In loving memory: Journalist, women rights activist Najma Sadeque dies at 72

She had started her career as a journalist in the 70s.

KARACHI: Senior journalist and women rights activist Najma Sadeque passed away on Thursday owing to kidney failure in Karachi. She was 72. She is survived by two children, a daughter and a son.

Sadeque had started her career as a journalist in the 70s. She was one of the seven members of a women group who took upon the initiative for the rights of women. Their endeavour later took the form of a women rights organisation, Shirkat Gah. Sadeque was a founding member of the organisation.

She began her journalistic career by contributing for Dawn and went on to write for a numberof publications, including The Express Tribune.

When General Ziaul Haq had promulgated the Hudood Ordinance, Sadeque was among the women who rose against the law and started a campaign under the umbrella of the Women Action Forum (WAF). She had remarkable command over subjects pertaining to women, environment and economics, and wrote extensively about them.

Sadeque’s funeral prayers will be held on Friday (today) after Juma prayers and she will be laid to rest in the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation graveyard near Qayyumabad.

Condolences

The directors, managers and staff of the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler) expressed grief on the sad demise of Sadeque. A condolence meeting was held by Piler staff on Thursday in which executive director Karamat Ali paid tribute to the late journalist.

Senior managers Zeenat Hissam and Sharafat Ali also praised Sadeque for her contributions to society. They offered condolences to the bereaved family. All staff members observed a two-minute silence for the late activist.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2015.