The Sindh government announced a Rs4.7 million sponsorship for boxer Aliya Soomro to participate in a tournament in Dubai in August, where she will face off against an Indian opponent.
Soomro, 19, said Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah’s sponsorship was a dream come true.
In a comment to Images, the boxer said she did not know the name of her Indian counterpart yet and would find out a week prior to the tournament.
Hailing from Lyari, Soomro has been making headlines for years as she navigates the pathway of women’s resilience in sports while fulfilling her father’s aspirations of athletic success.
Her father, a daily wage earner, was once a budding footballer who dreamt of scoring goals, hence Aliya’s immaculate winning streak is not only an inspiration to the “girls dreaming big in Pakistan’s streets” to whom she dedicates her victories, but also an ode to the man who motivated and enabled her to follow her passion.
Earlier this year, Soomro became the first Pakistani woman to win a world boxing title. She won against Thailand’s Sothida Gunya Noch by knocking her out in just 45 seconds in Bangkok to claim victory in the WBA Asia 105-pound category.
To honour this win, CM Shah hosted a special ceremony for her at CM House upon her return. She was awarded a cash reward of Rs1 million and was presented with a Sindhi Ajrak as a token of appreciation.
She was also recognised by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) as a child demonstrating extraordinary talent, including her undefeated streak at national competitions.
In light of these achievements, during a session of the Sindh Assembly held on May 20, MPA Shazia Karim moved a resolution to acknowledge the accomplishments of the young boxer.
More recently, CM Shah expressed the Government of Sindh’s determination to “mentor and guide women athletes” while giving out his best wishes to this dynamic “daughter of Sindh” as she braces herself to face the world and assert victory in even bigger rings.
