A special discussion on women’s hockey, the training of young players, balancing education with sports, and the promotion of sports in the Sargodha Division was held during Radio Pakistan Sargodha’s popular programme “Shaheen Sargodha.” The programme was attended by Professor Ayesha Siddique, Director of Sports at Government Associate College Mela Mandi Sargodha; Zahira Sadaf; Mah-e-Ramzan; Urooj Fayyaz; Laiba Saeed; and Hassan Shah, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Fatima Women Hockey Academy Sargodha and a former national hockey goalkeeper.
Programme host and senior anchorperson Sabtain Baloch held a detailed discussion with the guests about their education, association with sports, hockey careers, achievements, and the challenges faced by women athletes. It was highlighted that Sargodha has tremendous talent in women’s hockey, but the players need proper grounds, quality coaching, sports equipment, and regular opportunities to participate in competitions.
Zahira Sadaf represented Pakistan in the Women’s Under-21 Hockey Team in Oman, while Mah-e-Ramzan represented Pakistan at the Junior Asian Hockey competition in China. Urooj Fayyaz won a gold medal at the Quaid-e-Azam Games, a gold medal at the Inter-University Hockey Championship in Islamabad in 2024, and a bronze medal in Faisalabad in 2026. Laiba Saeed’s notable performance at the national level was also highlighted.
Professor Ayesha Siddique said that female students should be provided opportunities to develop their abilities in sports alongside their education, as sports play an important role in promoting health, self-confidence, discipline, and leadership skills. The guests urged parents, educational institutions, the government, the Sports Department, and the private sector to provide better sports facilities, training centres, and regular competitions for women so that more talented players from Sargodha can represent Pakistan at national and international levels.
