KARACHI: Pakistan’s premier club Balochistan United (BU) Women FC will collaborate with Maldives’ Sun Resorts and Hotel Football Team on a player exchange programme, which will feature players from both countries in the national leagues in Pakistan and Maldives every year, announced BU manager Raheela Zarmeen.
While national captain Hajrah Khan became the first female footballer from the country last year to sign a contract with a foreign club, her teammate and key striker for the national side, Shahlyla Baloch, also joined the Sun Resorts and Hotels squad for the upcoming season in Maldives.
“This will be a great platform for our players,” Zarmeen told The Express Tribune from Maldives. “This will certainly open many opportunities for us in the international football arena.”
Zarmeen added that the collaboration will assist in the development of football in Pakistan as the Maldivian players will come to the country, bringing along the expertise and valuable experience in playing in the top flight of the Maldives.
“We’ll be hosting the Maldivian players too with this initiative,” said Zarmeen. “We are planning to do this every year to further develop football in Pakistan. The Maldives players will come to play for BU, like Hajrah and Shahlyla are playing for Sun Resorts and Hotels in Maldives.”
The two Pakistani players will be the part of the squad of the Maldives Women Football League title holders.
Zarmeen also added that Sun Resorts and Hotels FT have signed two players from Germany and added that both Hajrah and Shahlyla will get the opportunity to play with the European players.
Last year, Maldives striker Areesha Riza came to Pakistan to compete at the National Women Championship with the Baloch club.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 24th, 2015.
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