Gritty Woman

In the sub-continent, Asma Jehangir's name is synonymous with the voice of human rights. In Pakistan, the name invokes respect, fear, hat...

In the sub-continent, Asma Jehangir8217;s name is synonymous with the voice of human rights. In Pakistan, the name invokes respect, fear, hate and adulation all at once. I know of no other woman in Pakistan who has single-handedly contributed more extensively to the women8217;s movement. Without doubt, Asma is someone who has made a difference.

I first met the young lawyer in Lahore, her hometown, when she had just founded the first all-woman law firm and its legal aid cell. It was Asma8217;s first step towards activism, something that now consumes her completely. As Chairperson of Pakistan8217;s Human Rights Commission, nothing escapes Asma8217;s notice. Whether it is disagreeing with Nawaz Sharif on Shariat rules, defending Salamat Masih, the 14-year-old boy accused of blasphemy, or winning the case for the validity of a marriage between two adults without the consent of their parents. The rights of women, children, religious minorities, bonded labourers, and prisoners are some of the causes Asma is passionately committed to.

In a country that doesn8217;t encourage dissent, and where conformity is the rule, the road for Asma and her family has been rough. Slogans plastered on walls and telephone kiosks demanding death for Asma are a common sight in Lahore. She has been jailed and attempts on her life have been made. Members of her family have been held at gunpoint, but Asma hasn8217;t been cowed, not even by fatwas. She8217;s remains a spirited fighter, her most recent campaign being against Pakistan8217;s retaliatory nuclear tests. Leading the protests, Asma argued strongly in favour of Pakistan taking the higher moral ground.

It was after ten years that I met Asma on her brief and recent visit to Delhi. As soft-spoken and self-effacing now as she was when I8217;d first met her, Asma kept talking about the achievements of women in her country, never once taking any credit. This, despite being honoured with several national and international awards, including the Magsaysay Award.

The petite 46-year-old doesn8217;t look the mother of three grown-up children, or the death-defying wonder woman that she is. And yet, she retains her sense of fun, laughing as she tells you how clients are often disappointed at not finding a tall and strapping woman behind the desk. On learning that she8217;s the famed Asma bibi8217;, they stare in disbelief. Some go away in despair.

Although the law is a popular profession with Pakistani women, it was Asma who broke the convention of women lawyers not being invited to the tearoom of the courts. Till some years ago, women just ordered tea in their own chambers. But the men started inviting Asma once they began to perceive her as 8220;one of the boys.8221; Thus an unequal tradition met with a quick end.

Asma glows as she talks about the growing level of awareness among Pakistani women. Their tireless efforts against oppressive laws and traditions. Their refusal to take the verdicts of the clergy and the politicians lying down. The recent years have seen women in large numbers take their protests to the streets, ignoring the teargas and lathis. As Asma puts it, 8220;jootiyan ghis gayeen Mall Road par.8221; These are signs of hope, especially since an increasing number of people are speaking up against injustice in Pakistan.

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Meeting Asma yet again confirmed a view I have held for long. The gender divide and international borders don8217;t really matter when people share certain passions, certain political convictions. You can call her Asma, or you can call her Nelson M. What8217;s the difference? A rose is a rose by any other name.