Muniba Mazari

Muniba Mazari Baloch is a Pakistani activist, artist, and motivational speaker who has achieved international recognition across several fields. She serves as a model and singer while also working as an anchor. Her influence extends globally through her work with various humanitarian organizations.

Early life and education

Muniba Mazari Baloch was born on 3 March 1987, in Rahim Yar Khan, which is located in southern Punjab. She belongs to the Baloch Mazari tribe. During her youth, she attended the Army Public School to receive her education. She later moved to her native hometown to attend college for a BFA.

Life changed significantly when she was 18 years old. She married at that age before she could complete her academic studies.

Career

Mazari builds much of her professional life around painting and motivational speaking. She began her artistic journey while she remained bed-ridden in a hospital. Using acrylics on canvas, she established her own art brand named Muniba's Canvas. Her slogan for this venture is Let Your Walls Wear Colours.

She has presented her work at various exhibitions. In 2016, she held a six-day exhibition at Collectors Galleria in Lahore from 19 April to 24 April. This specific event displayed 27 acrylic paintings. Her first international exhibition took place in Dubai at the Pakistan Association Dubai. This show was titled And I Choose To Live and was inaugurated by Moazzam Ahmad Khan, the Pakistani ambassador to the UAE.

Her professional versatility includes roles as a model and an anchor. She worked for Areeb Azhar to manage a Facebook page for monthly wages. Later, she joined a startup project called Dheeray Bolo, where she taught Urdu at different schools. After her TED talk gained attention, Mohammad Malick, the managing director of Pakistan Television, invited her to work at PTV. In September 2014, she worked with Clown Town to engage with children and the elderly.

The fashion and beauty industries have also recognized her talents. Pond's selected her as the Pond's Miracle Woman. Additionally, the international salon Toni & Guy chose her to be the first wheelchair-using model in Asia. She participated in their Women of Substance campaign.

Personal life

A major turning point occurred on 27 February 2008, when Mazari and her husband were traveling from Quetta to Rahim Yar Khan. Their car was involved in a crash that caused severe physical trauma. She sustained broken bones in her shoulder blade, collarbone, rib-cage, and both the radius and ulna of her arm. The spinal injury resulted in paralysis of her entire lower body.

Medical care began at a nearby hospital that lacked the equipment for such severe cases. She was eventually transferred to the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi. After undergoing surgery, she remained bed-ridden for 2 years. She eventually used physiotherapy to regain enough mobility to use a wheelchair.

Following her medical treatment, Mazari moved to Rawalpindi. In 2011, she adopted her son, Niele.

Awards and recognition

Mazari has received several prestigious honors throughout her life. The BBC named her one of the 100 Inspirational Women in 2015. She also became the first Pakistani UN GoodWill Ambassador for UN Women. In 2016, she was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

Her humanitarian efforts earned her further distinction. She was recognized among the 500 most influential Muslims in the world. In 2017, she received the Karic Brothers Award in Belgrade, Serbia. The Karic Foundation presented this award to her for her humanitarian services.