Zeshan Shahzad was born in a
lower middle class family on May 02, 1980 in Nawabpur district Multan, Punjab,
Pakistan. When he grew up, he started understanding society and its prevailing
injustices with weaker sections of society such as poor peasants, laborers,
workers especially women and Non-Muslims. He is a strong believer of people
freedom of rights, democratic values and social values. He is fighting for
people’s rights from 20 years.
He
started his work against the tragedy of Nawabpur (SANIH NAWABPUR) that violate the women rights and respect,
this young man raise his voice against this tragedy. It
was soul stirring Nawabpur tragedy that eclipsed the poise and harmony of this
land. It also caused the conscientious of this young man to brood on the dreadful
state of affairs, as concerning the future of the women folk over here. This young man later on formed an
organization, with the main aim of rebuilding confidence among women, restoring
dying values and diminishing male chauvinism and feudal mind set in the area
from his school life. After this he
started struggle to fight against social injustices especially
discrimination with women and religious minorities.
He
started his work for some Hindu families of Nawabpur that were deprived from
right, he mobilize to population for the rights of these few families that were
facing many difficulties in this area and provide them protection and
livelihood opportunities and also support a hindu women Balqees as councilor of
Union council Nawabpur she elected and started work for minorities.
He worked hard for totally
ignorant populations for their identification and rights, no Identity cards, no
education no home and without basics of life. He becomes their leader and refuses
for regular life luxuries like others. He stays with them and spends time with
them to understand what causes and reasons are existing to make them satisfy
this brutal and vicious life. He spent time with them, making movies of them
for highlighting their issues and trying to deliver his knowledge. He started
work for the CNIC and voter registration of thousand families of four union
councils of Bosan Town almost he provided this facility to five to eight
thousand families.
He started mobilization of
youth and formed 300 youth groups in these union councils and after that capacitates
to these youth groups and facilitate for the registration. Now almost 70 to 100
groups have got registration because of his efforts. Now youth is playing
active role for the development of the area under the leadership of
zeshan.
In 1992 when this area hit by
one of the most devastating flood, he started work for flood affected
communities and provide rescue without threat of his life. He work with army
and provide protection to vulnerable families. He
provided overhead illuminations in the streets, conducted medical camps, Camps
education and teach to children as teacher in the flooded areas and did a lot
for the benefit of the deprived people of the marginalized areas of the milieu.
The thematic focus of the organization clearly reflects the thinking of
its founding father i.e. Zeshan Shahzad.
He
also played an important role in highlighting the issues of landless farmers, tenants,
peasants and women. He supported a lot to movement of landless farmers of Basti
Ambwala and Binda Sandeela in getting land rights. He formed their groups and
organized them to fight for their rights. That struggle today has become a
movement of the area. The government has now engaged with the peasants to
fulfill their demands. It will get success very soon.
He
also worked hard for the development of some gipsy families for their right of
shelter and other fundamental rights. These families of (Bast Moroon wali)
were living even without drinking water after his struggle now it is a model
village with their own shelters, school, livelihood opportunities, and drinking
water.
His
effort for organizing Pakistan Social Forum in Nawabpur Multan is another good
job. He organized to Multan civil society for this event and completed many tasks.
He
also formed a network of south Punjab NGO’s (SPNA) for Right leadership from
local area by local people for local community. He has complete departments of
R & D (Research and Development), marketing, and setup for model testing
and standard systems for operations of these organizations.
He
performed a prominent role in 2010 moon soon flood for flood affected
communities of Multan, he provided them health and education facilities, food
items, non food item, tents, protection and 250 permanent shelters to
vulnerable communities in four union councils of Bosan Town Multan.
He
also completed many projects on the platform of DASE, health, education, social
harmony, human rights, community physical infrastructure, peace and human
security, livelihood enhancement, agriculture development, good governance and disaster
management. You can read detail in DASE profile.
He
is also writer and poet; He wrote many article and poems on these issues and
also produced documentaries film on these social issues.
Some links of Zeshan’s
struggle.
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