Daily Times

The inspiring crusade of Jalila Haider, human rights activist from Balochistan and the first woman lawyer from the Hazara community, has finally been recoginsed internationally. She will receive the International Women of Courage award from US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo today. The “Iron Lady of Balochistan”, as she has been called by the US State Department, will receive the award for lifting local communities by strengthening opportunities for vulnerable women and children. Ms Haider came to the limelight first when she held a hunger strike against the massacre and ethnic cleansing of her Hazara community in Quetta, attracting international attention to the plight of her community. She has established facilities to provide free legal counseling to poor women of the province, regardless of their ethnic or sectarian background.

Other than standing up for her Hazara community, she has also fought against “violence against women in public spaces, at work, and at home”. The high-profile ceremony will honour 12 extraordinary women, including Ms Haider, from across the world for their exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for peace, justice, human rights, gender equality and women empowerment. Among the award recipients is Afghan woman Zarifa Ghafari, who deified Taliban threats and became the mayor of Maidan Shar in Afghan province of Wardak at the age of 26. US first lady Melania Trump will also speak at the ceremony.

Despite Ms Haider’s stanch struggle for her community, the Hazara have yet to come out of fear of target killing. As per Ms Haider’s figures, at least 2,500 Hazara have been killed in target attacks and bombings between 2008 and 2018 in 204 incidents. The Hazara Town, where this Shia community lives, has become a sort of jail for them. The movements of the Hazara have been restricted to the heavily barricaded and guarded locality. Whenever they have to visit other parts of the city, it must be done under the watch of paramilitary convoys. Their distinctive features and sectarian beliefs make them easy to be spotted and targeted. The atmosphere of fear and uncertainty has destroyed their businesses and created psychological trauma for them. Despite the heavy presence of paramilitary forces in the entire city of Quetta, dangers for the Hazara have never diminished. In such circumstances, voices like Ms Haider’s are a ray of hope for oppressed communities. Her work has invited a fair degree of danger and threats. We wish her all the success in her endevours for women rights and peace in Balochistan. *