Asma Jahangir Conference 2022 begins today

LAHORE:The 4th Asma Jahangir Conference 2022 – Crisis of Constitutionalism in South Asia is being held today (Saturday) and tomorrow (Sunday) here in a hotel.

The conference is hosted by AGHS Legal Aid Cell and Asma Jahangir Foundation in collaboration with the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan and the Pakistan Bar Council. In continuation of the preceding AJ Conferences, the Committee has engaged 150 international and national guest speakers, including senior members of the judiciary, members of the national and foreign legislatures, lawyers, journalists, activists and representatives from the government. The conference has become one of the biggest international human rights conferences of the year providing an uncensored platform to discuss legal and social issues of concern.

The conference will discuss the Crisis of Constitutionalism in South Asia. The agenda has been set on several important themes for this year’s conference which are: Constitutionalism and the Role of Institutions; Gender, Justice and Equality; Human Security – Right to Employment; Livelihood and Equality; Extremism and Militancy; Challenges to Peaceful Co-Existence and the Onslaught on Civil Society in South Asia. In total, there are 22 sessions discussing a broad range of prevalent human rights concerns. Notable sessions include climate change, floods and rehabilitation of vulnerable communities after the floods; the crisis in Afghanistan and its impact on women and girls; religious intolerance in Kashmir; enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions; media under siege in India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan; transgender rights; the need for Constitutional Courts; making deals with the Afghan Taliban and its fallout; constitutional duties of a speaker and several sessions focusing on regional issues within Pakistan impacting the rule of law and separation of powers between the executive, judiciary and legislature.

Prominent speakers at the moot will include Senior Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Foreign Minister and PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Founding Executive Director of the Center for Policy Alternatives Dr Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu,, 7th Chairman of the Senate Raza Rabbani, and former federal minister for Law & Justice, Ahsan Bhoon, Supreme Court Bar Association President Azam Nazeer Tarar, Federal Minister of Law & Justice, Latif Afridi, former President, Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan, Expert in Constitutional Law, La Universidad de Barcelona Antonio-Martín Porras Gómez, 21st Chief Minister of Balochistan Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, 19th Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Qasim Khan Suri, former Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal, former Finance Minister, Afghanistan, Mahbouba Seraj, Afghan Journalist & Women’s Rights Activist, Sima Sama, former Minister of Women’s Affairs, Afghanistan, Atif Mian (virtually), Economist & Co-Founder CERP, Director of Julis-Rabinowitz Center for Public Policy and Finance, Princeton University, Alan Keenan, Senior Consultant on Sri Lanka, International Crisis Group, Baba Jan, Civil Rights & Climate Change Activist, Naz Baloch, Parliamentary Secretary Climate Change, David Kaye, former UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression, Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy, Professor; Education Author & Activist for Promotion of Secularism, Tapan K Bose, Indian Activist & Director, South Asia Forum for Human Rights, Syed Haider Farooq Maududi, Islamic Scholar, Hamid Mir, Award-winning Pakistani Journalist & Columnist, Steven Butler, Journalist & Senior Programme Consultant, Committee to Protect Journalists, Daniel Bastard, Asia-Pacific Director, Reporters Without Borders, Malini Subramaniam, Independent Journalist & Former Head, International Committee of the Red Cross Chhattisgarh Chapter (India), Dilrukshi Handunnetti, International Award-Winning Investigative Journalist & Lawyer, Reem Alsalem, UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women Dr Rosena Allin Khan, Member, British Parliament, Dr Muhammad Khalid Masud, Religious Scholar & Ad Hoc Judge of the Shariat Appellate Bench, Supreme Court of Pakistan, Irfan Qadir, former Attorney General for Pakistan, Nader Nadery, former Member, Afghan Peace Negotiation Team & former Adviser to Afghan President, Mehnaz Akber Aziz, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Law & Justice, Member of the National Assembly, PMLN.