You are here

  • Home
  • Pakistani women who've made headlines in 2021


Pakistani women who've made headlines in 2021

A collage of Pakistani women who've made headlines in 2021. (Courtesy: Social Media)
Short Url

https://arab.news/9satr

Updated 06 March 2021
Follow

Pakistani women who've made headlines in 2021

  • From viral memes to medical books, Pakistani women are making headlines in the world
Updated 06 March 2021
Sabah Bano Malik

RAWALPINDI: In time for International Women's Day, Arab News highlights eight Pakistani women who've already made waves this year.
Zara Naeem Dar, global ACCA topper
Zara Naeem Dar internationally topped the notoriously difficult exams for the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in December and was the global prize winner for the test.
Dar was celebrated widely in Pakistan with many politicians, entertainers, and media personalities calling her the pride of the nation.




Zara Naeem Dar, global ACCA topper. (Courtesy: Social Media)

Dananeer Mobeen of 'Pawri' meme fame 
A viral video shot in Pakistan by teen Dananeer Mobeen turned into a remix by an Indian composer, and now, after amassing over one million followers, Mobeen has become a household name in both countries. 
The remixed video has been viewed nearly 50 million times on YouTube and has landed the young influencer brand deals. But most impressive of all, Mobeen's humorous video managed to bring together Pakistanis and Indians to share a laugh.




Dananeer Mobeen of 'Pawri' meme fame. (Courtesy: Social Media)

Dr. Zubaida Sirang, first Pakistani doctor to make Book Authority list
In a first for men and women Pakistani doctors, Chitrali eye surgeon Dr. Zubaida Sirang made headlines this year when her book became the first-ever Pakistani authored text featured on the prestigious Book Authority List.
Her book 'Optics Made Easy: The Last Review of Clinical Optics' was included in the list of ‘Best Ophthalmology Books of All Time.' The book is written for ophthalmology students as a last-minute revision tool.




Dr. Zubaida Sirang, first Pakistani doctor to make Book Authority list. (Courtesy: Social Media)

Justice Ayesha Malik, outlawing the two-finger virginity test
Lahore High Court Judge Ayesha Malik made a groundbreaking ruling in January of this year when she outlawed the use of the two-finger virginity test that was employed when doing rape exams on victims of sexual assaults and violence. 
Justice Malik ruled the test unconstitutional and a violation of the dignity of female victims in a 30-page ruling. Justice Malik's decision was applauded as a powerful win for women's rights movements across the country.




Justice Ayesha Malik, outlawing the two-finger virginity test. (Courtesy: Social Media)

Naseebo Lal, PSL anthem
This year's Pakistan Super League (PSL) anthem was powerfully sung by singer Naseebo Lal, who was at the receiving end of horrific internet backlash for her accent when singing English words in the song.
Lal's song made headlines and dominated social media discourse, but for every insult she contended with, Lal was flushed with love and support from other artists and fans. Her anthem "Groove Mera," now sits at over 13 million views on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBdjwrywyKo




Pakistani singer Naseebo Lal. (Courtesy: Social Media)

Aliza Ayaz, UN Youth Ambassador for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
In February of this year, student Aliza Ayaz was selected as a UN Youth Ambassador for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) due to her relentless work in the realm of climate action.
Ayaz is only the second woman to represent Pakistan in this way, the first being Malala Yousafzai. Ayaz will serve in a dedicated group that works towards engaging and fostering youth in leadership and participating in economic and political processes while exploring how to document and achieve in the space of climate action.




Aliza Ayaz, UN Youth Ambassador for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). (Courtesy: Social Media)

Policewoman Amna Baig, international award for change-making
A sub-divisional officer in the capital, ASP Amna Baig, was awarded the Integrity Icon Award on Friday by the Danish ambassador to Pakistan. The award honors civil servants for contributions towards making a positive change in their societies.
Twitter savvy Baig has devotedly raised women and gender issues during her work in Islamabad's Kohsar.
She took oath as a sub-divisional officer in January this year.




Policewoman Amna Baig, international award for change-making. (Courtesy: Social Media)

Sidra Qasim, Atoms explosion 
Co-founder of footwear brand 'Atoms,' Sidra Qasim shared her incredible journey to helm one of the most sought after and successful sneaker companies with the Humans of New York (HONY) Instagram page, a decision that saw her going viral and the demand for Atoms exploding.
Qasim's story dominated headlines as she detailed in over 12 posts shared by (HONY) how she defied expectations, followed her heart, and changed courses more than once to get to where she is today. She was celebrated abroad and at home for shining a light on Pakistani women who break the mold.




Co-founder of footwear brand 'Atoms,' Sidra Qasim. (Courtesy: Social Media)

 

Topics: Pakistan women

Trump says settled Pakistan-India standoff through trade deals

Updated 4 sec ago
Follow

Trump says settled Pakistan-India standoff through trade deals

  • Trump has repeatedly said he offered to help both nations with trade if they agreed to de-escalate
  • India has previously rejected that trade concessions were discussed in ceasefire discussions
Updated 4 sec ago
Fatimah Amjad

ISLAMABAD: President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he had used US trade ties to persuade nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan to back off from their worst military confrontation in decades earlier this month, a claim New Delhi has previously rejected. 

Following a May 10 understanding reached between India and Pakistan in what was a US-mediated ceasefire to stop military action on land, in the air and at sea, Trump has repeatedly said he had offered to help both the nations with trade if they agreed to de-escalate.

Pakistan has not commented specifically on the trade-related claim though it has repeatedly thanked Trump for his role in the de-escalation efforts. The Indian government has, however, said trade concessions did not come up in discussions to secure the ceasefire. 

“If you take a look at what we just did with Pakistan and India, we settled that whole thing, and I think I settled it through trade,” Trump said in televised comments during a meeting at the White House with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. 

“We’re doing a big deal with India. We’re doing a big deal with Pakistan,” the US president added, without giving details of what agreements he was referring to. 

Before the ceasefire, the militaries of India and Pakistan were engaged in one of their most serious confrontations in decades since May 7, when India struck targets inside Pakistan it said were affiliated with militants responsible for the killing of 26 tourists last month in Indian-administered Kashmir.

After India’s strikes in Pakistan, both sides exchanged heavy fire along their de facto border, followed by missile and drone strikes into each other’s territories, mainly targeting military installations and air bases.

The escalating hostilities threatened regional peace, leading to calls by world leaders to cool down tempers.

Trump has said he not only helped mediate the ceasefire but also offered mediation over the simmering dispute in Kashmir, a Himalayan region that both India and Pakistan claim in entirety but govern in part. The two nations have fought two wars over Kashmir, which has long been described as the regional nuclear flashpoint.

New Delhi has rejected Trump’s offer for mediation, saying Kashmir was a bilateral issue, while Pakistan has welcomed the offer. 

With inputs from AP

Topics: US President Donald Trump Ceasefire Pakistan India Ties

Pakistan recalls fast bowler Hasan Ali for T20 series against Bangladesh

Updated 39 min 51 sec ago
AP
Follow

Pakistan recalls fast bowler Hasan Ali for T20 series against Bangladesh

  • Hasan played just one T20 international in nearly three years when he returned against Ireland in Dublin in 2024
  • Fast bowler has forced his way back into the squad with a rich haul of 15 wickets in the Pakistan Super League
Updated 39 min 51 sec ago
AP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has recalled fast bowler Hasan Ali for this month’s Twenty20 home matches against Bangladesh but overlooked senior batters Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam for the third successive series.

Hasan played just one T20 international in nearly three years when he returned with expensive figures of 0-42 in three overs against Ireland in Dublin in 2024.

However, the right-arm fast bowler has forced his way back into the squad with a rich haul of 15 wickets in the Pakistan Super League while representing the Karachi Kings.

Rizwan and Babar were dropped for the last two series in Zimbabwe and New Zealand as Pakistan continued to reshape its top-order ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup.

Rizwan scored 367 runs at a strike rate of 139.54 in the PSL this season as his franchise, the Multan Sultans, suffered nine defeats in 10 games.

Babar’s Peshawar Zalmi also missed out on the playoffs for the first time in PSL history as he finished the season with 288 runs and a strike rate of 128.57.

Salman Ali Agha, who was appointed captain ahead of the T20 series in Australia last year, will continue to lead the side with Shadab Khan as his deputy.

The series will be the first assignment for Pakistan’s newly appointed white-ball coach Mike Hesson, who is currently in charge of Islamabad United in the PSL.

The selectors have made eight changes to the squad which lost the series in New Zealand 4-1.

Fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi, Jahandad Khan and Abbas Afridi were replaced by Hasan, Naseem Shah and Mohammad Wasim while another pace bowler Mohammad Ali was also dropped.

Opening batter Sahibzada Farhan, who leads the PSL charts with 394 runs in 10 games, Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman were recalled, with all-rounders Faheem Ashraf and Hussain Talat also making their way back into the squad.

The three-match series will be played at the Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore on May 28, May 30 and June 1.

Pakistan squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Shadab Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Wasim, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub.

Topics: Hasan Ali Bangladesh T20 Pakistan Cricket Squad

Related

Pakistan
Pakistan drop stars Shaheen, Azam and Rizwan for Bangladesh T20s
Pakistan
Bangladesh T20 tour to Pakistan confirmed after India ceasefire

JS Investments launches Pakistan’s ‘first’ Shariah-compliant real estate investment trust

Updated 54 min 29 sec ago
Follow

JS Investments launches Pakistan’s ‘first’ Shariah-compliant real estate investment trust

  • JS Investments partners with real estate developer Gohar Group of Companies to establish JS Hotel REIT in Hyderabad
  • REIT is a regulated investment vehicle that pools capital from investors to finance income-generating real estate
Updated 54 min 29 sec ago
Ismail Dilawar

KARACHI: A Pakistani investment firm on Wednesday announced the launch of what it described as the country’s first Shariah-compliant real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on the hospitality sector.

A REIT is a regulated investment vehicle that pools capital from investors to finance income-generating real estate, offering returns through rent or capital gains. It provides exposure to the property market without direct ownership of assets.

JS Investments Limited, one of Pakistan’s oldest private-sector asset and REIT managers, has partnered with real estate developer Gohar Group of Companies to establish the JS Hotel REIT in Hyderabad district, located in the southeastern Sindh province.

“As the manager of Pakistan’s first hotel REIT, we are pleased to offer investors a professionally managed and regulated investment vehicle backed by international hospitality standards,” the statement quoted Iffat Zehra Mankani, CEO of JS Investments Limited, as saying.

The REIT will finance the development of a 139-room hotel in Hyderabad under a franchise agreement with an international hospitality brand. The fund is currently open to accredited local and foreign investors through private placement.

The statement added the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) had granted regulatory approval for the fund, which is not being offered to the general public at this stage.

Pakistan’s REIT market remains small, though regulatory reforms in recent years have aimed to draw institutional investment into real estate through both conventional and Islamic finance structures.

The project will also feature environmentally responsible construction, according to the statement.

Topics: Pakistan real estate developer

Pakistan PM directs task force to propose budget plan for low-cost housing

Updated 21 May 2025
Follow

Pakistan PM directs task force to propose budget plan for low-cost housing

  • Pakistan faces a housing crisis, with the shortage particularly acute in urban areas
  • PM says ahead of the budget low-cost housing is his administration’s top priority
Updated 21 May 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday his administration is prioritizing the development of low-cost housing while directing a task force to present financing recommendations to include the facility in the upcoming budget.

Pakistan has been facing a housing crisis, with the World Bank suggesting two years ago it was short of an estimated 10 million housing units. The shortage is particularly acute in urban areas due to rapid population growth, unregulated expansion and high land and construction prices.

The federal budget, which will be presented to the National Assembly next month, is expected to outline measures to tackle the crisis as the new fiscal year begins in July.

“The government’s foremost priority is to facilitate access to housing through low-cost schemes,” Sharif said during a task force meeting to address the issue.

“Such projects will not only make residential units accessible to the common man but also stimulate economic growth and create employment opportunities,” he continued.

The prime minister instructed the task force to work with the finance ministry and banks to prepare detailed financing proposals for affordable housing, with the aim of making them part of the upcoming budget.

He also emphasized that developing the construction sector was key to sustainable economic growth.

Officials briefed the prime minister on ongoing reforms to the Condominium Act 2025 and Foreclosure Law, saying they were in their final stages and were expected to ease access to housing loans under the new schemes.

Topics: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif

Pakistan says India using ‘terrorism’ as foreign policy tool after school bus attack in Balochistan

Updated 21 May 2025
Follow

Pakistan says India using ‘terrorism’ as foreign policy tool after school bus attack in Balochistan

  • New Delhi rejects Pakistan’s allegation, calls it an attempt to deflect responsibility for internal failures
  • PM Sharif visits Balochistan after school bus bombing kills three children, leaves eight critically wounded
Updated 21 May 2025
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Pakistan urged the international community on Wednesday to condemn what it called India’s use of “terrorism” as a foreign policy tool, after a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device targeted a school bus in the southwestern Balochistan province, killing at least three children and injuring 39 others, including eight critically.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by landmass and rich in mineral resources, has long faced an insurgency led by separatist groups who accuse Islamabad of exploiting local resources while neglecting the population. The government denies the claims, citing investments in health, education and infrastructure.

In recent months, the insurgency has intensified, with groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) carrying out high-casualty attacks on civilians and security forces, including taking hostages at a passenger train. Pakistan says it has evidence linking India to these attacks, though New Delhi has denied involvement and distanced itself from the Khuzdar school bombing.

However, Islamabad described the attack as a “sequel” to India’s missile and drone strikes earlier this month, accusing New Delhi of deploying militant proxies to destabilize the country, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir visited the region to meet injured children in hospital.

“These terrorist groups — masquerading under ethnic pretenses — are not only being exploited by India as instruments of state policy, but also stand as a stain on the honor and values of the Baloch and Pashtun people, who have long rejected violence and extremism,” said a statement issued by the PM Office after Sharif’s visit to Quetta.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir being briefed on the Khuzdar school bus attack, in Quetta on May 21, 2025. (Photo courtesy: Handout/PMO)

“India’s reliance on such morally indefensible tactics, particularly the deliberate targeting of children, demands urgent attention from the international community,” it added. “The use of terrorism as a tool of foreign policy must be unequivocally condemned and confronted.”

The prime minister and the accompanying delegation was briefed by Balochistan’s Chief Minister Sardar Sarfraz Bugti and local military officials on the attack, which also killed two soldiers and injured 53 people in total.

The official statement said Pakistan’s security forces and law enforcement agencies “will relentlessly pursue all those involved in this barbaric act,” vowing to bring “the architects, abettors and enablers of this crime” to justice.

It added the incident had exposed India’s “cunning role” to the world, revealing how it orchestrated militant violence while simultaneously portraying itself as a victim.

 

 

India’s Ministry of External Affairs earlier in the day rejected Pakistan’s allegations, describing them as Islamabad’s attempt to deflect responsibility for its own failings and internal issues.

The latest attack follows a brief military standoff between the two countries earlier this month, which ended in a ceasefire on May 10.

While hostilities along the border have subsided, both sides continue to trade diplomatic barbs, accusing each other of sponsoring terrorism and destabilizing the region.

School bus targeted in a suicide blast in pictured in Pakistan's southwestern Khuzdar district on May 21, 2025. (Jawad Yousafzai)

The attack in Khuzdar, which targeted children en route to an army-run school, was condemned by US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker and UNICEF in separate statements.

It was also reminiscent of one of the deadliest militant attacks in Pakistan’s history when over 130 children were killed in a military school in the northern city of Peshawar in 2014. That attack was claimed by the Pakistani Taliban group.

Topics: Khuzdar Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) Pakistan India Ties Balochistan Attacks Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)

Latest updates

Saudi university develops smart sensor designed to help reduce fruit vegetable spoilage
Two Israeli embassy staffers killed in Washington shooting
Pakistan recalls fast bowler Hasan Ali for T20 series against Bangladesh
JS Investments launches Pakistan’s ‘first’ Shariah-compliant real estate investment trust
State Department refugee office to assume USAID’s disaster aid role, says cable

Search form

Print Edition
Read pdf version Subscribe now
© 2025 SAUDI RESEARCH & PUBLISHING COMPANY, All Rights Reserved And subject to Terms of Use Agreement.