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Squashing her way through
Carla Khan, who took the first step to put Pakistani women on the squash map, shares some candid moments with You! about how she made it to the squash circuit, details of her current activities and aspirations for the future
By Gul Nasreen
In a country such as ours where women seldom make headlines for their achievements in sports, there is one young woman who stands out as a role model. She came into the spotlight during the POF-WISPA (Women's International Squash Players Association) Squash Tournament, a maiden international event of women squash held recently at Wah Cantt. Carla Khan, the lone torchbearer of Pakistan's women squash, won this mega event in style without conceding a single game throughout the competition. She made her debut on the world junior circuit as an English player, when she was 12 and went on to win the US Open at 15. The way she played makes one really optimistic about the prospects of women's sports in Pakistan.
A good-looking lass with sparkling light coloured eyes, British-born Carla Khan is the granddaughter of Azam Khan, one of the legends of squash in Pakistan. Carla is the most successful woman in Pakistan's history of sports and has been representing Pakistan for the last six years in international squash circuit on individual basis. Ranked 23rd in women's international squash, Carla who goes by her popular nickname Bibi, spoke of her aspirations to gain the world number one position in the coming years, for which she is putting in extra effort at the moment. "To fulfill my dreams, I am ready to get full fledged training in Pakistan for months if needed," she said enthusiastically, while chatting with You! all the way from England.
When asked what attracted her to squash, Carla said, "As a child I was really fascinated by my father Wasil Khan, a junior world champion. I used to go with him to watch all the games. Also I listened very closely to all the old squash stories that my dad told us. It was my dad's influence that got me into squash."
About her win at Wah Cantt, she said, "It's like a dream come true to win in my own country. It boosted my morale and furthered my efforts to bring more laurels for my country. I have won WISPA titles before, but to win such a prestigious event in Pakistan was absolutely fantastic because of the support and encouragement by the general public. Also, this was the first ever women's international tournament to have taken place on home ground. Therefore it was a historical event both for me and for Pakistani women. I believe the foundation has now been set for Pakistani women to succeed in other areas of sports."
She also expressed her hopes that the staging of the first-ever international women's squash tournament is a move that would serve to open up the sport to female players in the country. She called on the relevant authorities to make this event a permanent feature in Pakistan.
When asked about her impressions of her recent visit to Pakistan, Bibi was full of praise. "I have been to Pakistan many times and have always enjoyed my visits. The people of Pakistan are very warm and welcoming. I have always found the historical sites in Pakistan very interesting and I always visit them when I get some free time. This time, it was my first visit to the Wah Cantt area. I especially enjoyed shopping there, and made a few friends as well." She has a soft corner for Peshawar, as it is her father's birthplace. "I have been to Peshawar quite a few times. I love its atmosphere. It is very nice to go and play squash there with the children. They call me 'Miss Carla', which is so sweet."
Carla is currently doing a diploma in business administration from the New South Wales University, UK. She is also taking tuition to learn her national language, Urdu. She understands Pushto, the mother tongue of her father, but cannot speak it. Her daily routine consists of training for five days a week and doing exercises at the gym once in a week. Jogging and swimming are also included in her daily and weekly schedule.
About her future plans she said, "I may not have achieved a lot like my grandpa Azam Khan, who became Pakistan's second British Open champion, but I am certainly making efforts to become the Jahangir Khan (the record ten-time British Open champion) of women's squash in the coming years. My immediate plan is to reach the top 15 by the end of this year." However, she admits that there is an enormous amount of work needed before she can attain that world number one rank.
She outlined a few suggestions for the Pakistan Squash Federation to promote squash among women. "Girls should be encouraged to take up sports at grass root levels. Schools and colleges should provide more facilities. Also, professional sportswomen should spend time going around schools to encourage girls to take up sports. People find it easier to work towards a goal once they see somebody else has also achieved it."
Concluding the chat, Carla had words of wisdom for aspiring Pakistani sportswomen. "With enough hard work, you can achieve your goals. All you need is to believe in yourself." She advised girls to make light exercises a part of their daily routine and maintain an overall healthy lifestyle.
After the Tehran Islamic Games, Carla is coming to Pakistan to help promote squash for women and to get to know the country better.
Latest on Carla
Carla, who was included in the Tehran-bound Pakistani contingent for participation in the 4th Women's Islamic Games, has grabbed a silver medal in the squash event in Tehran.
One-on-one with Carla
Hobbies: Painting, house decorating, reading, hanging out with friends and music.
Favorite colour: Changes according to seasons. At the moment, it is pink
Favorite sports personalities: Boxers Muhammad Ali and Michael Watson. In squash, Thierry Lincoln
Flair for cooking? No way!
Favourite Pakistani dish: Aloo Saag and Ras Malai
Favorite music: Anything by Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Luther Vandross.
Favorite Pakistani music: Bhangra and Phushto music
Favorite Pakistani singer: Rahim Shah
Rahim Shah 
