PMAA and FJMU empower women through self-defense training workshop
LAHORE: The Pakistan Martial Arts Association (PMAA), in collaboration with Fatima Jinnah Medical University (FJMU), organised a transformative women’s self-defense workshop at the university campus.
The workshop was co-hosted by the Business Incubation Center JIDAAT under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Taskeen Zahra. The initiative aimed to empower female medical students and young doctors with life-saving defense skills, situational awareness, and the confidence to protect themselves in challenging circumstances.
The event was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Khalid Masood Gondal (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Pride of Performance), Vice Chancellor of FJMU, who commended the collaboration and highlighted the importance of equipping women with practical self-defense knowledge. He praised the Pakistan Martial Arts Association for its consistent national efforts in promoting empowerment, courage, and resilience among women.
Led by Sensei Anwar Mohiuddin, President and Chief Trainer of PMAA, the workshop featured intensive, hands-on sessions covering Krav Maga, Kickboxing, Aikido, and Kyokushin Karate techniques.
The training emphasised realistic defense strategies, including shoulder grab releases, striking techniques, and controlled gun retention and disarmament drills. Participants learned to apply effective and responsible self-defense tactics suited for real-life scenarios, all conducted under strict safety and ethical guidelines.
The sessions were assisted by a skilled team of co-instructors including Sempai Hanzla Mohiuddin, Zainab Sultan, Sumaiyya, and Sarah Yaqoob, who ensured the participants gained both technical mastery and confidence. The young women’s enthusiasm and determination were widely praised by trainers and faculty alike.
A spectacular moment came when Zainab Tariq and Hafsa Fatima volunteered for a daring demonstration, lying still as Sensei Anwar Mohiuddin smashed a heavy stone placed on their stomachs with a sledgehammer, flawlessly breaking it. The act drew loud applause, symbolizing the courage and discipline cultivated through martial arts training.
In his concluding remarks, Sensei Anwar Mohiuddin expressed sincere gratitude to the young organisers Mahnoor Shawal and Amna Tazeen, as well as the FJMU administration for their collaboration and support. He reaffirmed PMAA’s commitment to its National Self-Defense Training Mission, aimed at empowering women across Pakistan.
