GILGIT: Pakistan’s first female mixed martial arts (MMA) specialist Anita Karim won
a competition against Australian fighter Uyen Ha at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok on
Saturday, confirmed her brother and coach while speaking to media.
A native of Hunza Valley, Karim is counted among athletes who have made a mark at
the outset of their professional career.
According to her brother Ali Sultan, Karim trained at Fairtex Center in Pattaya,
Thailand, for several months before winning the bout against her opponent by securing
a unanimous decision from the judges.
“Anita started training for MMA at the end of 2016,” Sultan said on Sunday over the
phone. “After about a year, she went for her first international fight.”
He said Karim had participated in five international fights until now and won three of
them.
“MMA is a very hard game and there was no female athlete from Pakistan in this
field,” he continued. “That is why we decided to take this step to prepare her to
represent the country.”
Sultan said his family faced criticism since there was no woman from Pakistan who
was participating in the sport.
“Despite huge criticism, people of Gilgit-Baltistan and Hunza supported and
encouraged Anita,” he said. “She has also been making us proud.”
He hoped that Karim’s performance would inspire other women who would come
forward and join the field as well.
Several Pakistanis congratulated Karim for winning the fight through social media
posts.
“What a win,” exclaimed the former governor of Gilgit-Baltistan, Raja Jalal Hussain
Maqpoon, in a Facebook post. “A brave daughter of Gilgit-Baltistan. MMA fighter
Anita Karim knocked out an Australian fighter.”
The region’s sports and tourism minister, Raja Nasir Ali Khan, also celebrated her
victory on Twitter.
“Bravo! A resilient female fighter from Gilgit-Baltistan proving her mettle globally.
Congratulation,” he wrote after the fight on Saturday.