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1. 22/3/5 - Dawn: Tribute paid to activist of women's rights [local copy]
2. 22/3/5 - The News: Shahla Zia remembered [local copy]
3. 22/3/5 - Daily Times: Aurat Foundation memorial for Shahla Zia: Human Rights activists recount their experiences with Shelly [local copy]

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By Our Staff Reporter

KARACHI, 21: Speakers at a meeting on Monday said that the best way to pay tributes to the services of the late Shahla Zia, a leading women rights activist, was to carry forward her mission.

The cause of protecting women's right had always remained near to her heart, they noted.

The meeting was organized by an NGO working for women's rights, the Aurat Foundation. A 10-minute film highlighting the role of Shahla Zia, who died a few days back, in the struggle for women's rights, was also screened.

Justice (r) Sabihuddin Ahmad, Justice (r) Nasir Aslam Zahid, Anis Haroon, Kunwar Khalid Yunus, Iqbal Haider, Zubaida Mustafa, Arif Hassan, Kaiser Bengali, Dr Shershah Syed, Sheen Farrukh and Nuzhat Kidwai were among those who spoke on the occasion.

Ms Zia was not at all a 'drawing room activist', but her crusade was stretched over a quarter of a century during which she always remained in the forefront, taking part in every event organized in protest against the laws discriminatory against women.

Her active role in the struggle had led to her detention repeatedly. She had also been subjected to brutal treatment by the law-enforcement agencies many a times, according to the speakers.

They pointed out that Shahla Zia had carried out an enormous amount of research on women's rights. Her work would continue to provide guidance to fellow activists in their course of the struggle, they added.

They said that the late activist had lobbied with parliamentarians and provided them with critical analyses of various discriminatory laws enacted and implemented during Gen Zia's era only to affect the weaker sections of society, mainly women.

Highlighting her commitment with the cause, they acknowledged her sincerity and honesty, recalling that she would quit many committees set up by government whenever she felt that the government's views and moves were in conflict with the interest of women or other aggrieved people.

The speakers made mention of the late activist's remarkable contribution towards the preparation of the reports produced and put forward by government bodies and NGOs on women's issues.

In this context, they particularly referred to Ms Zia's significant contribution to the report on the status of women which was prepared by Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid.

The report had stressed on a review of various laws found discriminatory towards women and other weaker sections of the society. Apart from women's issues, she had also moved the Supreme Court against Wapda's plan to install a grid station within a residential area.

The apex court had restrained Wapda from pursuing the plan and the verdict had repeatedly been quoted in various courts of other countries. The speakers said that Ms Zia, along with a few other women colleagues, had established, probably the first of its kind, an all-women law firm in Lahore.

She appeared always ready to move against gender bias, they said. Ms Zia has written various books and reports, besides extending her assistance in preparing drafts of amendments to certain discriminatory laws.

[Source: http://www.dawn.com/2005/03/22/local11.htm]

By Farhat Anis

KARACHI: The pin drop silence and soggy eyes of people while looking at glimpses of Late Shahla Zia proved how precious she was to her friends and colleagues. A large number of activists, social workers, reformers, lawyers, educationists, politicians, parliamentarians and journalists gathered at the jam-packed hall of Sidco Center, Karachi to pay a tribute to the great human right’s activist and the joint executive director of the Aurat Foundation She had a brief battle with renal cancer for a short period and died in Islamabad at the age of 58 on March 10.

‘A Celebration of Shahla Zia’s Life and Spirit’ was organised by the Aurat Foundation and Anis Haroon, Resident Director, Karachi said that "we believe in celebrating the contributions of great people like Shahla instead of mourning. Shelly (as she was called by friends and family) was a fighter and an excellent human being which brought excellence to her work."

"Her background of having a political activist father and an educationist mother (Satnam Mehmood) led her to fight for deprived humanity. Moreover, her greatest contribution is her research and legislative writing, which helped people fighting for the cause of legal rights of women," added Anis.

Being a lawyer, Shahla’s contribution is in the form of books, reports and documents that is an asset for the organisations working for the cause of human rights and legislation of various laws having lacunae.

"Shahla was the brain behind the idea of having a National Commission on the Status of Women," said Justice (r) Aslam Nasir Zahid. He praised her contributions to the preparation of a report for an enquiry commission headed by Justice (r) Aslam Nasir Zahid, that drew attention to women’s legal and human rights. The report is recognised as the best reference book about the status of women and their rights.

Arif Hasan highlighted the optimism that Shahla carried in her person by saying that "I never saw her complaining and crying over problems. Infact, she always used to admire the change that we have in our society and urged to strengthen it more to derive a positive result. She was a role model and there is a dire need of promoting role models in our country."

"Shelly institutionalised her struggle instead of personalising it, however, she could have achieved a lot as a lawyer and specially the kind of brain and intelligence that was God gifted to her," said Iqbal Haider, former Senator and law minister while reminiscing Shahla’s contributions.

Dr Sher Shah recalled her case on environment, which became a role model for many environmentalists. Shahla fought a case against the installation of a high-powered grid station in Islamabad and filed a suit against the concerned party and won the case through Supreme Court. There was a consensus amongst all those present on the occasion that Shelly has died but her spirit would live and the struggle that she started would continue.

Others who spoke on the occasion were Kunwar Khalid Younus, Sheen Farrukh, Justice Sabihuddin, Kaiser Bengali, Mehnaz Rehman, Nuzhat Kidvai and Zubaida Mustafa.

[Source: http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/mar2005-daily/22-03-2005/metro/k4.htm]

By Waqar Gillani

LAHORE: Aurat Foundation (AF) held a ceremony on Monday to remember the late Shahla Zia, the untiring human rights lawyer who worked for the rights of women but is known for her 1994 Supreme Court victory that banned high tension electricity wiring from passing through residential areas.
Prominent activists expressed their sentiments about Shahla’s death and recounted their memories of Shelly, as she was known by friends and family. The commemoration titled ‘A celebration of Shahla Zia: life and spirit’ was arranged at Ambassador Hotel on Monday.

Shahla was a joint executive director at AF. Following an illness, she passed away in Islamabad on March 10 at the age of 58.

The gloom was strongly felt as pictures of her flicked past on a projector screen while speakers addressed the gathering. "Shahla lives. We can see it in all those whose life touched hers, only to be enriched by the experience. We can see it in all those she loved and who will continue to cherish their unique relationships with her. It has been a privilege to know her," Samina Rehman read out from Nigar Ahmed’s eulogy.
"Shelly refused to take an award for her contribution in the fight for human rights and instead asked the award to be given to AF," said Nigar Ahmed.
"Shelly’s death is a big loss for me as a friend," said Hina Jillani. "She was one of the most trustworthy people I have had the honour of knowing. She fulfilled every expectation one could expect in a relationship of trust."

Jillani said that Shahla contributed an intellectual input to the struggle for an equal civil society. "Shelly was a great lawyer," she said. Farida Hasan, the headmistress of junior school in Aitchison College Lahore, had tears in her eyes and could not say beyond, "I don’t know what to say."
Asma Jahangir said, "Shelly sacrificed a large part of her professional life for her family, knowingly and willingly. She was an extraordinary lawyer and human being and a loving character."

A pamphlet printed to commemorate Shahla as ‘Smiling Honest Aspiring Humane Loyal Alive (SHAHLA)’ included messages by several activists.
"She gave herself unsparingly to people who needed her. She was available and was always dependable. Her ready wit, generosity and comradeship lifted everyone’s spirit and created hope. She was always up for a good fight if the cause was right and her opinions were honest and principled. Losing Shelly is a loss more than one can bear," said Samina Rehman’s message.
Farida Shaheed in her message said, "Shelly inspired people and taught them without resenting herself as a teacher, and without ever belittling the people she worked with. She was a fighter, one who left no scars, and this is an even bigger achievement. In our sorrow we also need to celebrate Shelly’s life and spirit and continue her struggle in the way she would have wanted us to do."

The memorial was also addressed by Kauser Sheikh, Tahira Mazhar Ali Khan, IA Rehman and Naeem Shakir. Among those of her friends who attended were Khawar Mumtaz, Fareeda Shaheed, Neelam Hussain and Najam Sethi.

[Source: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_22-3-2005_pg7_25]

[Last updated: 26 March, 2005]