Asma Jahangir Quotes
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I am so proud of Pakistanis and specifically of our lawyers for speaking out and getting their heads bashed in for a better Pakistan.
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The morality of a society is not judged by the behaviour of an oppressed class but by the rules and laws made by the state, which either protect or exploit an already depressed section of society.
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My family has equally suffered abductions, attacks and life threats, but I have continued my struggle for justice.
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Divorce is the cheapest thing in Pakistan. About 30 cents. Cheaper than fish and chips. I've had clients married to very rich men for 40 years, then turned out on the road with nothing.
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We are so resilient as a people. I have so much respect for their dignity and courage. I hope the world sees this side of Pakistan, one where professionals want a democracy. The spirit of our intelligentsia cannot be broken.
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I don't care what America and Africa think; I am only concerned that the people of this country should be saved from its Army.
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We have the tendency of over-legislation regarding women.
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Look at the world, all the suffering... Being under house arrest is the least I can sacrifice.
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If your people don't really believe or respect you, if you don't have the moral authority to rule, then your goose is cooked.
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Everything is a risk in Pakistan: If you defend women, it's a risk. If you defend non-Muslims it's a risk. If you discuss religion, it's a risk. But you can't really sit there like a vegetable in your own society. And I'm committed to that society... and I feel I need to turn around and speak as I should.
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I would simply not compromise on the fundamental rights of people.
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We want a country which is not isolated and where democracy rules.
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I cannot bear to live where there is so much injustice and I cannot do something about it. What kind of a torturous life is that?
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Good or bad people can be democratically elected, but it is always easy to fight for human rights under this system.
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We never learnt the right lessons. We never went to the root of the problem. Once you start politicising religion, you play with fire and get burnt as well. Another lesson we did not learn is that Muslims are not homogenous.
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There was a time that human rights was not even an issue in this country. Then prisoners' rights became an issue.
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In 1986, Pakistan got the blasphemy law. So, while we had just two cases of blasphemy before that year, now we have thousands. It shows that one should be careful while bringing religion into legislation, because the law itself can become an instrument of persecution.
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General Zia-ul-Haq, a dictator and unscrupulous political actor, used Islam as a pretext for waging war in Afghanistan and adopting an aggressive stance towards India. By advancing a more orthodox version of Islam, he was able to hold on to a repressive regime and quell any opposition.
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One example that has hurt me is that of Aung San Suu Kyi. I admire her a lot, but her unwillingness to protect the Rohingiya Muslims shows how intolerance has seeped into politics and the level at which it has seeped. It immobilises politicians.
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I have protection. I have police protection. I have personal bodyguards. I have three sets of them. But believe me, this is really psychological for the family. If they want to get me, they can get me. And every time that I have been saved, it's been by coincidence.
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However flawed democracy is, it is still the only answer.
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There are some societies where women are not even allowed to drive a car, and that restriction is based in the name of religion and tradition. There are other countries where a woman can be punished if she does not cover her head.
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There used to be very few women in prisons, but this changed with the introduction of the hudood laws.
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The way my father worked altruistically and the manner in which he used to go behind bars and come back home smilingly was inspirational.