KARACHI: With strong love and affection towards arts and culture since childhood, Maria Soomro daughter of Shams Uddin Soomro was born in Karachi. Maria’s father owns his own business of real estate and and remained President of Oil Tankers Association, Faisalabad while her mother is an government teacher. She has five siblings.
Maria received her education from the National High School, Karachi. She remained extraordinary and meritorious students throughout her studies and clinched top positions. She clinched A1 grade in her matriculation from the Board of Secondary Education Karachi (BSEK) in year 2004. She did her intermediate in Pre-Engineering from the Board of Intermediate Education (BIEK) in year 2006 with flying colours.
Being crazy for management and accountancy, Maria Soomro changed her field and got admission in four years Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance in Liaquat College of Science and Management and completed it in year 2010.
Soon after completing her BBA, Maria Soomro got a government job in the Sindh Bank and worked there for some eight years from OG-3 to OG-1. In the meantime, during her job, Maria also completed her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) in Human Resource Management from Iqra University’s main campus. She also attempted twice in the most competitive examinations called CSS however could not qualify.
In year 2016, Maria arranged her first travelling trip to Tharparkar, Mithi and Nagarparkar whose natural beauty and colours of life admired her a lot.
“I am an avid traveler, mountain lover and adventurer by passion. After years of banking experience, I came to know that I am passionate about and what my calling is. I am traveling since seven years and started with short trips alone or joining a group of random travelers”, Maria Soomro recalled her travelling journey while talking to Sindhnews.
“I believe traveling itself is an experience which is difficult to be described in words. However, solo traveling is a life changing experience which makes you discover who you really are. I write about my travel experiences and stories on my Instagram blog, Facebook blog, Twitter and share videos on YouTube channel known as Maria Soomro. My aim is to encourage and motivate girls, especially Sindhi girls to travel as it is still considered to be a stereotype in Sindhi community and I am a Sindhi so I know how hard it was for me to start traveling.”
Maria adds: “I want to share how I survived in 2020 that changed my life. My story is interesting because I wanted to make it happen as it is. I am blessed million times that universe chooses me to test my limits. Have you ever heard about the privilege of risk? Yes, only the privileged can take risks and only risk is rewarded.
I truly believe in the law of attraction; I have seen it working. I had complete faith in myself and I believe when universe is ready for you to move, it makes your situation uncomfortable or so easy. Same happened with me. I always wanted to fly, I took charge of my dreams and flew to places I have never been to.”
“I hitchhiked all across Pakistan and traveled six months, stayed with locals and spent nights in undiscovered valleys. I have met more than 300 different people from different parts of this country and shared stories, memories and love. I have done Rakaposhi Basecamp, Nanga Parabat Basecamp , Spinkhor Lake Trek, Chukail Banda, Miranjani, Muskpuri, Shipishun, Yazghil Glacier etc.”, she said. She recently arranged trips to Achro Thar which was also largely joined by foreign tourists from Belgium and the United States of America.
Apart from Pakistan, Maria Soomro also hitchhiked in North and South of Turkey in year 2021 for some six months where she explored unexplored valleys and places. She learnt Turkish language while hitchhiking and staying with locals in Turkey.
Presently, Maria Soomro is organizing trips all across Pakistan for foreigners and local people and become travel guide for the international visitors, girls, couples and families. The people can join her tour by contacting her on social media handles where she announces public and private tours. She is going to hitchhike from Turkey to Iran and Iran to Pakistan by land-borders by the end of April 2022.
SOURCE: sindhnews.com.pk
BY AFTAB CHANNA