Diya W.F.C.

Diya Women Football Club, commonly referred to as Diya W.F.C., sometimes as Diya, Diya FC, Diya Women FC, Diya WFC or DWFC, is a Pakistani women's football club based in Karachi. Diya means lamp in Urdu.

Diya Women Football Club
Full nameDiya Women Football Club
Short nameDiya W.F.C.
Founded2002 (2002)
ChairwomanZeba Bakhtiar
ManagerSadia Sheikh
CoachRukhsar Rashid
LeagueNational Women Football Championship
20144th
WebsiteClub website

Background

History

Diya W.F.C. is founded in 2002 by Sadia Sheikh, a physical education teacher[1] becoming in 2011 the first FIFA certified football administrator in Pakistan .[2] It is recognized by the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) in 2006.[3] Trainings take place on a ground located in Clifton,[4] next to Bagh Ibne Qasim beachside park.

In September 2015, Diya W.F.C. is the first women’s football club to sign an agreement with Aspirations Pakistan Football Alliance (APFA) and follow their certified curriculum to improve standards of training for both coaches and players .[5]

Players

In 2018, students and players age range is from 6 to 27.[6]

While Misha Dawood, a 19 years old Diya W.F.C. midfielder and a second year UC Berkeley student, died in a plane crash on 28 July 2010, she was considered as a "promising star"[7] and declared on 4 August 2020 the best woman player of the 6th National Women Football Championship by the PFF and the trophy of the annual National Women Championship was named after her.[8]

Hajra Khan, forward and captain of Pakistan women's national football team (PWNFT), played with Diya as professional from 2008 to 2014, prior to moving to Balochistan United W.F.C..[9] Mehwish Khan, also playing as defender for the PWNFT, started playing with Diya W.F.C.[10] prior to joining WAPDA women's club in 2011. Rukhsar Rashid, who joined Diya W.F.C. in 2009 and is now coach for the club,[2] was also a defender within the national team. Among the PWNFT, Afshan Altaf,[11][12] Qurratulain Ashraf and Fatima Ansari[2] started playing with Diya W.F.C.

Manizeh Zainli, secretary general of PFF (2020), and first women to hold this position, played football with Diya W.F.C. for two years as amateur.[13]

Performance

The club competes within three PFF championships: Under-16, Under-19 and open age:[3]

  • Diya W.F.C. plays within the open age National Women Football Championship and was ranked 2nd in 2009 and 2011, 3rd in 2007 and 4th in 2014.[14][3]
  • It earned the 3rd position in 2015[15] and in 2018 within the National Under-16 Women Football Championship.[16]

Diya W.F.C. also participates to Leisure Leagues events in Pakistan and earns the Leisure Leagues Women Football's Pink Cup 2020, defeating Garrison Football Academy (2-0).[17]

Social activities

Through sport, Diya W.F.C.’s purpose is to give girls a chance for empowerment, and "transport, education and health fees are entirely covered" by the club.[6]

For the International Women's Day of 2015, the PFF holds for the first time an Asian Football Confederation workshop in collaboration with Diya W.F.C. and Balochistan United W.F.C. .[18]

In partnership with the United Nations, Diya W.F.C. holds on 25 February 2016 a friendly match to promote gender equality, equal rights and to stop violence against women. Diya W.F.C. played with a team made of students from St Patrick’s School, Learning Tree School, Aga Khan School of Kharadar, Karachi Women’s College and Asif Government School.[19]

In June 2018, Diya W.F.C., in collaboration with Right To Play and Women Win, at the invitation of Thar Foundation, organizes a football discovery session and provides equipment for girls in Tharparkar district,[20] which has the lowest Human Development Index[21] of Pakistan. A similar operation is conducted in September 2020 in different areas of Karachi, along with Right To Play, Women Win and the US mission in Pakistan.[22]

References
  1. "Young women are pioneers for Pakistan". China Daily. 2018-08-20. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  2. Raheel, Natasha (2014-03-08). "Feature : Empowering women through football". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  3. "DWFC History". Diya Women Football Club. 2015-06-10. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  4. Raheel, Natasha (2016-12-31). "The duo fighting class difference in Karachi through football". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  5. Raheel, Natasha (2015-09-13). "APFA joins hands with Diya FC". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  6. Omam Biyik, Pauline (2018-08-21). "Pakistan, liberté, égalité, balle au centre" [Pakistan, liberty, equality, ball at the center spot]. France Football (in French). Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  7. "Sport: Diya dedicates quarter-final passage to Misha Dawood. Pakistan Press International. 2010-07-30. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  8. "Plane crash victim Misha declared best footballer". The News International. 2010-08-04. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  9. Wasim, Umaid (2014-08-08). "Balochistan United look to transform women's football in Pakistan". Dawn. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
  10. Dawn.com (2010-11-21). "The many goals of a footballer". Dawn. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
  11. "T-Diaries: Afshan Altaf". The Express Tribune. 2014-09-09. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  12. Raheel, Natasha (2011-04-23). "Afshan scores nine goals in Diya FC's win". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  13. Wasim, Umaid (2020-03-04). "'Trained to be stronger', Manizeh looks to put PFF back on track". Dawn. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
  14. Editorial staff (2011-09-30). "Young Rising Star retain National Women title in gripping finale". Footballpakistan.com. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  15. "2nd National U-16 Girls 3rd Position Result - Press Release issued by Pakistan Football Federation". Pakistan Official News. 2015-06-10. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  16. Our correspondent (2018-07-03). "Diya Women FC crush Islamabad to win bronze". The News International. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  17. "Diya FC crowned Leisure Leagues Women Football's PINK CUP 2020 Champions!". Khilari. 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
  18. Our correspondent (2015-03-08). "Intl women's day: PFF honour female footballers". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  19. "UN, Diya FC collaborate for one-day event". The Express Tribune. 2016-02-25. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
  20. Raheel, Natasha (2018-06-28). "When football quenched the thirst of Thari girls". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
  21. Jamal, Haroon; Khan, Amir Jahan (2007-07-01). "Trends in Human development indices. Research report n° 73". Social policy and development centre. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  22. Sports reporter (2020-09-25). "DWFC Focusing on Social change through Football". Daily Messenger. Retrieved 2020-12-31.
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