Only my father used to work in our house, so I felt that I should also help my father. With this idea, 18-year-old Mehwish Aftab, an intermediate student, thought of making the sport of swordsmanship her career. She earns a lot but one day she wants to bring a gold medal to Pakistan in this sport through her hard work.

In this sport, two players compete with swords and score points with each successful hit on the opponent. However, this Olympic sport is not very popular in Pakistan, nor is it usually chosen by Pakistani women. Now the situation is changing and Pakistani girls are taking an interest in it. Mehwish trains girls in fencing at Badrul Hasan Sports Complex Nazimabad in Karachi and also practices this sport herself.

The Secretary General of Sindh Fencing Association Muhammad Taqi told BBC that girls are now taking more interest in this sport. first I was welcomed by girls. I thought there would be more boys but you will be surprised to know that when they were selected, the number of girls was 50 and boys. There were (only) 20. Mehwish Aftab said that when a camp was held for fencing in his school, he felt that this sport was made for him. "When I found out about the game, it was very expensive."

Mehwish's father drives an auto-rickshaw and is the household's sole breadwinner. But then Mehwish met a fencing coach. "I begged my head that I had to go ahead with the game," she recalls. Then I had a trial and after that I got admission. But the beginning was very difficult for them and they did not understand the game and its technique. But I didn't give up. For three years, she worked day and night, trained, and practiced even when she went home. Then I tried to learn this game by watching videos on YouTube. Now Mehwish has understood this game so much that now she teaches it in different schools, colleges, and universities.

Mehwish also wants to advise other girls that 'whoever is at home, should get out of the house and take part in a sport.' Sports give girls the courage, and strength to face everyone. She says that many girls have played at the international level before, but none of them could win a gold medal. I want to go to the international level and win the gold medal for Pakistan.