Pakistani rights advocate Asma Jahangir dies at 66
lahore — Pakistani human rights campaigner Asma Jahangir, who faced death threats by fighting for unpopular causes and was jailed in the 1980s for her pro-democracy work during military rule, died on Sunday in Lahore. She was 66.
Accolades for the fiery activist poured in from political and legal figures. Premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi lauded her “immense contributions towards upholding rule of law, democracy and safeguarding human rights”. —
lahore — Pakistan’s leading human rights advocate Asma Jahangir has died, a family member said on Sunday, in a stinging blow to the country’s embattled rights community. She was 66.
The lawyer and former UN special rapporteur died of cardiac arrest, according to her sister.
“Unfortunately we have lost her,” Hina Jilani, also a prominent rights activist, said.
According to Geo TV, the former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association was shifted to a private hospital on Saturday night after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced, according to a statement by her daughter Munizae Jahangir, as the family waited for relatives to return to their hometown of Lahore.
President Mamnoon Hussain, Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar along with other politicians, lawyers and journalists have expressed grief over Jahangir’s death.
Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi expressed grief at Jahangir’s death, praising her contribution to upholding the rule of law and safeguarding human rights. He termed her demise a great loss for the legal fraternity.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif tweeted: “Pakistan has lost a passionate champion of human rights and a staunch supporter of democracy...”
“Asma Jahangir was the bravest human being I ever knew. Without her the world is less,” wrote prominent lawyer Salman Akram Raja.
“I and many others didn’t agree with some of her views. But she was a titan. And one of the brightest and bravest ever produced by this country,” wrote journalist Wajahat Khan on Twitter.
Born on January 27, 1952, to a progressive family in Lahore, Jahangir’s path seemed set out with her father Malik Ghulam Jilani, a bureaucrat-turned-politician, opposing corruption at the fag end of Ayub Khan’s rule and the brutal crackdown in then East Pakistan under Yahya Khan following the 1970 election.
After her graduation from the prestigious Kinnaird College and LLB from the Punjab University in 1978, she hit the headlines when she enthusiastically jumped into the Movement for Restoration of Democracy (MRD) against the Zia-ul-Haq dictatorship and was subsequently jailed.
In 1987, she co-founded the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and became its Secretary General until 1993 when she was elevated as its chairperson.
Jahangir received France’s highest civilian award in 2014 and Sweden’s alternative to the Nobel Prize for her decades of rights work.
Few Pakistani rights activists have achieved the credibility of Jahangir. She braved death threats, beatings and imprisonment to win landmark human rights cases and stand up to dictators.
There is still terrible violence against women, discrimination against minorities and near-slavery for bonded labourers, but Jahangir said during an interview in 2014 that human rights causes have made greater strides in Pakistan than it may appear.
“There was a time that human rights was not even an issue in this country. Then prisoners’ rights became an issue,” she said.
“Women’s rights was thought of as a Western concept. Now people do talk about women’s rights — political parties talk about it, even religious parties talk about it.”
Jahangir secured a number of victories during her life, from winning freedom for bonded labourers from their “owners” through pio-
There was a time that human rights was not even an issue in this country. Then prisoners’ rights became an issue. Women’s rights was thought of as a Western concept. now people do talk about women’s rights — political parties talk about it, even religious parties talk about it Asma Jahangir, human rights advocate
Heartbroken that we lost asma Jahangir. I met her a week ago in oxford. I cannot believe she is no more among us. The best tribute to her is to continue her fight for human rights and democracy Malala Yousafzai @Malala
neering litigation to a landmark court case that allowed women to marry of their own volition.
She was also been an outspoken critic of the country’s powerful military establishment, including during her stint as the first-ever female leader of the Supreme Court Bar Association.
She penned two books — Divine Sanction? The Hadood Ordinance (1988) and Children of a Lesser God: Child Prisoners of Pakistan (1992).
The 62-year-old was arrested in 2007 by the government of then military ruler Pervez Musharraf, and
asma Jahangir’s death is a loss of a strong voice for the marginalised and oppressed. despite our differences I always respected her for her fight for human rights and for standing up for her convictions Imran Khan @ImranKhanPTI
in 2012 claimed her life was in danger from the country’s spy agency.
Jahangir has represented several clients who were denied their fundamental rights and defended cases of minorities, women and children in prisons.
In recognition of her services in the field of human rights, Jahangir was awarded the American Bar Association International Human Rights Award in 1992, the Martin Ennals Award and the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1995.
Daily Times Editor Raza Ahmad Rumi called her a “hero”.
RIP asma Jahangir. The Subcontinent’s bravest and most “incorrigible” liberal. no one touched by her came without her touch of kindness. both Pakistan and India are poorer today Shekhar Gupta @ShekharGupta
“’Speaking truth to power’ a phrase, we often use. Asma Jahangir lived, practiced till her last breath. Questioned mullahs, military, judges, politicians... defended downtrodden. Faced threats and attacks. Was never afraid. What a hero,” he tweeted.
Journalist Naila Inayat, termed her death “the end to an era” while Mehreen Zahra-Malik, another journalist, tweeted: “A male friend once asked: why is Asma Jahangir always so angry? What disturbed him perhaps was why she always spoke up and appeared utterly unafraid
Pakistan has lost a passionate champion of human rights and a staunch supporter of democracy... Shahbaz Sharif @CMShehbaz
Shocked to hear @ asma_Jahangir passed away. Huge loss for us, for #Pakistan. She was courageous, fearless, invincible. In absolute disbelief. Please pray for her & her family Bakhtawar B-Zardari @BakhtawarBZ
She was an outspoken and courageous lady, and had risen to prominence by sheer dint of hard work, diligence and commitment to the legal profession Supreme Court judges
asma Jahangir was the bravest human being I ever knew. Without her the world is less Salman Akram Raja, leading lawyer
in this world dominated by masculinity’s apoplectic id. For me, this is what Asma Jahangir was: she was brave enough to be angry.”
As one Twitter user called Asma Jahangir the only “man” in Pakistan, author Bina Shah contested it, saying: “The only man? She was fully a woman in her courage and steadfastedness. A lioness. You don’t get to claim her for your own gender.”
Ziauddin Yousafzai — the father of Malala — said Jahangir deserves a state funeral while Indian poet Javed Akhtar called it the loss of the whole subcontinent.