Fahmida Riaz

Overview

Fahmida Riaz born Meerut, British India July 28, 1946. Pakistani poet and feminist. Persecuted and exiled by military regime, 1981-88. Founded Women and Development Association WADA (“A Promise”), working for peace and women’s rights, 1994. Promoted friendship with India.

Quotations

So it turned out you are just like us!
Where were you hiding all this time, buddy?
That stupidity, that ignorance
we wallowed in for a century—
look, it arrived at your shores too!
Many congratulations to you!
Raising the flag of religion,
. . .
I used to wonder with such deep sorrow.
And now, I laugh at the idea:
it turned out you were just like us!
We weren’t two nations after all!

(“We Are Just Like You!”, Shabana Mir translation; photo Youtube)