Daily Times

Serena Hotels hosted 35 women footballers from the Chitral Women Sports Club (CWSC) who are currently visiting Islamabad for a sports camp and sporting exchange. Serena Hotels, under its Sports Diplomacy banner, propagates local sports and sponsors a number of initiatives to promote sportspeople in the country and propel them onto the international area.

The CWSC was set up in 2018 by Karishma Ali, a remarkable young woman hailing from the remote region, who has represented Pakistan in international footballing events and has won global accolades for her efforts to propagate women’s football in Chitral.

The 23-year-old said that the idea behind bringing these girls from Chitral to Islamabad was to provide them with opportunities to learn under guidance of professional coaches, and gain game exposure in a professional environment. They are being coached by coach Jose Alonso from Spain and Waleed Javed, an FA level 1 and AFC C licensed coach, who are training the girls for a seven-day camp at the Jinnah Sports Stadium in Islamabad.

“I see tremendous potential in these girls. I am sure that the learning and exposure that they are getting by interacting with the coaches and fellow footballers from Islamabad and Rawalpindi sports clubs will be a game-changer for them,” enthused Karishma.

Aziz Boolani, CEO Serena Hotels South and Central Asia, said that he was delighted to see the girls display such passion and enthusiasm for the sport, despite the barriers to entry in traditional societies where they hail from. “Sports is a healthy pursuit and has the potential to be a harbinger of peace and social development, especially for remote areas like Chitral.” “Serena has always taken the lead in supporting women’s empowerment through economic opportunities and sports ventures. We are ever ready to encourage such sportswomen in their quest to reach for the stars.”