Lahore recently hosted the 5th Asma Jahangir Conference, an assembly of diverse participants ranging from judges to journalists from various nations to discuss a broad array of topic surrounding justice, law, and civil rights. Titled ‘People’s Mandate: Safeguarding Civil Rights in South Asia’, the event spotlighted issues such as climate change, media freedom, gender equality, and many others.
Initiated in 2018 to commemorate the legacy of Asma Jahangir, a Pakistani human rights lawyer and activist, the annual conference has since brought up significant discussions reflecting diverse perspectives within South Asian communities.
Asma Jahangir, nicknamed the “voice of the voiceless”, dedicated her life to fighting against injustice and pursuing democratic ideals in Pakistan. Her activism intensified when she contested her father’s unjust imprisonment under martial law at the young age of 18. Her relentless efforts led to the Supreme Court’s declaration of martial law as illegal. Asma later founded Pakistan’s first-ever female law firm, AGHS, and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). These platforms facilitated Asma’s fight against societal injustices and offered aid to marginalized groups.
Coupled with her legal and advocacy work, Jahangir’s contributions extended to authoring two books, scrutinizing laws detrimental to marginalized groups and providing a deep insight into the plight of child prisoners in Pakistani jails.
Asma Jahangir’s legacy is marked with landmark cases that altered the course of legal history in Pakistan, advocating for women, bonded laborers, and religious minorities in their pursuit of justice through legal recourse. Among her notable achievements, Jahangir was elected as the first female President of the Supreme Court Bar Association in October 2010.
The Asma Jahangir Conference pays homage to her devotion to justice, her successful advocacy, and her revolutionary legal achievements. It continues to inspire and motivate future generations to uphold civil rights and democratic principles in South Asia and beyond.