March, 12 2005	Saturday	1 Safar 1426

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ISLAMABAD, March 11: Chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Benazir Bhutto has condoled the death of Shahla Zia, one of the pioneers of the women rights movement in Pakistan.

Ms Shahla Zia passed away in Islamabad on Thursday morning after a brief illness.

In a message on Friday, Benazir said Shahla Zia was in the forefront of fight for the rights of women and for the repeal of oppressive anti-women laws.

Despite threats by extremist elements for her outspoken and courageous support for the cause of women, she remained undeterred and pursued her mission with a rare singularity of purpose, she said.

Late Shahla belonged to a distinguished family of freedom fighters and she would be remembered in her own right for the rich legacy she left behind. She had the courage of her convictions to resign from the government’s various committees and the Beijing Core Group when the 15th Constitutional Amendment was introduced in parliament in 1998.

Shahla will always be remembered for her immense courage, the PPP chairperson said.