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How did you get interested in scuba diving?

Rosheen Khan: It all happened in 2003 when I was working as an office assistant at the Karachi Scuba Diving Centre (KSDC). One day, I was watching a group of university students who were collecting samples of marine life for their research. I saw how excited they were as they dived in and out of the water. I felt curious and asked the instructor, Yousuf Ali if I could dive in too. He was stunned at my unusual request because coming from a rather conservative background, I had no prior experience of diving or swimming, and scuba diving is not a sport, which is commonly accessible to the masses. However, Ali was quite encouraging as he taught me the basic diving techniques. In no time, I was all geared up to roll back from the boat into the sea.

What did it feel like to see the world under water for the very first time?

RK: The moment I dived into the water, I was slightly disoriented, but then I followed the anchor line and witnessed the most stunning creations of nature 60 feet below the surface. To be honest, it was a life-altering moment for me. I cannot really put it in words; as I experienced the beautiful fauna and flora around me, I knew this was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

What inspired you to become a scuba diving instructor in particular?

RK: After my first diving experience, scuba instructor, Yousuf Ali urged that I should learn swimming. I was a slow learner so it took me a while before I actually started enjoying my swimming lessons. During that time, I was amazed to learn that there were no female scuba diving instructors in Pakistan. I thought, I should pursue this as a career and with the grace of Allah, here I am today doing what I love the most.

Tell us a bit about your scuba diving training years.

RK: I started my scuba diving education in 2004. In 2009, I became the first Pakistani female to undergo scuba diving training in Thailand by acquiring nine specialty courses certified by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) and became a Master Scuba Diving Trainer. I came back to Pakistan and became a diving instructor at KSDC. In 2013, I went to Thailand again to acquire a certification for Staff IDC (Instructor Development Course).

Did you face any hurdles pursuing a career that is not so commonly opted by Pakistani women?

RK: It took a while before people started accepting the idea of having a female scuba diving instructor in Pakistan. Initially, a few groups of enthusiasts even refused to have a female instructor; it was disheartening, of course, but it was these challenges that kept me motivated and strong as well. On the other hand, there were many others who appreciated me immensely, especially the foreign enthusiasts. So, it has been an interesting journey overall.

Share any significant highlights of your scuba diving career.

RK: A few years ago, we were exploring the deep offshore waters near Hawksbay beach when we discovered a Pakistani naval war ship ‘Khaibar’, which sank during the 1971 attack (also known as Operation Trident) by the Indian Navy. We were lucky to discover the long forgotten ship; I was stunned to see the gigantic propeller of Khaibar and wanted to explore it more, but the water was so deep that we could not stay under the water for too long. To this day, I have never experienced anything as colossal as Khaibar under water and I definitely consider it as one of the most significant moments of my career.

Do you feel scuba diving can be a great addition to Pakistan’s tourism industry?

RK: With such a great coastline in Pakistan, we can surely have an enormous tourism and recreational industry that can create a positive image of Pakistan globally. There is so much to explore, which will not only raise revenue, but also help the economy, while evolving our tourism sector greatly. I hope to see a Tourist City on Pakistan’s coastline, which can be a major development for scuba diving as a sport as well in our region.

How was your experience of associating with HBL, the largest bank of Pakistan?

RK: HBL is known to support individuals in enabling their dreams and I am so glad that the Bank recognized my efforts as a female scuba diver. It was an overwhelming experience to say the least and I feel proud to be associated with the HBL family. HBL is not just telling my story - it is giving Pakistan’s image a big boost by clearing up the many myths and misconceptions about scuba diving as a sport. I feel that through this campaign the youth of Pakistan will get inspired to never give up on their dreams, because nothing is impossible with a positive mindset.

Any advice for the youth of Pakistan?

RK: It is good to dream so learn to follow your dreams and do everything in your power to turn your dreams into reality. You can achieve anything you want with perseverance and determination. If I can be where I am today, so can you!

Having experienced the depths of Pakistani as well as international waters, you are the only Pakistani scuba diver whose name has appeared in the ‘Diving Book of Records’, besides receiving numerous accolades, so what is next for Rosheen Khan?

RK: It is my dream to build a vocational training resort for scuba enthusiasts in Pakistan. Though I have dived in waters around the world, but I can safely say that nothing comes close to the beauty and richness of the Pakistani waters. I hope that the world will get to know about the huge treasure that we have at home in the form of our unexplored coastal areas in the years to come.