The Viral Video That Exposed Everything
A short video on social media shocked sports fans across Pakistan. Fajar Fatima (a basketball player) and Nisha Sultan (a national netball player) stood in front of a camera to tell a sad truth: women’s professional sports in Pakistan are quietly being shut down.
ProperGaanda reached out to both athletes to find out exactly what is happening behind closed doors. Their answers show a broken system full of unfair rules, sudden firings, and total neglect.
1. Fired Through a WhatsApp Voice Note
For a long time, departments like WAPDA and the Pakistan Army were the only places that paid female athletes a regular salary. Now, these life support systems are being cut off without any warning or respect.
- Teams Shut Down: Nisha Sultan confirmed that the Pakistan Army has ended its basketball and netball programs. At the same time, WAPDA has shut down its netball, baseball, and softball teams.
- No Official Paperwork: When we asked Fajar Fatima if they received official letters explaining why they were let go, her answer was shocking: “There were no reasons given to us in writing; we were simply told through a voice note.”
2. No Jobs, No Sponsors, No Money
When these departments close their sports teams, it is a financial disaster for the players. These women do not just lose a hobby; they lose the money their families depend on.
- The Only Source of Income: Nisha told us that most national-level players rely entirely on departmental salaries to live.
- Zero Private Help: No corporate brands, private companies, or provincial sports boards have stepped up to help or offer new contracts to the players.
- Terrible Timing: To make things worse, Nisha revealed that the National Netball Championship was finally happening after two years. But just as players prepared to compete, their department canceled the team.
3. Cricket Gets Millions, Others Get Nothing
The data shows a massive gap in how sports are treated in Pakistan. While men’s cricket receives millions of rupees and luxury treatment, women’s minority sports are treated like a burden.
- Bus and Train Travel: Fajar exposed the unfair reality: “Even at the national level, basketball players are sometimes expected to travel by bus or train, while cricket gets much better support and resources for travel.”
- No More Competitions: Because these programs are gone, players cannot enter major tournaments anymore. This means they lose their chance to practice and play at a high level.
4. A Broken Future for Young Girls
What happens to young girls in Pakistan who look up to these players and dream of representing their country? That dream is being killed.
- 12 Years with No International Match: Fajar shared her own heartbreaking story: “I’ve been playing for over 10 to 12 years and still haven’t had the chance to represent Pakistan, especially since the national team is currently banned.”
- Losing Hope: Working hard for over a decade to reach your peak, only to have your sport disappear, makes it very hard for young girls to choose sports as a career.
5. Complete Silence from the Officials
Even though their video went viral and thousands of people watched it, the people in charge of sports in Pakistan are staying silent.
- No One is Talking: Nisha confirmed to ProperGaanda that neither the Pakistan Netball Federation nor the Pakistan Sports Board has reached out to talk to them since the video came out.
ProperGaanda’s Verdict
Pakistan loves to celebrate women athletes when they win medals on their own. But behind the scenes, national heroes are being fired through WhatsApp voice notes and forced to travel on third-class trains.
If the government does not step in right now to protect athlete contracts and share funding fairly, women’s sports in Pakistan will completely disappear.