Daily Times

BRUSSELS: Pakistan Embassy in Brussels pays tribute to Asma Jehangir as one of the Pakistan’s most prominent right activists and lawyers by publishing her achievements and works in their monthly news letter.

The embassy statement informs European public that Asma passed away, February 11, 2018 at the age of 66, was a recipient of Hilal -IImtiaz the second highest civilian award of Pakistan (2010) and nominee for Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.

It further reads, “Jehangir was elected first ever women president of Pakistan’s Supreme Court’s Bar Association. She also served as a UN rapporteur on human right and extrajudicial killings and was on Time magazine’s list of 100 most influential women.”

Jehangir had a prominent career both as a lawyer and rights activist. She served as chairwoman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

“A champion of human rights, Jehangir was known for speaking fearlessly against those attacking minority religions and women. She won international acclaim as a voice for suppressed people particularly women and minorities,” the embassy asserted.

The newsletter also mentioned some of the national and international awards that had earned including Stefanus Prize a Human Rights Prize for the Freedom of Religion or Belief in 2014, The Right to Livelihood Award, North-South Prize of the Council of Europe in 2012, UNESCO/Bilbao Prize for the Promotion of a Culture of Human Rights, International Four Freedoms Award, Freedom of Worship Medal for Human Rights and Religious Freedom activism, Nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize as part of the 1000 Women for Peace project.

Millennium Peace Prize by UNIFEM- the United Nations Development Fund for Women, King Baudouin International Award, Martin Ennals Award For Human Rights Defenders and Ramon Magsaysay Award were the others mentioned in the newsletter.

Krishna Kumari Kohli

Pakistan Embassy has also celebrated the historic election win of first ever Dalit women Krishna Kumari Kohli to the upper house of Pakistan’s parliament.

The newsletter stated that Ratna Bhagwandas Chawla was the first Hindu woman to be elected as a senator though Ms Kohli becomes the first one to joining Senate from Dalit community of Pakistan.

In the senate election that took place on March 3, 2018, 39-year-old Kohli came out victorious in Senate election and was nominated by Pakistan Peoples Part for a minority Senate seat from the Sindh Assembly.

Krishna Kumari comes from Nagarparkar village in Thar Desert of the Sindh province, and was born to a poor peasant family in 1979. Married at the age of 16, she pursued her education after her marriage, earning a postgraduate degree in sociology.

She attributes her success to her parents, who encouraged her to pursue her education and eventually helped her to earn a university degree. She started taking part in social activities in 2005 by organising and participating in different seminars in Tharparkar.

She was selected for the third Mehergarh Human Rights Youth Leadership Training Camp held in 2007 in Islamabad during which she covered an overview of people’s movements in the world, history of social movements in Pakistan and a thorough understanding of the governance system in the country. She also learned strategic planning and tools for bringing social change.

After completing the training, she worked for the Youth Civil Action Programme to identify cases of bonded labour and conducted case studies focusing women under bondage, organised workshops and seminars on bonded labour, sexual harassment at workplace and other human and women’s rights issues and contributed write-ups to various newspapers.

Published in Daily Times, March 9^th 2018.