Tahira Abdullah

Dili mubarakbaad to the AF team on commemorating Aurat Foundation’s 40th anniversary in 2026.
The pioneering vision, dedicated mission and passionate commitment of Nigar Ahmad and Shahla Zia – together with the superb contribution of Shehnaz Ahmad and the initial iconic AF team – carved out a unique countrywide niche for AF in Pakistani women’s relentless unending struggle for gender equality, gender justice, human rights, rule of law and access to justice for all genders, classes, ethnicities, minorities, PLWDs, deprived marginalized communities; for the right to life free of all forms of GBV; for democracy and political participation of all women; for an end to hunger, poverty, unemployment, unremunerated labour, ill-health, illiteracy; for the right to become empowered agents of change for environmentally sustainable socio-economic development; for freedom of artistic, cultural, literary expression; and, most important, for living up to, and upholding, feminist principles in all the above goals.

We continue to follow in their inspiring illustrious footsteps, and, irrespective of how difficult the current challenges are, we strive to live up to our AF comrade Mumtaz Begum’s immortal verses: “Darya ki qasam, maujon ki qasam, Yeh taana-baana badlayga.” And this I firmly believe: we SHALL overcome – some day…

Tahira Abdullah, proud to be among Nigar and Shahla’s initial Friends of AF since Day One – both forever with us in spirit…