They called her “the arm collector” due to her fierce competitiveness in the octagonal, Anita Karim, hailing from Gilgit-Baltistan region, is Pakistan’s first female MMA fighter to compete internationally.
In Pakistan’s conservative society, it is challenging for women to pursue sports. However, Gilgit-Baltistan—where social norms regarding female modesty are more relaxed—has emerged as a hub for women’s sports.
“The village where I come from supports women fighters,” Anita was quoted as saying by AFP. “But when I started MMA, they had no awareness of this sport.”
Anita initially trained in taekwondo and later in jiu-jitsu before discovering MMA while in high school in Islamabad. Her brother, Uloomi, who became her coach after enduring her powerful strikes, said their family’s support was crucial.
“When she showed the commitment and dedication, we knew she was going to make it,” said 33-year-old Uloomi.
After losing her professional debut in 2018, Anita moved to Thailand to train at an MMA academy. Six years later, she now earns a living through competition prizes and modest government grants.
Despite being told that MMA is a sport for men and that women cannot succeed in it, the 28-year-old remains determined to prove her critics wrong.
