Ali made her television debut with a supporting role in the telenovela Durr-e-Shehwar and later appeared as the titular character in the romantic comedy Aun Zara (2013) and as a veiled Muslimah in the social drama Shanakhat (2014).

[5] Initially, Ali's father disapproved of her joining the film industry and ultimately did not speak to her for eight years, however, they reconciled before his passing in 2016.

[9][10][11] In 2012, Ali made her screen debut with a supporting role as the younger sister of Sanam Baloch's character in Haissam Hussain’s drama Durr-e-Shehwar.

Critic Fatima Awan criticised the drama, finding it to "underestimate the taste and sensibility of viewers" and dismissed Ali's performance.

Writing for Dawn, Abbas Hussain lauded Ali as a "complete natural" and appreciated the improvement made from her previous projects.

[17] She followed this with her portrayal of a possessive sister in Ranjish Hi Sahi, with Fatima Awan praising Ali for her progressively improving performance as the series advanced.

[19][20] However, her second release in the social-drama series Shanakht proved to be a significant advancement in her career; she played Qurratulain, a devout Muslim woman who faces disapproval from her family because of her beliefs.

[24] In 2015, Ali starred in Mehreen Jabbar's romantic drama Mera Naam Yousuf Hai, which was loosely based on the story "Yusof-o Zulaikhā" (یوسف و زلیخا) by Jami in his book, Haft Awrang.

[26] In her final project of the year, she played an estranged granddaughter in Momina Duraid's family drama, based on Farhat Ishtiaq's novel of the same name, Diyar-e-Dil among an ensemble that included Osman Khalid Butt, Abid Ali and Sanam Saeed.

The News International’s Aamna Haider Isani found Ali to "go overboard every now and then" but described it as "refreshing" to watch "a female protagonist who is boisterous and lively and unafraid to speak her mind".

[35] Omair Alavi of Samaa wrote that Ali came as a "breath of fresh air and looks naturally beautiful", however, added that she "needs to work on her dialogue delivery but here it suited her character".

[39][40] Directed by Asim Raza, the romantic comedy Parey Hut Love (2019) opposite Sheheryar Munawar was Ali's second film.

[48] Following a five-year hiatus from television, Ali returned with the romantic drama Pehli Si Muhabbat (2021); it marked her second collaboration with Munawar and fifth with Faiza Iftikhar.

[54][55] Sadaf Haider of Dawn praised her for "showing us what a good actor can achieve if she is given something more than the one-dimensional bholi larkiyan [innocent girls] our dramas are littered with" and appreciated the subtleties she brought to the character.

[60] She will next star in the Shoaib Mansoor-helmed film Aasmaan Bolay Ga, opposite Emmad Irfani and will also be seen in the Netflix Original Series Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait Lo, an adaptation of Farhat Ishtiaq's novel of the same name.