India-born Pak writer Fahmida passes away

Lahore, November 22

Noted Pakistani progressive Urdu writer, poet and rights activist Fahmida Riaz, who spent nearly seven years in exile in India, has died in Lahore following a prolonged illness. She was 73.

Born in 1945 in a literary family of Meerut, her family settled in Pakistan’s Hyderabad following her father’s transfer to Sindh province.

She was hailed by many as a pioneer in feminist literature. She authored more than 15 books on fiction and poetry. Her first literary work ‘Pather Ki Zuban’ was published in 1967. Her collection of poetry includes ‘Dhoop’, ‘Pura Chand’, ‘Admi Ki Zindagi’ and more. Her novels include ‘Zinda Bahar’, ‘Godaavari’ and ‘Karachi’. She was famous for her revolutionary and contrary to tradition poetry. For her second collection of verse, ‘Badan Dareeda’, published in 1973, she was accused of using erotic and sensual expressions in her poetry. 

The liberal and politically charged content of ‘Awaz’ grabbed the attention of the regime of military dictator General Zia-ul Haq in the early 1980s and both Fahmida and her husband Zafar were charged with various cases. The magazine was shut and Zafar was imprisoned.

Fahmida was faced with challenges due to her political ideology. More than 10 cases were filed against her during Zia’s dictatorship. She was charged with sedition. Fahmida and her husband were arrested. Her fans bailed her out. Soon after her release on bail, she fled to India with her two small children and sister on the excuse of a mushaira invitation.

Her friend, renowned poet Amrita Pritam, spoke to the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, which got her asylum.Her children went to school in India. She had relatives in India and her husband later joined her there after his release from jail. During her exile, Fahmida had been poet in residence for Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi and it is during this period that she learnt to read Hindi. — PTI