliha found a platform that carried their voices far beyond Hunza. “TikTok gave us the limelight we were searching for,” says Manisha. “It’s easy to use, and the reach is huge. Suddenly, people from all over the world could see what we were doing.”
Their videos began as simple clips, raw training moments on mountain trails, close-up shots of their routines, and glimpses of their bond as twin athletes. What followed was a surge of attention that neither of them expected. “We started getting messages from people saying they were inspired to try sports again,” says Maliha. “That was the moment we realised we weren’t just making content. We were sharing a piece of Pakistan with the world.”
The name Mountaintwinfighters came during the quiet months after the pandemic. “It was 2021, when everything was reopening after Covid,” Manisha recalls. “We wanted a name that told our story, where we’re from, what we do, and who we are. Our brother and sister helped us decide. ‘Mountain’ for our home, ‘Fighters’ for our game, and ‘Twins’ for our bond. That’s how Mountaintwinfighters was born.”
Their feed is now a blend of power and passion. “We love creating action content,” Maliha says. “Raw moments on the mountains, real training sessions, that’s our thing. Action and training together, that’s what we love most.” Sometimes they share travel clips from events, showing a softer side of the journey, but the core always remains their sport and the grit behind it.
One of their biggest online breakthroughs came far from home. “In Indonesia, when our national anthem started, that was it,” Manisha says, her eyes lighting up at the memory. “That moment, hearing Pakistan’s anthem outside our country, it was a dream for every athlete. And it became a game-changing moment for us online too.”
Balancing their life between the mat and the camera hasn’t been easy, but they’ve learned to make both feed into each other. “Sports is our passion,” says Maliha. “Content creation helps us spread the vibe. We want to show people that sports like ours are amazing, even if some think they’re not for women. Training fuels our bodies. Content fuels our minds.”
Their purpose goes beyond performance. “We want to inspire people who doubt sports, especially Muslim women,” Manisha adds. “To show them it’s possible.” Every clip, every frame, carries that message. “Playing our game and telling its story helps break stereotypes,” Maliha says. “We love mountains, and we want others to see that love too.”
Being women in extreme sports often brings mixed reactions, but they’ve learned to handle it with quiet pride. “Sometimes people are surprised we’re Muslim women from Pakistan doing extreme sports,” Maliha says. “Some praise feels a bit like pity, like we’re brave girls. But we don’t do it for that. We do it because we love it.”
For every awkward comment, there are hundreds of fans who cheer them on for what they do, not who they are. “Most fans are cool,” says Manisha. “They care about our climbs, not our gender. And brands mostly want our story, not labels. They see our skill, our energy.” Their fellow athletes have treated them the same way, with respect. “They judge us on passion and performance,” Maliha adds. “That’s all that matters.”
From a quiet valley in northern Pakistan to a global audience that celebrates their grit, Mountaintwinfighters have turned every obstacle into fuel. What began as two sisters training on the cold slopes of Hunza is now a story that travels across screens, borders, and hearts.
A dream that wears green
When the message finally came, it didn’t arrive with fanfare. It came through their university, a simple confirmation that the Pakistan national team had sent their names for selection. “That’s how we found out,” says Manisha. “Through our university. It felt unreal for a moment. We just looked at each other and smiled. All the long nights and cold mornings in Hunza were finally worth it.”
The sisters have been part of Pakistan’s national Taekwondo team since 2022. In just a few years, they have turned their passion into medals and milestones that keep stacking higher. “In 2022, we won two silver medals for Pakistan at the Asian Open Taekwondo Championship,” says Maliha. “Then in 2023, we competed at the National Games in Quetta and brought home three gold medals and one silver.” Their journey didn’t stop there. That same year, they represented Pakistan at the World University Games in China and the World Taekwondo Championship in Vietnam. “In 2024, we went to Indonesia for the KASAD Open Championship,” Manisha adds. “We won one gold and one bronze there too. And this year, we competed at the World University Games in Germany. Every event made us stronger and hungrier.”
Now, with the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh just weeks away, their focus is sharper than ever. “Honestly, our biggest focus is managing the anxiety and pressure,” says Maliha. “We’re trying to perfect our skills, but it’s hard when resources are tight and expectations are heavy. Sometimes it feels like we’re fighting to prove ourselves, not just to others, but to ourselves too.”
For them, representing Pakistan is more than just a competition. It is about rewriting what strength looks like for Muslim women on a global stage. “We’re proud to represent Pakistan and show that Muslim women can do extreme sports,” says Manisha. “Sometimes people judge how we dress or how we compete, but we want to prove that Muslim women are powerful, stronger than most people think.”
And when asked what message they want to leave for girls watching them online, their words carry both tenderness and grit. “It’s okay to struggle,” says Maliha. “Trust the process. Don’t compare yourself to others. Just chase your dreams and believe in yourself.” Manisha nods in agreement. “We’ve faced so many rejections and so many losses, but we never gave up. We fight for our dreams every single day.”
As they prepare to step into the arena in Riyadh, the twin sisters carry more than medals or ambitions. They carry the faith of a family, the spirit of Hunza, and the hopes of countless young girls who see a piece of themselves in the Mountaintwinfighters.
Fighting shadows, finding light
Every fighter carries a story of pain. For Manisha and Maliha, it began long before medals or fame. In 2010, they lost their older brother, the man who had been their biggest guide and inspiration. “The toughest challenge was when our elder brother passed away,” says Manisha quietly. “It was his dream to make us strong fighters. After he was gone, we decided to continue that dream for him. We faced many challenges, but we had to do it for our martyr brother.”
That loss changed everything. Their training became more than a sport, it became a promise. But outside the ring, there was another kind of battle waiting. “The toughest thing has been dealing with societal pressure,” says Maliha. “People would ask, ‘Why are you doing this?’ or ‘Is it safe?’ They would say fighting is not for girls. They didn’t understand our passion. We had to push through tears and arguments just to keep going.”
There were moments when even their courage wavered. “Yes, there have been times we felt unsafe,” Manisha admits. “People stare. They make comments. Sometimes they question if it’s right for Muslim women to do such tough sports openly. But we just want to do what we love. We want to make our nation proud.”
What has kept them going is each other. “We cry together, fight together,” says Maliha. “When one of us breaks down, the other grabs her hand and says, ‘We started this, we finish this.’ Being twins helps. We understand each other’s pain and push each other hard.”
But behind every personal victory lies a bigger problem, one that affects every female athlete in the country. “Pakistan needs to support real talent,” says Manisha. “There’s not enough promotion for new players. Female athletes struggle to get sponsorships and decent training facilities. It’s like we’re fighting uphill all the time. We love our country, but we need more backing.”
Even with those hurdles, their dreams are far from small. “Our dream is to represent Pakistan at the 2028 Olympic Games,” says Maliha. “We want to win something for our nation. But it’s only possible if we get proper support, good sponsors, and training camps.” They also hope to give back one day. “We want to coach girls and teach martial arts and self-defence,” says Manisha. “But we don’t have enough financial support to start a club in Hunza yet.”
For now, they train harder than ever, carrying the memory of their brother and the weight of every young girl who dares to dream like them. Their journey has never been easy, but it has always been honest, shaped by loss, lifted by love, and driven by a promise that began in the mountains.
The climb never ends
When asked what advice they would give to young women who dream of following a similar path, Manisha pauses before answering. “Don’t listen to the rejections,” she says firmly. “You’ll fall, you’ll hurt, you’ll cry, but get back up. We do it scared sometimes, but the rush is worth it. Find your people who believe in you and just go.”
Maliha nods beside her, eyes shining with quiet conviction. “The mountains have taught us one thing,” she says. “If you keep climbing, even when it hurts, the view is always worth it.”
Their journey, they agree, has been far from easy, but it has made them who they are. When asked to describe it in one word, Manisha says, “Challenging.” Maliha smiles and adds, “Never give up.” Two words that, in truth, define them both.
From the icy valleys of Hunza to the grand stage of Riyadh, the twin sisters have carried more than their gear and grit. They have carried a message, that strength isn’t about muscle, and courage isn’t about fearlessness. It’s about showing up, again and again, even when the world says you can’t.
For Manisha and Maliha, the Mountaintwinfighters, every bruise tells a story, every scar holds a lesson, and every victory belongs not just to them, but to every girl who dares to dream beyond the edge.
