Mahnoor Ahmed, 18, came in third in the All Pakistan Blind Archery Championship in November last year in Rawalpindi. She is a student at Government Postgraduate College on 6th Road and is now practicing so she can participate in international archery competitions. She can target from 20 yards away. Dawn caught up with her to talk about women’s participation in the sport and the facilities available to blind sportsmen and women in Pakistan.

Q: How did you get into archery?

A: I was not interested in sports when I was in school. Things changed when I got admission in college where my class fellows encouraged me and helped me do things I could not before.

Last year, Ijaz Ahmed, the Sports Department coach and the Rawalpindi Archery Association contacted me and asked me to participate. I thought it will be difficult for me to do so and I participated because of Mr Ahmed’s encouragement.

Support from family, class fellows and instructors made it easier for me to pursue the sport. I concentrate on voices and the target. It was at first difficult to handle the bow and arrow but it became easier with time.

Q: How can educational institutions cater better to disabled students and make taking part in sports easier for them?

A: There are no colleges for blind people, who suffer a lot of problems when studying in regular colleges. I study with the help of voice recordings. There are Braille books but we face problems when appearing in exams.

Colleges provide blind students with helpers during exams but it is difficult to dictate answers.

Blind students should be given facilities so they can write in Braille and can attempt questions by themselves rather than with help. I got my matriculation certificate from a special school but was enrolled at a regular school which is difficult. But it does help improve skills and in socialising.

Me and other disabled students do not want to take advantage of our disabilities because it does not stop us from working hard. I always expect to be treated normally and have learnt to live with my disability.

Q: What are your plans for the future?

A: I want to study more and work for the betterment of disabled persons so they can live independent lives. Dependence on others makes you shy and participating in sports increases your confidence.

I want to participate in international archery competitions and tell the world that Pakistani women can change the world.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2017