Though WAF was born as a result of Zia’s Islamisation, it has evolved to meet different needs and challenges over the years. When rape incidents increased, WAF took up the issue and thus WAR (War against Rape) was born. When ethnic violence erupted in Karachi in the mid ’90s, WAF gave a face to all the killings being reported.

We contacted families who had lost their near and dear ones; this was the first time that we were working directly with the victims. For me this was a huge learning experience.

We worked with women from a low socio-economic background and impacted their lives in a very positive way. Holding hands in their troubled times gave them courage to question the danger their sons had been put into and they formed a group, Mazloom Aurat Ki Awaz (MAKA).

Accompanying these families to courts, jails and helping them overcome their financial crisis due to the loss or arrest of their breadwinner took much of our time. Later some of them took part in the local body elections and became councillors; WAF’s values and ethics left a mark on their lives and the message they got was that there is strength in togetherness.