By Muhammad Luqman
Pakistan’s renowned lawyer and human rights activist Asma Jahangir passed away in the eastern city of Lahore on Sunday. She was 66.
The former president of Supreme Court Bar Association was shifted to a private hospital on Saturday night after she suffered brain hemorrhage.
Born in 1952 and brought up in Lahore, Asma Jahangir studied at the Convent of Jesus and Mary before receiving her B.A from Kinnaird College and LLB degree from the Punjab University in 1978.
In 1987 she co-founded the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and became its Secretary General until 1993 when she was elevated as commission’s chairperson.
Ms. Jahangir was also co-chair of South Asians for Human Rights. She was appointed United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Arbitrary or summary executions and later as the United Nations Rapporteur of Freedom of religion or belief.
She was put under house arrest and later imprisoned in 1983 for participating in the movement for the restoration of political and fundamental rights during the regime of military dictator General Zia ul Haque.
She was again put under house arrest in November 2007 after the imposition of emergency rule in Pakistan by General Pervez Musharraf.
Asma Jahangir defended cases of minorities, women and children in prisons.
She was recipient of several national and international awards, including Sitara-I-Imtiaz in 1995. In recognition of her services in the field of human rights, she was awarded the American Bar Association International Human Rights Award in 1992, the Martin Ennals Award and the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1995.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar visited the residence of the late lawyer and paid rich tributes to the rights icon.
President of Pakistan, Prime Minister, politicians, lawyers and journalists have expressed grief over the death of Asma Jahangir .
Balochistan National Party leader Akhtar Mengal mourned her death on Twitter saying people of his province adored her strength and bravery .
