Born to an Ahmediya family in DG Khan in1961, Zafar Lund was a prominent Seraiki writer, activist, intellectual, who viewed the idea of progress not from the state’s perspective but through the lens of the affected local populations of the South Punjab. He was the founder of movements like Sindhu Bachao Tarla (Save River Indus) and Hirrak which offered legal and economic protection to the fisher communities along the Indus river who were disenfranchised by such mega hydro projects as dams and barrages. In his last public appearance, he held a rally for the people affected by Kot Addu Project and spoke about how the Seraiki people were only the victims of such projects, not beneficiaries. Throughout his life, Lund kept imbuing the impoverished people of his areas, especially women, with legal and political wisdom and helped them stage organized resistance against multiple injustices they faced from the people of North Punjab and the state’s development projects. Lund was also an advocate of Seriaki languages, Literatures and arts. He used Sindhu Bachao Tarla to also organize several programs on Seraiki Jhummar, storytelling and folk songs. He was shot dead in 2016 in Kot Addu. Getting rid from a thorn in their side, the police did not bother making any significant investigations into his murder. It is still not known whether he died because of his religion or because of his struggle against the power elites or maybe because of both.

The works of Zafar Lund offer a very viable critique to the Saqib Nisaresque idea of progress. His struggles raise a very pressing, critical question we are, otherwise, dumb and deaf towards. Who is benefitting and who is suffering from our so called National Development and Progress?