Lalarukh Hussain died of brain hemorrhage on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 in Los Angeles. She was “Lali” for those close to her. No one who met her can forget the eversmiling fresh face of hers.
She joined the left-wing National Students Federation in the late 1960s and participated in the movement against Gen. Ayub Khan’s military dictatorship. She was a high quality journalist and worked for several newspapers and magazines of Pakistan. In her journalistic career she became editor of a couple of magazines. She earned her degree in journalism from the University of Karachi in 1972.
She was active member of Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) and PFUJ. During the military dictatorship of Gen. Ziaul Haq in 1978 she was in the forefront of the historic movement of journalists for press freedom spearheaded by PFUJ. She joined the hunger strike. She, in a brave manner, courted arrest with her one year old child.
She participated in the struggle of factory workers, teachers and women for their rights. Her life will always inspire those who fight against dictatorship and tyranny for the peoples’ rights, justice and democracy.