Fehmida Riyaz is a celebrated poetess who started the first women's publishing house in Pakistan. She launched a magazine, Awaz, which criticized the government. As a result, 14 cases including sedition were filed against her. She was exiled from Pakistan by Zia ul-Haq for her liberal views regarding Muslim women, and has since lived in India. She has published two collections of prose, and a book of 'prose poems'.