She started her social activism campaigning about adult literacy in 1981. Since 1989 she has spent most of her time in combating communal and fundamentalist forces in India. After the Gujarat riots of 2002, Hashmi changed her focus to grass roots work and has spent a considerable amount of time in Gujarat. In 2003 she was one of the founders of ANHAD (Act Now for Harmony and Democracy), which she administers. it's FCRA license was cancelled based on inputs from intelligence agency for using foreign funding to work against the public interest She also works in Kashmir, Bihar and Mewat area of Haryana.