Oct 31, V7N-Attiq Ur Rehman, a 21-year-old from a coastal community near Karachi, Pakistan, is pursuing his passion for surfing despite the challenges of limited resources and family expectations. Rehman dreams of becoming Pakistan's first professional surfer, even as his father urges him to follow a more stable path in fishing to support their family of ten. Born into a fishing community, Rehman discovered surfing at the age of nine and has since founded a group known as "Surfers of Bulleji," which has grown to around 50 members, including youth as young as eight. Their enthusiasm has captured attention on social media, unusual in a country where cricket and hockey are dominant sports.
Surfing in Pakistan comes with unique obstacles. Unlike the world-renowned surfing destinations of Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Pakistan's 1,000-km coastline generally lacks ideal waves, relying on unpredictable wind-driven conditions or occasional cyclone swells. Yet Rehman and his friends take every opportunity to ride these waves, even during rough weather advisories. They admire international surfing stars like Kelly Slater and aspire to emulate his level of skill and success.
The lack of equipment presents a constant challenge, as surfboards are scarce in Pakistan. The group currently shares around 25 boards and sometimes salvages discarded boards from junk containers imported into Pakistan, repairing them with materials like glue and resin. Rehman and his friends are so dedicated to their craft that they even fashion makeshift boards from foam found at sea. Local shopkeepers have begun to keep such useful materials on hold for them, recognizing the surfers’ growing community.
While Pakistan is not yet recognized by the International Surfing Association, Rehman’s "Surfers of Bulleji" group remains committed, braving the waves and holding onto dreams of making a mark on the global surfing scene.
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