Activist Gulalai Ismail 'escapes' to New York, applies for political asylum
Rights activist Gulalai Ismail escaped Pakistani authorities last month and has reached the United States, where she has applied for political asylum, the New York Times reported on Thursday.
The US publication said that the 32-year-old is currently residing with her sister in Brooklyn, New York.
She has not disclosed how she managed to leave the country. All she revealed was: “I didn’t fly out of any airport.”
“I can’t tell you any more,” NYT quoted her as saying during an interview. “My exit story will put many lives at risk.”
According to NYT, no government officials were willing to make a public comment on the matter. Security officials said that they had suspected Ismail had left the country.
In November last year, the Islamabad High Court was informed that Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had recommended putting Ismail’s name on the Exit Control List (ECL) for her alleged anti-state activities abroad.
Following a petition by Ismail challenging the government’s decision to put her name on the ECL, the Islamabad High Court had ordered the removal of her name from the list.
The court, however, had allowed the interior ministry to take appropriate action, including confiscation of her passport, in the light of recommendations made by ISI.
According to the NYT report, Ismail had remained a fugitive since late May. "Security services were searching for her in every corner of the country, raiding her friends’ houses and closing in on her family," it said.
The report added that Ismail is still worried about her parents in Islamabad "who face charges of financing terrorism and remain under heavy surveillance".
In recent days, she has reportedly met with various "human rights defenders" in the US and staffs of congressional leaders.
“I will do everything I can to support Gulalai’s asylum request,” said Senator Charles Schumer, a member of the Democrat Party in New York. “It is clear that her life would be in danger if she were to return to Pakistan.”
Ismail has launched a research and advocacy group called Voices for Peace and Democracy aimed at protecting women in the conflict-hit zones of the world. "She is also thinking of law school," reported NYT.
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Comments (58) Closed
So now everyone knows what her final goal was during all this human rights talk.
Good riddance - United states can keep her
Poor girl. It's good she's out of this place. At least she can live a normal life there.
@MONIER, Don't act ignorantly on this issue. It can be very scary when government institutes are after you.
now what IK?
Another Malala
It was in the making.
There’s enough human rights issues within Pakistan to solve.
Just because we can not take an honest feedback about our activities, we end up harrassing our own citizens, whom an oath had been taken to serve and protect.
Really sad that such people leave. And really sad for those who claim this was her agenda
Big question is how she left Pakistan? So everyone just everyone without passport can go to USA?
Welcome to New York. You deserve a better life.
And that exposes Pakistan's concern for Human Rights.
Good luck, hope now you can work at peace.
@Amir, You are absolutely correct.
Totally exposed...
Right before UNGA. Best of luck PM Niazi !!! Let's see how you handle that. Only in a military state, non state actors roam free, and when activists, journalists and former diplomats seek asylum elsewhere.
Good step by her
Finally got American dream come true. What a trick.
This is another dent on our countries image.
She achieved what she wanted. She will make money as there will be many who would want to make use of her against Pakistan.
She will have to prove her case before she gets any asylum. Us immigration gets a lot of fake asylum applications that get rejected based on fake information.
Hope she will be safe there.
Failure of Pakistan security system. She should be charged and brought back to Pakistan to face the charges.
So much for Pakistan human rights record
One woman who has no following has scared Pakistan That is Pakistan that people seek asylum
Nothing is mentioned about why she had to escape. What was she accused of? Human rights advocacy is an easy path for asylum.
Human rights abuse
Green card obtained, mission accomplished
The grass always LOOKS greener on the other side of the fence ......
Live and let people live.
Sounds like a load of drama.
Mission failed. Asset retrieved.
She must be brought back and a case of treachery be ordered. And punish her to give lesson to others
Atleast now all who thought she was fighting for rights got their answer. I wouldn't be surprised to see manzoor, mohsin and dawar to follow the pursuit.
@Sid, she can now be even more dangerous. Look at malala
And, look who's complaining about Kashmiris. After ethnically cleansing Kashmir of minorities (like Pandits), you have the audacity of lecturing the world about human rights violations?!
I have been to Brooklyn a few times. It is not a paradice. There is no such thing as home & family.
To whom she belonged and to whom she returned.
@Amir, Sad, yes. But is it surprising?
@neo,
What have you been up to then that Pakistani institutions would be after you?
The important question is who facilitated her arrival into USA without a valid passport. How did that happen
Someone must be made accountable for this lapse unless it was deliberate ...Why???
We should be ashamed of ourselves forcing women to flee our country and force them to seek shelter abroad.
Why do we feel so insecure about ourselves?
Given a choice, every self respecting, non compromising and unbiased pakistani would want to escape the country.
Brave lady! We are a such a nation that is unable to see the dark sides of this country when one try to expose the sad realities.
Now sitting in New York, she will judge upon us. So much for the human rights struggle!
There might have been many escaping to US through same route. Need proper investigation.
@Qamar, what is her crime
good job done, courts and everybody
First of all how did she escape from Army's custody?
@Syed Anjum Ali , you innocent and naive soul
Basically she was interested in US citizenship!By any means ?
@M.Mudassir Siddiqui, more importantly, why did she need to ‘escape’?
@neo, and for a right reason.
Another Malala in the making.
Thankfully, she escaped brutality and escaped in time.
@Qamar, in your brilliant analysis what is ''a case of treachery"? try bringing her back
@M.Mudassir Siddiqui, The right question should be why did she escape?
Time to find out who helped her escape.
Comments (58) Closed
So now everyone knows what her final goal was during all this human rights talk.
Good riddance - United states can keep her
Poor girl. It's good she's out of this place. At least she can live a normal life there.
@MONIER, Don't act ignorantly on this issue. It can be very scary when government institutes are after you.
now what IK?
Another Malala
It was in the making.
There’s enough human rights issues within Pakistan to solve.
Just because we can not take an honest feedback about our activities, we end up harrassing our own citizens, whom an oath had been taken to serve and protect.
Really sad that such people leave. And really sad for those who claim this was her agenda
Big question is how she left Pakistan? So everyone just everyone without passport can go to USA?
Welcome to New York. You deserve a better life.
And that exposes Pakistan's concern for Human Rights.
Good luck, hope now you can work at peace.
@Amir, You are absolutely correct.
Totally exposed...
Right before UNGA. Best of luck PM Niazi !!! Let's see how you handle that. Only in a military state, non state actors roam free, and when activists, journalists and former diplomats seek asylum elsewhere.
Good step by her
Finally got American dream come true. What a trick.
This is another dent on our countries image.
She achieved what she wanted. She will make money as there will be many who would want to make use of her against Pakistan.
She will have to prove her case before she gets any asylum. Us immigration gets a lot of fake asylum applications that get rejected based on fake information.
Hope she will be safe there.
Failure of Pakistan security system. She should be charged and brought back to Pakistan to face the charges.
So much for Pakistan human rights record
One woman who has no following has scared Pakistan That is Pakistan that people seek asylum
Nothing is mentioned about why she had to escape. What was she accused of? Human rights advocacy is an easy path for asylum.
Human rights abuse
Green card obtained, mission accomplished
The grass always LOOKS greener on the other side of the fence ......
Live and let people live.
Sounds like a load of drama.
Mission failed. Asset retrieved.
She must be brought back and a case of treachery be ordered. And punish her to give lesson to others
Atleast now all who thought she was fighting for rights got their answer. I wouldn't be surprised to see manzoor, mohsin and dawar to follow the pursuit.
@Sid, she can now be even more dangerous. Look at malala
And, look who's complaining about Kashmiris. After ethnically cleansing Kashmir of minorities (like Pandits), you have the audacity of lecturing the world about human rights violations?!
I have been to Brooklyn a few times. It is not a paradice. There is no such thing as home & family.
To whom she belonged and to whom she returned.
@Amir, Sad, yes. But is it surprising?
@neo,
What have you been up to then that Pakistani institutions would be after you?
The important question is who facilitated her arrival into USA without a valid passport. How did that happen
Someone must be made accountable for this lapse unless it was deliberate ...Why???
We should be ashamed of ourselves forcing women to flee our country and force them to seek shelter abroad.
Why do we feel so insecure about ourselves?
Given a choice, every self respecting, non compromising and unbiased pakistani would want to escape the country.
Brave lady! We are a such a nation that is unable to see the dark sides of this country when one try to expose the sad realities.
Now sitting in New York, she will judge upon us. So much for the human rights struggle!
There might have been many escaping to US through same route. Need proper investigation.
@Qamar, what is her crime
good job done, courts and everybody
First of all how did she escape from Army's custody?
@Syed Anjum Ali , you innocent and naive soul
Basically she was interested in US citizenship!By any means ?
@M.Mudassir Siddiqui, more importantly, why did she need to ‘escape’?
@neo, and for a right reason.
Another Malala in the making.
Thankfully, she escaped brutality and escaped in time.
@Qamar, in your brilliant analysis what is ''a case of treachery"? try bringing her back
@M.Mudassir Siddiqui, The right question should be why did she escape?
Time to find out who helped her escape.