Twitter lauds ‘Referee’ Canadian High Commissioner in girls’ ice hockey match in Hunza

Several pictures and videos of an ice hockey match played by young girls in Hunza’s Altit are circulating on Twitter and one thing that caught most Twitterati’s attention was Canadian High Commissioner Wendy Gilmour refereeing the match. The pictures have led to praise for the Canadian diplomat for encouraging winter sports in Pakistan and advocating for female athletes.

Pamir Times, a community news portal of Gilgit and the surrounding mountain areas, shared pictures and videos of the ice hockey match on Twitter, making note of the high commissioner refereeing the match.

Canadian High Commissioner in Islamabad Wendy Gilmour acted as a referee in Ice Hockey match being played between girls teams in Altit, Hunza. #wintersport #Canada #Pakistan #GilgitBaltistan #Hunza #IceHockey pic.twitter.com/Gdhm8TO5lc

— PAMIR TIMES ® (@pamirtimes) January 15, 2022

Taking to Twitter, Gilmore called it “an amazing match”. She congratulated Altit’s Sports Club And Rising Federation for organising the fourth Winterlude festival. Addressing the young players from Hunza and Chitral she said “my colleagues and I had a blast!”

What an amazing match – my congratulations to Altit’s #SCARF for organizing the 4th #Winterlude festival, and to the young players from Hunza and Chitral – my @CanHCPakistan colleagues and I had a blast!#girlsinsport @NHLNetwork @DonnyHockeyNY #womenhockey https://t.co/FB2NsufvFb

— Wendy Gilmour (@gilmour_wendy) January 16, 2022

Pakistani Twitter was flooding the post with love and praise. They were thankful to the High Commisioner for coming and promoting winter sports, especially for girls.

Wendy, thnx for making time to attend this event & for ur encouragement to that community. Love from Vancouver BC 🇨🇦

— ABBAs kd (@GlobeTrekker787) January 15, 2022

This is just amazing to see & makes me proud of my two homelands as a Pakistani- Canadian ! Thank you Hon Ambassador Wendy Gilmour 🙏🏼 for your leadership

— Osman Randhawa (@OsmanRandhawa) January 15, 2022

The High Commissioner Canada,s role in promotion of ice hockey, skating in Hunza will be remembered for long,she is the pioneer in encouraging our female in this field.

— gulbaig (@gulbaig1) January 15, 2022

Thank you Excellence @gilmour_wendy thank you for your encouragement.

— Hafeez zoqi (@HZoqi) January 15, 2022

We are so privileged to have you, @gilmour_wendy . The way you have rooted yourself in Pakistan’s society and culture is praiseworthy.

— Fyezah Jehan 👩🏻‍💻🇵🇰 (@FyezahJehan) January 16, 2022

some filmmaker is missing out not making a documentary on this. go girls! https://t.co/d3kUMvg9kZ

— HawkesBay (Løuche) (@HawkesBay) January 16, 2022

As per Radio Pakistan, Gilgit Baltistan Minister for Tourism and Culture Raja Nasir Ali Khan, while addressing the inaugural ceremony of ice hockey and ice skating competitions in Hunza, had said the government is focusing on promoting winter sports in the area.

The minister assured that strenuous efforts are being made for the inclusion of Hunza ice hockey teams in international competitions.