Fahmida Riaz passes away

LAHORE

Fahmida Riaz, poet, human rights activist and prominent voice in feminist struggle in Pakistan, passed away at the age of 72 after a prolonged illness here on Wednesday.

She was a well-known progressive Urdu writer, poet, human rights activist and feminist. She worked with Radio Pakistan and BBC Urdu service (Radio). She was a formidable figure of Pakistani literature, authored over a dozen books on poetry and fiction. She translated the writings of Albanian writer Ismail Kadare and Sufi poetry of Rumi into Urdu. She was dubbed as a ‘pioneer in feminist literature’.

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) mourns the death of distinguished poet, thinker and activist Fahmida Riaz. In a statement issued here on Thursday, the commission hailed Ms Riaz as a human rights defender.