LAHORE: Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts in Pakistan, jurists from home and abroad, diplomats, civil rights activists and politicians assembled at a local hotel on Saturday to pay homage to the late Asma Jahangir whom they termed her fearless warrior of human rights recognised the world over.
Their words were not mere traditional posthumous praise for a departed soul. These words just narrated how she courageously fought against the mighty, had the faulty laws corrected and ensured justice for the marginalised men and women even at the peril of her own safety.
The speeches were interspersed with rolling down of tears, clapping in appreciation of Asma’s rebellion against injustice and sudden sparkling of eyes of the speakers, making one feel as if they had become excited by imagining her in real time action. Prominent among the audience were veteran jurists Aitzaz Ahsan and Abid Hasan Manto.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar said he learnt from Asma the importance of rights and began taking suo motu notices of matters involving the downtrodden because of this education. “I am blamed for my suo motu notices but I took my first one on her pointation,” he said, explaining how Asma pointed out the torture of a young girl Tayyaba on his first working day as the chief justice, and he provided justice to her.
He said as a family friend he knew Ms Asma closely. She turned out to be one of the best human rights fighters ever and her legal acumen was amazingly of high quality. “Without her, we would not have been able to achieve the standards of human rights which we have. The lawyers in Pakistan were ahead of their Indian counterparts in fighting for human rights because of Asma," he said.
The chief justice said he had made it easy for all to approach the superior judiciary for justice in line with the desires of Ms Asma, expressing his annoyance with the handcuffing of university professors by NAB in Lahore.
“Teachers should be respected even if they have committed any wrong,” he said, narrating how a German judge honoured writer Ashfaq Ahmad when he failed to deposit his traffic violation fine.
Lahore High Court Chief Justice Yawar Ali said Asma was a remarkable human being. She was a voice against tyranny, and for the downtrodden. Her landmark case “Asma JiIani vs government of Punjab” forever buried the ‘might is right’ theory. “We will take her mission forward,” he said.
Former Australian High Court Judge Michael Kirby mentioned how Asma made him wrote the Commonwealth Charter of Human Rights and got it approved from Queen Elizabeth. He also mentioned a letter from the International Bar Association’s president, offering respects for an amazing woman (Asma).
European Union Ambassador to Pakistan Jean-Francois Cautain said Asma was a true human rights defender, and a supporter of international fundamental rights which are embedded in the European Union treaties. “I agree with her that human rights is not a job, it’s a conviction. And I also add that it is a passion,” he said.
Indian jurist Colin Gonsalves said lawyers in his country were far behind in the sphere of human rights because of Asma who was an inspiration across the borders. “You have faced terror which we did not. But we now fear it. I am taking back home her spirit of daring the mighty,” he said.
German Ambassador Martin Kobler said before assuming charge of his office in Pakistan he met Asma to seek her guidance on how to work here. She was a teacher and a truthful person.
Afghan activist Orzala Nemat narrated how as a refugee child in a camp in Peshawar she was inspired by Asma and realised that she would have to be a lawyer to fight for her and others rights.
Former HRCP Secretary General I A Rehman said Asma had the conviction that all people were entitled to equal treatment and kindness.
Supreme Court Bar Association President Pir Kaleem Khurshid, LHCBA President Anwarul Haq Pannu, Pakistan Bar Council Vice Chairman Kamran Murtaza, Indian poet and activist Kamla Bhasin and Advocate Ahsan Bhoon also spoke, lawyers Azam Nazir Tarrar and Abid Saqi moderated whereas Asma’s daughter Sulema Jahangir presented welcome address and two short movies on the life and work of her mother.
In the post-lunch session ‘Freedom of Expression and Shrinking Spaces for Dissent’ speakers from different countries talked about the issues they faced.