Latest news with #half-Pakistani
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
How British footballers are helping women's football in Pakistan
Ask one of the 255 million people in Pakistan to name their favourite sport, and most will say cricket. Not many will say football, and even fewer will say women's football. But that's all about to change, according to new Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) president Syed Mohsin Gilani. "We want to promote mass participation of girls in football," he says. With the PFF previously suspended by governing body Fifa, the country's national women's team had been quiet on the world stage, playing only three games in the past two years. Now those hoping to drive the game forward in Pakistan have been looking further afield to find talented players to boost its profile, such as defender Layla Banaras. The former Birmingham City player tells BBC Newsbeat that Pakistan's football setup "isn't the best at the moment". "But hopefully that's going to change," she says. Layla made history when, aged 16, she became the first-ever South Asian woman to play for Birmingham City, something that she hopes can inspire others. "You don't really see many players in the WSL [Women's Super League] from a South Asian heritage," she says. "I feel like I want to be the person that people can see and show others that you can play football." Layla is currently a free agent after leaving the Blues at the end of last season, and recently made her debut for the Pakistan women's national team. She played in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Asian Cup qualifiers, where the side finished as runners-up. "Pakistan contacted me a couple years ago but I felt like it wasn't the right time and I felt like this was the right time," she says. "It was an amazing experience and I'd do it all over again." She is half-Pakistani, so when it came to choosing between England or Pakistan she says "it wasn't even a thought, I'm proud of where I'm from". "It wasn't really a debate," she says. Joining the squad alongside her is 21-year-old Mariam Mahmood, a former West Bromwich player. "When they called me up, I was really happy," she says. "To know they know about me from the other side of the world is crazy." Mariam didn't have the same experience as Layla from her extended family when she decided to pursue football. "They were just like: 'Pakistani girls don't play football, they don't do sport and that it's not a career path'. "But, you can't let culture hold you back, you have to follow your heart," she says. Layla and Mariam join four other diaspora players in the national side, and PFF present Syed Mohsin Gilani is happy to have them. "Anybody who's eligible for Pakistan should play for Pakistan, it's doesn't matter where you live or where you're from," he tells Newsbeat. The battle now will be to focus on developing players at home. "We want to have more women's football clubs and we are setting a functioning women's football department in the federation," says president Gilani. "We want to take it all over the country." The federation also plans to launch new competitions aimed at women and girls, he says. Layla says the PFF will need to do a lot of work to raise awareness and get young girls into football. "It needs to be in schools, it needs to be in the local communities and there needs to be access to it," she says. She also wants to see more girls from a South Asian Muslim background coming through "into the academies, into the systems and into Pakistan's football team". Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. More on this story 'I never thought I'd be playing international football' Ex-England youth Suliman switches to Pakistan Three years without any football - can Pakistan recover?
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
How British footballers are helping women's football in Pakistan
Ask one of the 255 million people in Pakistan to name their favourite sport, and most will say cricket. Not many will say football, and even fewer will say women's football. But that's all about to change, according to new Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) president Syed Mohsin Gilani. "We want to promote mass participation of girls in football," he says. With the PFF previously suspended by governing body Fifa, the country's national women's team had been quiet on the world stage, playing only three games in the past two years. Now those hoping to drive the game forward in Pakistan have been looking further afield to find talented players to boost its profile, such as defender Layla Banaras. The former Birmingham City player tells BBC Newsbeat that Pakistan's football setup "isn't the best at the moment". "But hopefully that's going to change," she says. Layla made history when, aged 16, she became the first-ever South Asian woman to play for Birmingham City, something that she hopes can inspire others. "You don't really see many players in the WSL [Women's Super League] from a South Asian heritage," she says. "I feel like I want to be the person that people can see and show others that you can play football." Layla is currently a free agent after leaving the Blues at the end of last season, and recently made her debut for the Pakistan women's national team. She played in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Asian Cup qualifiers, where the side finished as runners-up. "Pakistan contacted me a couple years ago but I felt like it wasn't the right time and I felt like this was the right time," she says. "It was an amazing experience and I'd do it all over again." She is half-Pakistani, so when it came to choosing between England or Pakistan she says "it wasn't even a thought, I'm proud of where I'm from". "It wasn't really a debate," she says. Joining the squad alongside her is 21-year-old Mariam Mahmood, a former West Bromwich player. "When they called me up, I was really happy," she says. "To know they know about me from the other side of the world is crazy." Mariam didn't have the same experience as Layla from her extended family when she decided to pursue football. "They were just like: 'Pakistani girls don't play football, they don't do sport and that it's not a career path'. "But, you can't let culture hold you back, you have to follow your heart," she says. Layla and Mariam join four other diaspora players in the national side, and PFF present Syed Mohsin Gilani is happy to have them. "Anybody who's eligible for Pakistan should play for Pakistan, it's doesn't matter where you live or where you're from," he tells Newsbeat. The battle now will be to focus on developing players at home. "We want to have more women's football clubs and we are setting a functioning women's football department in the federation," says president Gilani. "We want to take it all over the country." The federation also plans to launch new competitions aimed at women and girls, he says. Layla says the PFF will need to do a lot of work to raise awareness and get young girls into football. "It needs to be in schools, it needs to be in the local communities and there needs to be access to it," she says. She also wants to see more girls from a South Asian Muslim background coming through "into the academies, into the systems and into Pakistan's football team". Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. More on this story 'I never thought I'd be playing international football' Ex-England youth Suliman switches to Pakistan Three years without any football - can Pakistan recover?
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Women's football: Pakistan hopes to kick off new era
Ask one of the 255 million people in Pakistan to name their favourite sport, and most will say many will say football, and even fewer will say women's that's all about to change, according to new Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) president Syed Mohsin Gilani."We want to promote mass participation of girls in football," he the PFF previously suspended by governing body Fifa, the country's national women's team had been quiet on the world stage, playing only three games in the past two those hoping to drive the game forward in Pakistan have been looking further afield to find talented players to boost its profile, such as defender Layla former Birmingham City player tells BBC Newsbeat that Pakistan's football setup "isn't the best at the moment"."But hopefully that's going to change," she says. Layla made history when, aged 16, she became the first-ever South Asian woman to play for Birmingham City, something that she hopes can inspire others."You don't really see many players in the WSL [Women's Super League] from a South Asian heritage," she says."I feel like I want to be the person that people can see and show others that you can play football."Layla is currently a free agent after leaving the Blues at the end of last season, and recently made her debut for the Pakistan women's national played in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Asian Cup qualifiers, where the side finished as runners-up."Pakistan contacted me a couple years ago but I felt like it wasn't the right time and I felt like this was the right time," she says."It was an amazing experience and I'd do it all over again."She is half-Pakistani, so when it came to choosing between England or Pakistan she says "it wasn't even a thought, I'm proud of where I'm from"."It wasn't really a debate," she says. Joining the squad alongside her is 21-year-old Mariam Mahmood, a former West Bromwich player. "When they called me up, I was really happy," she says."To know they know about me from the other side of the world is crazy."Mariam didn't have the same experience as Layla from her extended family when she decided to pursue football. "They were just like: 'Pakistani girls don't play football, they don't do sport and that it's not a career path'."But, you can't let culture hold you back, you have to follow your heart," she says. Layla and Mariam join four other diaspora players in the national side, and PFF present Syed Mohsin Gilani is happy to have them. "Anybody who's eligible for Pakistan should play for Pakistan, it's doesn't matter where you live or where you're from," he tells Newsbeat. The battle now will be to focus on developing players at home."We want to have more women's football clubs and we are setting a functioning women's football department in the federation," says president Gilani. "We want to take it all over the country."The federation also plans to launch new competitions aimed at women and girls, he says. Layla says the PFF will need to do a lot of work to raise awareness and get young girls into football."It needs to be in schools, it needs to be in the local communities and there needs to be access to it," she says. She also wants to see more girls from a South Asian Muslim background coming through "into the academies, into the systems and into Pakistan's football team". Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
India Today
25-04-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Lost Rs 1 lakh on tickets: Indian woman married to Pakistani on deadline to leave
As India tightens its stance on cross-border movement following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, Indian women married in Pakistan are among the worst hit. Many of them, Indian passport holders with families across the border, have been forced to abruptly pack their bags and return to Pakistan, leaving behind parents and homes in India."We are told to leave within 48 hours. How is it possible? Attari is 900 km from Jodhpur. We weren't getting buses. My husband had to bear a loss of Rs 1 lakh for the tickets," said one passport is Indian but I am half-Pakistani. I feel guilty for the terror attack, but what is the fault of the common people? They are not my cousins. For me, both India and Pakistan are important. God will punish those responsible," she said. The woman said she was in India for just four days but was rushing back after hearing the government's order. "Only the perpetrators must be punished. The common people must not be punished. We left our crying parents behind Whoever did this attack has not read the Quran. Islam does not teach this."Several such women have now gathered at the Attari-Wagah border, stuck in limbo. Many of them have lived in Pakistan for decades, raising families there, while maintaining ties with their birthplaces in India.A man, who reached the Attari border to drop off his sister, said she had a 40-day visa but had to leave due to the situation. "We had to hire a car for her immediate return. We had to bear unnecessary should be peace," he said. advertisementAnother Pakistani national who had been living in India, said that the situation on both sides of the border was "normal". He, however, said that he was returning to Pakistan as India suspended all visas for Pakistani nationals. "I don't know about the attack. We were told that we must leave, so we are going back," he said. In response to the Pahalgam terror strike, which killed 26 people, mainly tourists, in Jammu and Kashmir, India suspended all visa services for Pakistani nationals with immediate government also withdrew the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani passport holders, cancelling all existing exemptions and ordering those in India under the scheme to leave within 48 hours. An April 27 deadline has been set for most Pakistani nationals, while those on medical visas may stay until April responded with reciprocal action, suspending its own visa exemption schemes for Indians, expelling Indian diplomats, and shutting its airspace to Indian Uttar Pradesh Police has launched a state-wide drive to identify Pakistani nationals who arrived on valid visas but failed to return after expiry. Acting on instructions from the Centre and the DGP, district police chiefs and local intelligence units have begun verifying identities and collecting estimate around 1,000 Pakistani nationals are staying illegally in Uttar Pradesh. Many reportedly arrived through family connections and later went off the radar, with some allegedly changing their identities. Instances of illegal entry via the Nepal route have also been flagged. Police believe there are 35 such individuals in Bareilly, 30 in Rampur, 18 in Bulandshahr, and 10 in InMust Watch
