Pakistan’s most eminent human rights activist and lawyer, Asma Jahangir passed away on 11 February 2018, three years ago. She was known as a fierce advocate of peace and justice at national and international levels won several awards as recognition for her activism and services.
She was born in an ambiance of rebellion and later herself became a warrior against human rights violations and every kind of wrongness and discrimination. Asma Jahangir’s services as a social activist, a champion of the disenfranchised and her services towards building a democratic and more inclusive Pakistan will always be remembered in history. Let’s take a look at different aspects of Asma Jahangir’s life.
Early life and education
The fierce advocate of peace and justice was born on 27 January 1952 in Lahore. She received her early education from the Convent of Jesus and Mary school in Lahore.
She received a bachelors’ degree from Kinnaird College and an LLB degree from Punjab University. She became a lawyer in 1978. Asma Jahangir was called to Lahore High Court in 1980 and to Supreme Court in 1982. She later went on to become the first woman to serve as the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association.
She was a pro-democratic lawyer and activist and was imprisoned in 1983 for participating in the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy against Military Dictator Ziaul-Haq. Later in 1986, she moved to Geneva and became the Vice-Chair of the Defence for the Children International.
Five cases that showcase Asma’s principled advocacy
An instance of triumphing over adversity proved to be historic and came on the legal front, long prior she became a legal representative. This case, titled Asma Jillani versus the Federation of Pakistan, is one of the most commonly quoted models in case law and is the mere case in the history of Pakistan in which a military ruler was declared a usurper.
Asma’s father case
Asma’s father, politician Malik Ghulam Jilani openly opposed two dictators, Ayub Khan and Yahya Khan, and pays the price by being imprisoned in 1971. He was a true inspiration for Asma Jahangir. Her father taught her to stand for one’s rights even against the most powerful forces. At that time Asma was 21-year-old, she didn’t falter despite her young age, but fought and won her case to release her father from the dictator’s prison – this case is famously known as the Asma Jahangir’s case.
Women’s independent right to Marriage
In 1997, the Lahore High Court (LHC) while keeping a 21-year-old Pakistani woman’s marriage without the permission of her guardian, called for an amendment in Pakistani laws to enforce parental authority and discourage courtships.
Asma Jahangir played a decisive role in setting aside the court’s decision, consequently of which in 2003, the Supreme Court held that Pakistani women had the unambiguous right to marry on their own free will without needing the permission of the family.
Juvenile rights case
Asma Jahangir contested the unsystematic apprehend and search of child drifters by the Punjab police under the Punjab Vagrancy law of 1958. She challenged the law and argued that since Pakistan as a well-being state had unsuccessful to give education, healthcare and service benefits to its people, there was no reason for imposing harsh restrictions on the poor and needy citizens of the country.
While the petition was dismissed by the court directed the administration to differentiate professional beggars from beggars by necessity in order to decide whether the detention was valid on basis of individual circumstances.
Minority rights case
The fierce advocate of peace and justice successfully represented a Christian accused of blasphemy, whereby the Supreme Court granted the accused bail. The accused had remained in prison for over two and half years, during which the prosecution against the accused was subject to extended delays beyond the obligatory statutory phase, and the prosecution did not perform an appearance of a proper trial against the accused.
Custody rights case
Asma Jehangir, in child custody, welfare issue, successfully reinstated custody of a male kid to his mother in peace with Islamic law, whereby the father had illegally deprived the mother of custody for years.
Services and Honours
She received several awards which include Hilal-i-Imtiaz in 2010 and a Sitara-i-Imtiaz. She was also awarded a Unesco/Bilbao Prize for the Promotion of a Culture of Human Rights and an Officier de la Légion dhonneur by France.
She also received an award for the 2014 Right Livelihood and the 2010 Freedom Award from the International Rescue Committee. She co-founded the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the Women’s Active Forum (WAF). She authored two books titled, ‘Divine Sanction? The Hudood Ordinance’ and ‘Children for a lesser God: Child Prisoners of Pakistan’.
