Daily Times

TORONTO: Asma Jahangir fought for everyone’s rights from labourer to journalist, from politicians to victims of misuse of religion. Being a lawyer throughout her life she refused to accept one case and that was to defend military dictator Pervez Musharraf.

Being a supporter of democracy, she never became tool of establishment’s propaganda against democracy. She always defied military’s role in politics and always wanted the military into barracks or on the borders.

These views were expressed by journalist, activist and educationist Beena Sarwar at an event organized by Committee of Progressive Pakistani-Canadians at Mississauga area of Toronto. The event was organized to celebrate World Women Day, which was dedicated to Asma.

Hina Jilani, sister of Asma and a rights activist, also spoke along with other Canadian speakers.

Being long time close associate of Asma, Beena said Asma to her was a mentor and a friend. “We will carry on her work, we will not stop”, she said. Asma was unique and no one can replace Asma but we have to carry her work forward.

She had threats to her life and everybody used to think that she would be killed by a bullet, she said. People keep saying she was fearless, Beena said, adding that once in an interview, she said there were times when she scared, there were times she cried. But, she said, she could not give up in front of brutal forces at all. She said she used to say that she had to go ahead despite the fear. This is the lesson which we can take from Asma, Been said.

There was great contribution of Asma in defining course of freewill marriages. She was as fanatics perceived, she was not against religion but she was against misuse of religion. She never bothered frivolous campaigns against her.

Criticizing Justice Siddiqui’s judgment against Ahmadis in particular and other religious minorities of Pakistan in general, Beena said had Asma alive she would have said that the just must to and do job of a prayer leader.

She lived a full life and she really enjoyed that. She was always busy in fighting, yelling and crying for others rights that we could see on TVs too. She was a fun loving person. She was so full of love and so full of laughter. She loved to mimic people, Beena concluded saying that there was only one Asma and we will miss her forever. Before her talk, Beena played a documentary prepared by Naya Daur Media on the life of Asma.

In her talk, Hina said highlighting role of Asma and her other associates for equal rights of women said, we have come a long way in Pakistan and still have a long way to go. She said this struggle was on her peak during Ziaul Haq’s era. They had to go to jails for their struggle for equal rights. But due to a long struggle they succeeded in getting rid of controversial Hudood Law, which was aimed at victimizing women. She said it is the women’s movement which stopped Pakistan from becoming a state of Taliban. She said due to women’s struggle, till 1988’s election, every political party was compelled to have its women wing.

Hina said then they fought a successful life against honor killing and now every journalist and policemen considered honor killing unjustified, which is not less than a success.

Helen Kenedy, a women rights activist, addressing the audience stressed for equal rights for women in Canada. She also spoke for equal rights of indigenous women saying that if there is not justice, there would be no peace in Canada. She also demanded end of gender violence and end of harassment for working women. She also demanded that hijab wearing women should not be looked at only for wearing hijab.

Published in Daily Times, March 14^th 2018.