Hundreds of young women and girls gathered in Lahore as the Pakistan Martial Arts Association marked the first anniversary of Marka-e-Haq with an intensive women’s self defence workshop that combined practical combat training with personal safety education.
The event, held under the slogan Honor Our Heroes, Empower Yourself, was organised in collaboration with IFMSA-Pakistan, The Trust Schools and Shinkyokushinkai Pakistan. Renowned karate figures Shihan M. Arshad Jan and Shihan Shakil Ahmed inaugurated the workshop and highlighted the growing need for martial arts as a means of protection and personal development for women in Pakistan.
PMAA Chief Trainer Sensei Anwar Mohiuddin underlined that self defence is now an essential life skill for adolescent girls and women, stressing that martial arts training builds physical strength, confidence and mental resilience. The curriculum focused on situational awareness, escape strategies, defensive striking and techniques to counter harassment and physical threats.
Instructors placed strong emphasis on quick decision-making and psychological preparedness for dangerous encounters, ensuring participants practised realistic responses rather than theoretical drills. A dedicated team of trainers including Sumaiyya, Abdullah Munir, Aliza, Hanzla Chaudhry and Meerab led hands-on sessions that became the central attraction of the workshop.
Educationist Asim Ishaq praised PMAA’s initiative to introduce combat sports within educational settings, noting that regular martial arts practice helps students develop discipline and safeguards them against abuse and harassment. His remarks reflected a broader push in Pakistan to integrate practical safety training into youth programmes.
Jannat Fatima described the collaboration between IFMSA-Pakistan and PMAA as a successful model, saying hundreds of female medical students and healthcare professionals across Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have already benefited from self defence sessions. She also announced plans for a Mega Self-Defence Workshop in Lahore later this summer to bring together medical students from multiple cities for advanced training.
The workshop concluded with a medal and certificate distribution ceremony that recognised individual and institutional achievements. The Trust Schools secured four gold medals to top the leaderboard, Fatima Jinnah Medical University took second place, and Lahore Medical and Dental College received a special award for active participation and outstanding engagement.
Participants left the workshop expressing renewed confidence and enthusiasm, reflecting the growing momentum of women’s martial arts and self defence programmes across Pakistan as communities and institutions prioritize practical safety and empowerment skills.
