ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) on Friday announced the completion of its contract with Stephen Constantine, a seasoned football coach with extensive international experience and head coach of the Pakistan Men’s Football Team.
Appointed by the PFF Normalization Committee as head coach in September last year, Constantine led Pakistan to a historic milestone with its first-ever victory in the first round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers, securing a 1-0 win over Cambodia at Islamabad’s Jinnah Stadium.
“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the PFF for entrusting me with the incredible opportunity to lead the Pakistan national team through some of its most historic achievements,” Constantine said.
“The unforgettable scenes at Jinnah Sports Stadium on October 17, 2023, when our 1-0 victory over Cambodia secured Pakistan’s first-ever qualification for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, will forever be etched in memory.”
The veteran football coach also paid tribute to his staff, calling them “phenomenal.” He noted that few would ever understand the level of commitment and sacrifice they poured into the journey, commending their dedication.
“To the players, you achieved something unparalleled for Pakistan football, and you did it with heart and style,” he added. “You made history, and you reignited hope for 250 million people who believe in Pakistan football once more.”
Constantine has managed national teams across multiple continents, including Nepal, India, Malawi, Sudan, and Rwanda. His notable achievements include leading India to its highest FIFA ranking in 2017. Although he may not be widely recognized in mainstream football circles, his contributions to developing football in emerging nations have earned him respect within the global coaching community.
Haroon Malik, chairman of the PFF Normalization Committee, said the Pakistani football community would forever remember the World Cup qualifier match victory achieved after the players were trained by Constantine. Malik remarked that the international coach’s invaluable contributions to Pakistani football had left an indelible mark in history.
Pakistan Football Federation announces contract completion with coach Stephen Constantine
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Pakistan Football Federation announces contract completion with coach Stephen Constantine
- Constantine led Pakistan to its first-ever victory in the first round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers
- The seasoned football coach’s achievements include leading India to its highest FIFA ranking in 2017
Pakistan’s Mahnoor Omer named among TIME’s ‘Women of the Year’ for 2026
- Omer moved a Pakistani court against the so-called ‘period tax’ in Sept. 2025 which has since sparked a national debate
- Taxes on sanitary pads in Pakistan can add up to 40 percent to retail price, UNICEF says only around 12 percent women use such products
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani women’s rights activist Mahnoor Omer, who fought against taxes on menstrual products, has been named among the TIME magazine’s ‘Women of the Year’ for 2026.
Omer’s efforts have been recognized alongside 16 activists, artists, athletes and businesswomen in the TIME’s Women of the Year 2026 list, including Olympic gold medalist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Chloe Zhao.
Dissatisfied with the efforts to educate Pakistani girls about sexual violence, Omer founded the Noor Foundation at the age of 14 and held her own workshops with village girls about everything from climate change to menstruation, according to the TIME magazine.
Two years later, a conversation with a domestic worker about the price of pads made her realize that not everyone could afford these essentials. She moved a court against the so-called “period tax” in Sept. 2025 and the case has sparked a national debate on the subject, considered a taboo by many in Pakistan, since its first hearing late last year.
“A decade and one law degree after her interest in activism was sparked, Omer, now 25, is putting her passion and expertise to work in the name of gender equity,” TIME wrote about Omer on its website.
Taxes imposed on sanitary products in Pakistan can add up to 40 percent to the retail price. UNICEF estimates just 12 percent of women in the country use commercially produced pads or tampons. The alternative, using cloth, risks health impacts including rashes and infections, and can make it impossible for girls to attend school while menstruating.
Omer’s suit, which awaits the government response, has sparked a national discussion. She says she spoke about menstruation to her father and male cousins, who thanked her for standing up for their daughters.
The 25-year-old, who is currently enrolled in a master’s degree in gender, peace, and security at the London School of Economics, sees this case as just the first of many.
“I’m not free until every woman is free,” she was quoted as saying by TIME. “I want to leave no stones unturned in terms of what I can do with the next few decades, as a lawyer for the women in my country and gender minorities in general.”
