Pakistan, July 12 -- As upbeat music echoes through a modest dedicated gym in Thanda Pani, a rural community on the outskirts of Islamabad, a line of young women take turns lifting weights and running on treadmills. It is an image that would have been almost unimaginable in the area just a few years ago.

For decades, gyms in Pakistan were largely perceived as male domains. Today, that perception is steadily changing. From major cities to semi-urban communities, women are increasingly carving out time, not for work, family, or studies, but for themselves.

This shift is backed by data; according to Smartscraper, Islamabad boasted 225 gyms by April 2026, a 7.08 percent increase since 2023, highlighting a skyrocketing demand for fitness fac...