This new competition is celebrating writing by Pakistani women

In a first, an English writing competition only for Pakistani women writers has been announced, called The Zeenat Haroon Rashid Writing Prize for Women.

The competition which has been named after and in honour of the founding member of the Women’s National Guard. Zeenat Haroon Rashid, will award the winner Rs100,000 (1 lakh).

The topic has to center around the theme of women and Pakistan. However, the submission must be an original, unpublished work. It can be a memoir, polemic, essay or short story, of no more than 3000 words.

The competition is open to all women with a Pakistani nationality aged 18 and above.

This year's panel of judges include Ameena Sayid, OBE, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, editor and publisher and founder of the Karachi, and Islamabad Literature Festivals and Founder and Director of the Adab Festival Pakistan; Moni Mohsin, author and columnist whose writing has appeared in The Friday Times, The Guardian and the Economist; Irfan Husain, author and columnist for Dawn; Sadia Quraeshi Shepard, internationally acclaimed filmmaker and author; Muneeza Shamsie author, literary journalist, and award-winning anthologist; and Shan Vahidy, a freelance editor working in London who is also the granddaughter of Zeenat Haroon Rashid.

The winning entry will be published online, and if appropriate, in a national magazine or newspaper. The closing date for entries is July 15, 2019 and the winner will be announced later in December.