Fahmida Riaz
Pakistan: Fahmida Riaz's daughter turns down presidential award
Islamabad: Protesting against the kidnapping and torture of journalists and writers in the country, poet Fahmida Riaz's daughter has declined the presidential award announced by the Pakistani government for her late mother.
Taking to Facebook, Veerta Ali Ujan, wrote: "Awards section contacting me about ammi's award investiture ceremony. . . .how can I accept an award for her work at this time? It would be an insult to her whole life's struggle for justice and equality."
Ujan also slammed the government over the blasphemy issue.
"Writers and journalists are being kidnapped, tortured, even murdered. Harassers being awarded. Karachi left to rot in sewage. So. No thank you.
"I am refusing the presidential award for my mother's work. I'm sure she would have refused it if she was alive today," she said.
Speaking to Dawn News Images, Ujan says, "If my mother was alive today, she would not wish to be associated with any government award in the current climate of authoritarian intimidation of publications, writers and journalists. She would be crying over the state of Karachi and angry at the way blasphemy cases are being used as a blunt instrument to divide society."
She said in case the government wishes to award her then it should refrain from rewarding and encouraging injustice, exploitation, and misogyny.
She continues, "If anyone doubts this, they can read her poetry and prose. If the government wishes to award her, it should refrain from rewarding and encouraging injustice, exploitation, and misogyny."
Fahmida Riaz is considered as one of the leading Urdu poets of her time.
She died in 2018 at age 72.
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