‘Asma has left us the asset of hope’

Honouring the memory of the late activist and lawyer Asma Jahangir, who also was the first woman to serve as the Supreme Court Bar Association’s president, a collection of tributes, titled ‘Our Asma Jahangir’, was launched at The Second Floor (T2F) late on Friday evening.

The book, compiled by Zulfiqar Halepoto, has tributes in English, Urdu and Sindhi from various publications and other sources.

The discussion on the book was moderated by lawyer Javed Qazi, and the discussants included Justice (retd) Majida Rizvi, activist Uzma Noorani and Kaiser Bengali.

Speaking about Asma, Qazi said that the word “fear” was unknown to her and she didn’t leave any battles untouched; rather, she made sure that she was present for everyone who needed her support in any way. Kaiser Bengali said that she made a lot of tangible contribution to the society and represented those who were not represented by anyone. “She worked her way through with an impartial integrity, and understood the changing dynamics that she would stand by the oppressed even when they had been on the side of the oppressor.”

He added that Asma possessed an analytical mind and believed in solving a problem by addressing its core, and if activists would adopt this strategy and make it a part of their lives, it would be possible to achieve the things she did.

Justice Majida recounted that she’d often run into Asma when she would head to the Supreme Court, and that their opinions and visions were the same.

Referring to Asma’s funeral, she said that even in death she was able to challenge the norm that only men could participate in funerals. She said that the deceased activist had a heart of gold and helped a Japanese woman get the custody of her son in Pakistan by not charging a penny; rather, she paid around a million on her behalf.

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan co-chairperson Uzma Noorani said that the news of her demise was unbelievable and it was brought to them on the last day of Karachi Literature Festival. “We were shaken, and there was an air of grimness. All of us who knew her huddled together to console each other because it was so sudden,” she said.

She said Asma was very worried about the ongoing crisis in the country, especially with regards to the Faizabad sit-in in Islamabad. “She believed in giving an immediate response, which was concrete in nature, and I don’t think anyone can replace or fill the void left by her,” she said.

Quoting the words of journalist Wusutullah Khan, activist Munir Memon said ‘’jin ko koi nahi poochta tha, who Asma ka pata poochte thay’’ (all those who were helpless asked the way to Asma Jahangir).

He lamented at those who feel that dictatorship is better than democracy because they haven’t seen the dark hours of the former. “It’s absolutely right to criticise democratic leaders, but one must remember that democracy can never be replaced by dictatorship. Those who say the latter should be implemented have no idea about it or else they would never utter such words,” he said.

He added that Asma had left them an asset of hope which should be cultivated to help others.

Zulfiqar Halepoto said that through Asma’s life, activists needed to understand the thin line in activism by indulging in discourse about rights and keep the struggle over a larger spectrum than an ethnic lens.