Iraqi Women's Activists Slam Second-Marriage Loans For Encouraging Polygamy
New Age Islam News Bureau
31 October 2020
• Muslim Women’s Forum Condemns The Murders Of Samuel Paty And Three Others In A Church In Nice
• Activist Naish Hasan Advocates Equal Rights For
Muslim Women
• Bahrain Vows Support For Global Woman Empowerment
Efforts
• Women Leaders Essential To Global Peace, Progress, UN
Chief Tells Security Council
• Sindh Govt Will Approach Courts To Review Underage
Christian Girl Marriage Case: Bilawal
• Mehwish Hayat Rejoices Reunion Of Pakistan's Women
Football Team
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/iraqi-women-activists-slam-second/d/123333
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Iraqi Women's Activists Slam Second-Marriage Loans For Encouraging Polygamy
31 October 2020
Iraqi women look at wedding gowns outside a bridal
shop in the central Iraqi city of Diwaniya (AFP)
-----
A move by one of Iraq's largest banks to offer loans
to civil servants for second marriages has been condemned by lawmakers and
women's rights activists as promoting polygamy.
With the government passing through a deep financial
crisis and nearly a month behind in paying public sector salaries, the
state-owned Rashid Bank on Wednesday announced it was offering a 10m dinar
($8,389) loan to government employees - either men or women - for the purpose
of arranging a second marriage. The loan is to be paid back in five years, with
an interest rate of six per cent.
In a statement, the bank said the loan was for
"employees who are divorced and widowed and want to marry for the second
time," adding that those applying "should not have previously availed
of marriage finance, and must have at least two years in service".
Although the bank said the loan was aimed at the divorced
and widowed, some have suggested the scheme will incentivise polygamous
marriages.
Polygamy is legal in Iraq, though rare, with less than
2 percent of people living in polygamous households, according to a 2019 Pew
Research report.
Nevertheless, activists have raised concerns about the
scheme.
"Marriage is a sacred process, but the bank's
second-marriage loan might encourage some people to exploit women until they
receive the sum, or prompt poor families or relatives of the widowed to force
them to marry men who have another wife just for the sake of getting the 10
million dinars," Srud Ahmed, head of the Iraqi Al-Amal Association Kirkuk
office told MEE.
Ahmed said that it could also incentivise divorce in
some cases.
She also noted that the second-marriage loan would not
deal with the issue of thousands of Iraqi widows who needed jobs and projects
in order to be able to raise their children.
Iraq has millions of widows as a result of wars with
Iran and Kuwait as well as due to internal conflicts.
According to a survey by the Iraqi planning ministry
in 2016, nearly two million Iraqi women were widowed or divorced. The bank has
said its second-marriage loan was in response to increasing demands.
However, Ahmed said the government should be employing
the women by offering loans for small-business projects, not giving them loans
in order to encourage them to "buy a man" and said she had asked
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi to intervene to remove the offer.
Hanan Al-Fatlawi, an adviser to Kadhimi on women's
affairs, has already tweeted her condemnation of the loans.
"It is shameful that such a statement comes from
a respectable government bank... women are not a commodity to be displayed or
sold," she tweeted.
Wrong priorities
Iraq's 1959 Personal Status law, introduced by the
left-wing president Abd al-Karim Qasim, heavily restricted the ability of men
to take more than one wife, requiring the permission of a judge, proof of the
husband's financial capability, and a justification such as the inability of
his first wife to bear children.
In 2017, lawmaker Jamila al-Obeidi advocated for the
government to offer financial incentives for husbands to take multiple wives as
a means of dealing with the growing number of widows in the country a result of
Iraq's many conflicts.
With Iraq's economy in freefall, however, some
politicians and economists in Iraq have
argued the marriage loan is a misapplication of ever dwindling funds.
Rezan Sheikh Dler, a Kurdish lawmaker in the Iraqi
parliament, told MEE in a phone interview that the loan turned "women into
commodities".
"In a country like Iraq the conditions for
polygamy are very simple," she said.
"Iraq's circumstances are very hard; the
government should prioritise finding jobs and paying loans for the youth."
The United Nations Development Programme in its
October report on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Iraqi economy
warned that the country's gross domestic product was expected to fall by nearly
10 percent in 2020, while the fiscal deficit was forecast to reach the
unprecedented level of nearly 30 percent of GDP in 2020.
Economists caution that the loan will have serious
negative implications on Iraq's rentier economy, which is already shrinking due
to the international oil price decline.
"The offer will lead to pouring a lot of Iraqi
dinars into the market and boosting the demand on marriage needs; therefore it
will increase inflation, drop the purchase power as well as the price of the
Iraqi dinar versus the US dollar," Khalid Haider, professor of economy at
the University of Sulaimani told MEE.
"If the bank had to offer the loans for
working-age youths and engage them in small-businesses, I think it would be
better than just a second-marriage loan and eventually be more advantageous for
the Iraqi community."
Speaking to MEE, Rashid Bank's spokeswoman, Amal
al-Shuwaili, said the loan scheme came as a result of increasing demand from
both male and female divorcees and widows.
"We are neither promoting nor forbidding the
second wife - this is not related to our duties. Social media pages have
created such uproar and misunderstanding," she said.
She pointed out that government employees now have low
incomes and the costs of marriage are too high. She added that the source of
the bank's capital was deposits from the rich, clarifying that the bank has
nothing to do with paying salaries to government employees.
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iraq-bank-women-second-marriage-loan
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Muslim Women’s Forum Condemns The Murders Of Samuel
Paty And Three Others In A Church In Nice
31.10.20
Pheroze L. Vincent
Shoppers
in Ivry-sur-Seine, a working-class suburb east of Paris, France
NYTNS
-----
Two among the largest organisations of Indian Muslims have focused on the reaction of the French government to the beheading of schoolteacher Samuel Paty rather than on the knife attacks.
But an unequivocal condemnation of the murders of Paty
and three others in a church in Nice on Thursday has come from the Muslim
Women’s Forum, India. The forum works for the empowerment, inclusion and
education of Muslim women.
A statement signed by former Planning Commission
member Syeda Hameed, one of the founders of the forum, and others said on
Thursday: “We remind ourselves of the Quranic injunction — ‘killing an
individual is like killing an entire quam (humanity) (Surah 5:32)’. Such an act
cannot be accepted by any democratic and civilised society. We want that the
perpetrators of the crime are brought to justice quickly.”
One of the signatories, civil rights activist Shabnam
Hashmi, told The Telegraph: “Most people are caught up with politics within the
country, on which Islamophobia is present. They find it difficult to come out
of that prism and do not see extremists among Muslims too. In the last few
decades, conservatism has grown in the community. In my youth, we could speak
about topics that are called blasphemous today.”
Bhopal, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Aligarh have seen
protests against France amid calls in some places for a boycott of French
goods.
N.P. Ashley, who teaches English at St Stephen’s
College in Delhi and is part of education programmes in his community of Moplah
Muslims in Kerala, said the protests in India had brought together conflicting
streams of Muslim politics.
“We are seeing two kinds of protests: one by
conservatives who feel that you can’t insult the Prophet. The conservatives may
be illiberal but they aren’t communal. The second is by Islamists who seem to
view the developments as a rerun of the crusades. This is communal and it
rejoices in acts like the conversion of the Hagia Sofia into a mosque by
Urdugan (Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan),” Ashley said.
“Islamists think of Islam as a civilisation, just like
the Islamophobes. The fear of majoritarian targeting or anti-Muslim bigotry
should not make Muslims lose their sense of ethics or perspective.”
Author and journalist Ziya Us Salam said: “Outside
France reacts to the perceived actions of the French government — which is not
a civil society response. When the government puts pictures of the Prophet on
buildings, coupled with the statements of Macron, these are seen as acts in bad
spirit which are deliberately provocative. No one in a proper frame of mind has
justified the killings.”
Paty was beheaded by Chechen refugee Abdoullakh
Abouyedovich Anzorov in a Paris suburb on October 16 for displaying cartoons on
the Prophet Muhammad during a class on free speech. Such cartoons are seen as
blasphemous by Muslims.
Cartoons published by satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo
in 2006 and 2012 had been cited as a motive for the attacks on its offices in
2011 and 2015 in which 12 cartoonists were killed.
Macron has supported the slain teacher and the right
to publish cartoons, which have been projected on public buildings in the
country after the incident.
On October 21, Macron said: “We will defend the
freedom that you (Paty) taught so well, and we will strongly proclaim the
concept of laïcité (secularism). We will not disavow the cartoons, the
drawings, even if others recoil. We will provide all the opportunities that the
Republic owes all its young people, without any discrimination.”
This, as well as his speech on October 2, in which he
called Islam a “religion in crisis”, drew condemnation from Turkey, Pakistan,
Saudi Arabia and Iran.
India has condemned the language being used against
Macron, after Erdogan said Macron needed a mental health check.
Twitter has deleted a post by former Malaysia Prime
Minister Mahathir Mohamad saying Muslims had the right “to kill millions of
French people” for the atrocities of colonialism — a sentence he said was taken
out of context.
The full posts of Mahathir said: “Muslims have a right
to be angry and to kill millions of French people for the massacres of the
past. But by and large, the Muslims have not applied the ‘eye for an eye’ law.
Muslims don’t. The French shouldn’t.”
On Tuesday, the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, one of the
oldest conservative political groups among Muslims, condemned Macron for his
alleged Islamophobia.
Jamaat president Syed Sadatullah Hussaini said:
“French President Emmanuel Macron is openly exhibiting Islamophobia, one of the
reasons for which is his government’s failure on various fronts. For the past
few years, one has observed a fair degree of extremism among the Far Right
political and non-political groups. It appears as though Macron is resorting to
Islamophobia to discredit these organisations…. The French government should
objectively evaluate the issue of teacher Samuel Paty, the act by the Chechen
student and its aftermath in the context of politics, sociology and
psychology.”
On Wednesday and Thursday, the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, a
national body of clerics led by Maulana Mahmood Madani, had issued statements
condemning Macron and the Indian government’s support for him.
Terrorism was condemned but the group blamed France
for “encouraging terrorism”.
Madani said on Thursday: “This attitude of the
Government of India reflects hostility towards Islam and Muslims. This will no
doubt inflict hurt upon not only the 20 crore Muslims of the country but
Muslims of the entire world as well secular-minded people.”
In a statement, his group said: “Jamiat condemns every
form of terrorism committed by any individual, organisation or State. But at
the present, France itself is encouraging terrorism.”
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/no-ifs-and-buts-muslim-womens-voice-stands-out/cid/1796097
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Activist Naish Hasan advocates equal rights for Muslim
women
Oct 29 2020
New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS): Women's rights activist and
granddaughter of freedom fighter late Nazim Ali, Naish Hasan, who hails from
Lucknow, has become the voice of Muslim women today. For the past two decades
she has been fighting for women's rights which include complete freedom for
Muslim women.
She is the first woman in the country having a Ph.D in
the study of Muslim women who are victims of practices like Nikah-Halala. She
had approached the Supreme Court against practices in the Muslim community such
as Nikah-Halala, Nikah-Mut'ah, Misyar marriage, polygamy and the current Sharia
law of 1937.
Naish Hasan hails from Teri village in Sultanpur
district of Uttar Pradesh. In 1916, her grandfather Nazim Ali at the age of 20
dedicated his life to the freedom struggle and continued to fight till 1947.
After Independence, he was elected the first MLA from Jaisinghpur assembly
constituency.
Naish Hasan, an M.Phil in Sociology from Lucknow university
and a Ph.D from Shakuntala Mishra university, told IANS that her grandfather
faced taunts from the society when he encouraged his daughters to study. But
her grandfather was a progressive thinker who always swam against the tide and
kept motivating all young Muslim women to study. He was among those Muslim
leaders who vociferously opposed the Muslim League.
Pursuing her higher studies, Naish Hasan came across
many cases where Muslim men had given ‘triple-talaq' to their wives and thrown
them out of the house over small issues. Hearing the painful stories of such
women, Hasan decided to become the voice of Muslim women.
Since 2005, she has been raising her voice against
‘triple talaq'. She became the most vociferous voice in the Shah Bano case for
which she faced widespread criticism and opposition within the Muslim
community.
However, carrying forward the legacy of her
grandfather Nazim Ali, Naish stayed firm on her mission. ‘Triple-talaq' became
a topic of discussion in the country due to her raising the issue repeatedly.
Following this, the women who were victims of triple-talaq also started coming
forward to fight for their rights.
Naish Hasan told IANS that she started researching
extensively to know more about ‘Triple-talaq, Nikah- halala, Nikah- Mut'ah and
Sharia. For this she made several trips from Mumbai to Hyderabad. Now she can
debate on them with any lawyer. Through logic and facts, she is gradually
succeeding in changing the mindset of the people in the society.
Hasan told IANS, "Many things were spread in the
society. When I started investigating the prevalent practices in the society, I
came to know that the Quran does not mention any such practices. These are all
Muslim clergy's interpretations. To oppose such evils, I started raising my
voice against them."
Hasan said the women waiting for justice were
shattered in 1986 when the verdict in the Shah Bano case was overturned. After
a long time when another woman Shayara Bano approached the court, Muslim
women's demand for justice received a fillip. After the abolition of
triple-talaq, Muslim women are now waiting for the eradication of Nikah-Halala
and Nikah- Mut'ah. A speedy verdict is expected soon on the petition pending in
the Supreme Court on these two issues.
On the issues relating to the country and religion,
Naish Hasan said the patriotism of the Muslims in India is as intense as ever.
It is shameful for some people to doubt their patriotism or emphasize more on
their religious identity.
She said, "I believe that a person has many
identities, it is wrong to link it only with his/her religious identity. Being
a Muslim is one of many identities, but yet it is regarded the primary
identity. There are both good and bad people in the society."
She added, "It is dangerous to target a specific
community. My grandfather Nazim Ali is an example of patriotism and mutual
harmony who sacrificed his life for the country. Those with extremist ideology
used to be jealous of him. He loved his country which was not acceptable to
some small-minded people that is why after his death the prayers during his
funeral were not read by the people with radical views. Muslims are as
patriotic as everyone else."
Do you feel discriminated against as a Muslim? Naish
Hasan said it is shocking that religious identity matters more in big cities
than in small ones. On some occasions she felt discriminated against especially
when looking for a house on rent.
http://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=765986
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Bahrain Vows Support For Global Woman Empowerment
Efforts
October 30, 2020
MANAMA — Bahrain affirmed its support for all
international efforts for the advancement of women, achieving gender balance in
all developmental and humanitarian fields, and enhancing their contribution as
an active partner in security, peace, and sustainable justice.
This came during a speech delivered by Bahraini
Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Jamal Faris Al-Ruwaie
to the Security Council during a virtual meeting held by the council on women,
peace, and security.
The permanent representative said that this year marks
the celebration of events concerned with women, security and peace, the 75th
anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations, the 25th anniversary of
the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the 20th
anniversary of the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1325, which provides
for equal participation for men and women at all levels, and to involve women
in the processes of maintaining peace in light of disasters and conflicts that
befall humankind.
He explained that Bahrain, under the leadership of
King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, supports the participation of women in
decision-making posts and public affairs, and aims to enhance women’s role as
an equal partner in dealing with current and future challenges and
opportunities.
He also indicated that the Supreme Council for Women,
presided by Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of the king,
launched specific initiatives to provide the needs of Bahraini women in line
with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development while continuing to respect
their international commitments contained in the Beijing Declaration and
Platform for Action, in addition to Security Council Resolution 1325.
He pointed out that based on Bahrain's belief in the
importance of education in empowering girls and women, the Kingdom took the
initiative to establish a number of schools in the Syrian refugee camps in the
countries neighboring Syria, as well as in the Gaza Strip.
The permanent representative also stressed that in
light of the emerging global crisis, there is a need to lay the foundations for
peace, reiterating Bahrain's support for the call made by the secretary-general
of the United Nations in the first months of the pandemic for an immediate
global ceasefire and harnessing international efforts to confront COVID-19. —
Bahrain News Agency
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/599759/World/Mena/Bahrain-vows-support-for-global-woman-empowerment-efforts
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Women leaders essential to global peace, progress, UN
chief tells Security Council
October 30, 2020
NEW YORK — Women continue to be under-represented in
key decision-making over the battle against COVID-19, the chief of the UN
gender empowerment agency said on Thursday, addressing the Security Council,
adding that the situation is even “worse for women in conflict areas”.
“In war zones and everywhere in the world”,
individuals are “calling for inclusion and representation, which is one of the
main reasons why so many ordinary people are taking to the streets, organizing
protests and raising their voices”, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile
Mlambo-Ngcuka emphasized to the 15-member body.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General António Guterres
reiterated his call for a global ceasefire, underscoring that the COVID-19
pandemic is “the greatest test” the international community has faced since
World War II.
“I appealed for an immediate global ceasefire so that
we could focus on our common enemy: the COVID-19 virus”, he said.
Pointing to the 20-year-old landmark resolution 1325,
he noted that in supporting the global ceasefire, the Security Council made a
“strong and valuable link” to the women, peace and security agenda.
Citing the resolution, Guterres observed that COVID-19
is having a disproportionately negative impact on women and girls, leaving them
victims of rising gender-based violence while simultaneously diverting
resources from their health care, including sexual and reproductive services,
as well as threatening long-term impacts on women’s employment and girls’
educations.
“This will contribute to the continued marginalization
of women from political decision-making and peace processes, which damages
everyone”, he upheld.
Moreover, women are on the front-line responses of the
pandemic, keeping communities, economies, and societies running through their
crucial work as care givers, nurses, teachers, and farmers, among other vital
services. And they are peacebuilders at the local level and in communities
around the world.
“We must also recognize women who step up every day in
conflict zones to help those at risk, mediating between groups to enable access
by civilians and humanitarian aid, building trust and strengthening social
bonds”, Guterres continued.
Noting that the resolution calls for women to be in
positions of leadership and decision-making, the top UN official remarked their
“remarkable” successes in containing the pandemic while also supporting
livelihoods.
“This confirms an obvious truth: Institutions,
organizations, companies, and yes, Governments work better when they include
half of society, rather than ignoring it”, he stressed, saying that women are
“essential to peace and progress for all”.
In addition to turning the climate crisis around,
reducing social divisions, and making sustained peace, “women’s leadership in
all spheres will be critical to finding the fastest, safest route through this
pandemic, and to building a more peaceful and stable future”, added the
secretary-general.
Over the past two decades that the resolution was
adopted, women have made important strides toward inclusion, but gender
equality remains aloof.
The UN chief painted a picture of power structures
dominated by men, including that women lead only seven percent of the world’s
countries; mostly men make decisions about international peace and security;
and while women are represented in UN mediation teams, “they remain largely
excluded from delegations to peace talks and negotiations”.
Women’s meaningful participation in mediation
“broadens the prospects for peace, stability, social cohesion, and economic
advancement”, stated the secretary-general, advocating for innovative, “rapid
and decisive’ solutions to include them in peace processes.
“Women must be included as a priority from the
outset”, he said urging all states to use their “political influence, funding
and support to incentivize and create conditions for women’s equal
representation and participation in peace talks”.
The UN chief outlined his work in ending
discrimination against women within the Organization and affirmed the
importance of women’s “full participation for uniformed personnel”.
He commended the Council for passing the first
resolution this year focused on women in peacekeeping, noting that although the
numbers are still too low, they continue to increase significantly, which is an
important trend as women bring their own perspectives and expertise to every
issue, including peace and security.
The women, peace, and security agenda challenges the
relentless focus on the interstate conflict at the expense of measures to
protect women with 20 years of research and practice demonstrating the close
links between gender equality, conflict prevention, and peace.
“For Governments and international institutions
everywhere, gender equality is one of the surest ways of building social
cohesion and trust, and inspiring people to be responsible, participating
citizens”, he flagged.
“We cannot wait another twenty years to implement the
women, peace and security agenda”, concluded the secretary-general. “Let’s
start that work together, today”.
Adding her voice, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Danai
Gurira, who is also an actor and award-winning playwright, said that when women
make their mark “in spite of impossible odds” it was not because they were
given “space and the opportunity, but because they protested against their
exclusion and persisted”.
In her briefing, Zarqa Yaftali, Afghan activist and
executive director of women and children legal research foundation said that
“peace cannot come at the cost of women’s rights”.
“All we have achieved hangs in the balance in the
current negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan Government”, she
asserted. — UN news
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/599761/World/America/Women-leaders-essential-to-global-peace-progress-UN-chief-tells-Security-Council
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Sindh govt will approach courts to review underage
Christian girl marriage case: Bilawal
30 Oct 2020
PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Friday said
the Sindh government will approach the relevant courts to seek a review in the
case of Arzoo, a teenage Christian girl who was allegedly abducted from her
Karachi residence before being forcefully converted and married off to a Muslim
man.
Bilawal's statement comes a day after a sessions court
in Karachi granted post-arrest bail to three suspects detained for allegedly
abducting Arzoo, who is said to have converted to Islam.
"GOS (Government of Sindh) will approach the
courts to review the #ArzooRaja underage marriage case, clear up any
misunderstanding the honourable court may have, and do everything in their
power to provide justice," the PPP chairman said in a tweet.
He added that the PPP-led provincial government had
passed the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act in 2013 and it will
"continue to fight for it to be implemented".
The alleged abduction of 13-year-old Arzoo had sparked
protests from human rights groups against her purported forced conversion and
underage marriage with a Muslim man.
Police claimed to have booked her purported husband
Syed Ali Azhar and detained his two brothers — Syed Shariq Ali and Syed Mohsin
Ali — along with his friend Danish over their alleged involvement in Arzoo's
abduction on October 13. All the three detained men were said to be police
officials.
On Thursday, the three detained suspects moved
applications before additional district and sessions judge (South) Faiza Khalil
seeking grant of post-arrest bail to them.
Their defence counsel Hidayat Ali Leghari contended
that an application was filed with the judicial magistrate concerned for
recording Arzoo's statement under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code
(CrPC). However, the same could not be done.
He further said that later the girl purportedly recorded
her statement before the Sindh High Court, in which she stated that she had
embraced Islam out of her free choice and had solemnised a free-will marriage
with Azhar Ali without any fear or pressure.
The counsel told the judge that in view of the reported
statement of the teenage girl, the SHC had purportedly restrained police from
arresting her husband Azhar Ali and his family members. Therefore, he asked the
court to grant post-arrest bail to applicants Shariq Ali and Mohsin Ali, who
are brothers of Azhar Ali, and Danish — all of whom are policemen.
After hearing arguments from the state prosecutor and
the defence counsel, the judge granted post-arrest bail to Shariq Ali, Mohsin
Ali and Danish, who is said to be posted at the Frere police station, against a
surety of Rs50,000 each. The court directed the suspects to cooperate with
police during the investigation of the case.
Arzoo's family members earlier this month told Dawn
that her purported husband Azhar lived in a house opposite to their's along
with his family and he is at least 45 years old. "The rascal who abducted
her has prepared fake papers to show that she is 18 years old,” her mother
said.
According to the first information report of the case
registered on his complaint, Arzoo's father Raja stated that on Oct 13, he and
his wife went to work while their son Shahbaz had gone to school. The
complainant said his three daughters, including Arzoo, were present at their
home in Railway Colony when he received a call from a relative, who told him
that Arzoo was missing from the house.
Raja said he reached home and contacted their
neighbours, but could not trace his daughter. He subsequently lodged a case
regarding the abduction of his daughter against unknown persons at the Frere
police station.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1587815/sindh-govt-will-approach-courts-to-review-underage-christian-girl-marriage-case-bilawal
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Mehwish Hayat rejoices reunion of Pakistan's women
football team
October 31, 2020
Film and television actor Mehwish Hayat recently
re-tweeted a video shared by the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) featuring
its women football team.
The clip showed the footballers gathering after seven
long years for a training camp, with the video claiming, "A new era of
Pakistani football has begun."
To mark the occassion, Hayat wrote, “So refreshing to
see this, both for sports and the women of our country."
She went on to send her wishes to the players, “I wish
the team all the best and am sure that they will make us proud!"
"Small steps, but in the right direction, will
help regain our former glory in sports of days gone by. #Pakistanzindabad!”
concluded the Chhalawa actor.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2270547/mehwish-hayat-rejoices-reunion-of-pakistans-women-football-team
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