Remembering Sabeen Mahmud on her third death anniversary

One of Pakistan’s most outspoken human rights advocates, Sabeen Mahmud, was silenced on this day three years ago.

The peace activist and founder of The Second Floor (T2F) was shot four times at close range, with bullets going through her shoulder, chest and abdomen, as she left her café in Karachi’s Defence after hosting an event.

Mahmud was pronounced dead on arrival at the National Medical Centre.

The woman of many talents who fought for human rights and created spaced for arts and culture to thrive was gunned down in a targeted attack by a group of highly-trained terrorists.

Saad Aziz, an IBA graduate, was the mastermind of Mahmud’s assassination. His cohorts were also highly educated.

Aziz was tried by a military court and is now on death row for his involvement in the Safoora Goth massacre and Mehmood's murder.

The Safoora Goth bus attack, which came less than a month after Mahmud’s assassination, triggered an intensive investigation that led to the arrest of Aziz and several of his cohorts.

Mahmud was born in Karachi and received her early education from Karachi Grammar School. 

After completing her O levels, she went to Lahore to get a Bachelor’s degree from Kinnaird College.

After returning to Karachi, she joined a technology company and then went on to create her own small interactive media and technology consulting firm.

She then went on to follow what she had said was her “biggest dream” and set-up T2F as part of her non-profit umbrella PeaceNiche.