Asma Jahangir: End of a valiant human rights fighter

LAHORE: The untimely demise of Asma Jahangir, a valiant human rights champion and lawyer, has saddened people across the country.

She was known for her fight against dictatorships, oppressors, and belief in the rule of law and the norms of democratic polity as well as services to abused women and children.

Born in Lahore in 1952, Asma was educated in the city. In 1980, she was called to the Lahore High Court, and to the Supreme Court in 1982.

She was first arrested in 1983 for partaking in the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD) against then military dictator General Ziaul Haq.

She was put under house arrest in 2007 by the military regime of retired Gen Pervez Musharraf for playing an instrumental role in the movement for independence of the judiciary.

She co-founded the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan in 1987 and remained its secretary for quite some time.

Owing to her struggle and dedication to public service, the Commission earned global recognition for raising voice for religious minorities, downtrodden women and children.

She was also co-founder of the Women’s Action Forum set up to oppose law that reduced a woman’s testimony in court to half that of a man’s.

In 1980, Asma Jahangir and sister, Hina Jilani, got together with fellow activists and lawyers to form the first law firm established by women for women in Pakistan.

The firm pleaded the cases of women who were too poor to bear the cost of getting justice in courts.

She was recipient of multiple human rights awards and honorary degrees from universities in the US, Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and the Philippines.

Asma was also known for her ability to debate on any subject at any time. She bravely criticized politicians, bureaucrats and military regmes.