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By Asma Jahangir

Shahla Zia, more affectionately known as Shelly, was a farsighted human rights defender as well as a fine human being. She had a sharp wit and a compassion that drew people towards her. The last time I met my friend Shelly, somehow I knew I would not see her again. She sat up in bed with difficulty trying to smile. Her voice had gone, yet she managed to greet me and also commented on my hairstyle. That was Shelly. She was always attentive to her friends, but avoided any attention to herself. She remained a selfless fighter for the rights of women.

Throughout my close association with Shelly I never heard her complain or be depressed. Her life was not a bed of roses -- far from it -- but she seemed content. Perhaps she had a faith deeper than those who wear their beliefs on their sleeves. Shahla was god fearing but had little faith in the rituals of religions. On the day she was to be operated she jokingly asked her "believer" friends to pray for her, and the others to hope for her recovery. She was diagnosed with cancer in December 2004, and passed away a few months later, on March 10 this year.

Shelly's parents were exceptional too. Her father was a leftist civil servant who died early. Her mother was the extraordinary Satnam Mahmood, who was born a Sikh and lived all her life in Pakistan. Satnam, better known as Nama, was an outspoken woman and feared no one. Shelly was as dignified as her mother, but more diplomatic, yet firm in her views. In a pleasing way she could stand her ground, with immense courage.

Shahla was one of Pakistan's first practicing women lawyers. She initially worked in the chambers of barrister M. Anwar and then with Dr. Pervaiz Hasan. After the birth of her second child she took a break from professional life. It was during this gap in her practice that I met her; together we were to start a life of activism. Barrister Shahid Rehman encouraged me to team up with her to explore the possibility of starting a law firm. It only took a few moments to convince Shelly.

Four partners, Shahla Zia, Hina Jilani, Gulrukh Rehman and myself set up AGHS Law Associates in Lahore. An all women's law firm was a bit of an amusement for our male colleagues. Some even suggested that we change the name by placing "h" before the "a" and more appropriately call it "hags". Others predicted its early demise or disputes within the partners. Nothing of the sort happened. The firm thrived and the partners bonded over the years. Shahla shifted to Karachi and eventually to Islamabad but her association with AGHS remains even to this day.

In the initial years Shelly was the senior partner and painstakingly taught us all the legal work. I benefited from her immense talent and was influenced by her simplicity. Shelly was also charming and clear-sighted. Had she continued in her law practice she could have been one of the country's most competent lawyers. Her only fault was a complete lack of ambition.

According to her values, too much money was vulgar and display of it unthinkable. She laid great stress on sound education but was sceptical of the elitist form of education. There are, unfortunately, few women who can talk to men on equal terms. Shelly was one of them. Always polite but firm in her views, she could not be daunted by anyone..

The twelfth of February was an important date for all of us in AGHS. It was Shelly's birthday and the day the firm was born. Even more importantly the women's rally denouncing Zia's Islamisation started from AGHS on February 12, 1983. Shelly spent her birthday in the civil lines police station after being heavily baton charged by the police.

When the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan was inaugurated in 1986, Shelly delivered the paper on "religious minorities". It was a sensitive matter but she spoke eloquently about the persecution of religious minorities including Ahmedis. A couple of participants tried to disrupt her speech but she was not intimidated. Beneath that very soft veneer she had a lot of courage. That is because she was a woman of conviction and she could never hurt anyone or witness injustice in silence.

Shelly worked for the Aurat Foundation for many years. The Legislative Reform project had become an obsession for her. She had nothing to gain from it personally, but passionately believed that electing more women to the parliament would empower women generally. At one point, the PPP government was keen to elevate women to the bench. Shelly's name also came up. I tried to convince her to consider it but she firmly turned it down. Shy of any attention, she hated to be in the limelight except when relaxing amongst friends.

Shahla Zia's contribution to the cause of women has been significant. She was one of the first women to study the family laws and identify the inequalities and discriminations. She was the driving force in getting Nasir Aslam Zahid's Women's Commission Report of 1997 completed in time. I would sometimes get irritated at her speed and her high expectation of the report. It was as though our friend was in a hurry to see some advances. Woefully all she witnessed was a sham law on "honour" killings. The loss of Shelly Zia has left a void in the lives of her friends, and in the momentum of the movement for the rights of women.

[Source: http://jang.com.pk/thenews/mar2005-daily/23-03-2005/oped/o4.htm]

[Last updated: 26 March, 2005]