In a historic first, women rode bicycles in large numbers across the traditional tribal territory of Khyber in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A training camp was held prior to the rally on December 8 and 9 in the district of Khyber’s Landi Kotal tehsil.
Jamima Afridi, a social activist and journalist from Landi Kotal, coordinated the event and training. Samar Khan, a professional cyclist, gave the other candidates a training session. According to Samar Khan, the environment in the tribal regions differs from how it was previously thought, and the tribal people are now willing to permit their daughters to engage in such healthy and beneficial activities.
Jamima stated that the girls had gained permission from their families to take part, while some mothers came along too.
Samar Khan claimed the environment in the tribal areas was very different from what she had heard about it before visiting in remarks made during the protest.
She claimed that tribal people were incredibly kind and eager to let their daughters engage in such healthy and beneficial activities.She claimed that tribal girls had tremendous potential and that it was important to give them access to both basic and modern sporting facilities.
However, despite the event’s parent’s permission, several right-wing organisations have criticized it and called it an obscenity source. Following a concerted hate campaign against her by right-wing religious groups like Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl and the Jamaat-i-Islami, Jamima claimed that she has also received death threats. Threats haven’t stopped her, either, and she’s determined to organise more local sporting events for tribal girls so they can participate in competitions throughout the nation and internationally.
