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Female Pakistani Squash Player Carries on Dream in Spite of Taliban
Maria Toorpakai Wazir, a rising star in the sport of squash, grew up in rural Pakistan where her father, fearing retaliation for violating strict Pakistani tradition, “encouraged everyone to think she was his son,” reports the Toronto Star. After Toorpakai became more well-known, the Taliban reportedly threatened her if she’d continue playing because it considers women wearing shorts to be obscene.
Toorpakai, 21, decided it was time to leave Pakistan to continue pursuing her dreams, and she landed in Toronto in the spring to study and train with Canadian squash legend Jonathon Power. Power believes that Toorpakai has what it takes to be the best in the sport.