It has been a decade since we lost Sabeen Mahmud to a targeted attack in Karachi and since we lost Shayan “Poppy” Afzal Khan to cancer. It is also 20 years since the pioneering environmental journalist Saneeya Hussain died in Brazil. Their peacemongering legacies live on.
Personal Political
Beena Sarwar / Sapan News
On 24 April 2015, a valiant crusader for peace, social justice, creativity and human dignity was killed in Karachi. That tragedy ten years ago deprived a mother of her only child, and many of us of a dear friend.
Social entrepreneur Sabeen Mahmud, 40, was driving home with her mother Mahenaz next to her. A motorcyclist approached while they were stopped at a red light, and shot Sabeen at point blank range. She died on the spot.
Sabeen. Photo by Zaheer Alam Kidvai. 
Mahenaz at Creative Karachi Festival 2016: Sabeen would hate for any of us to give up. Photo: Beena Sarwar 
A poster with Sabeen’s photo at Creative Karachi Festival, 2016, Alliance Francaise. Photo: Beena Sarwar 
Pakistan: Countrywide demonstrations for Sabeen, 2015 
Protest for Sabeen in Delhi, 2015. File photo
I had known Sabeen since she was a teenager. We were comrades together in several peace initiatives – part of a large, cross-border tribe of ‘peacemongers’ as I call our community.
Continue readingFiled under: Art and activism, Balochistan, Pakistan-India, Southasia, Terrorism, Violence in the name of religion | Tagged: Activism, Brazil, democracy, environmental jouranlism, Human rights, India, Indus Water Treaty, Joy of Urdu, karachi, kathmandu, Khaas art gallery, kuch khaas, Mouse Afzal Khan Zishan, Pakistan, Poppy Afzal Khan, Sabeen, sabeen mahmud, saneeya hussain, Sao Palo, T2F | Leave a comment »
Journeys to democracy 