Eminent lawyer and activist Asma Jahangir passes away

LAHORE: Renowned  lawyer and  human rights activist Asma Jahangir has passed away, according to a private TV channel. She was  66.

 According to Geo TV, the former president  of Supreme Court Bar Association  was shifted to a private  hospital last night after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar paid rich tributes to the rights icon. In a statement the CJP expressed deep sorrow and pain on her sad demise.

President of Pakistan, politicians, lawyers and journalists have expressed grief over the  death of Asma Jahangir .

People took to social media to express shock over the sudden demise of the outspoken lawyer.

Balochistan National Party leader mourned her death on Twitter saying  people of his province adored her strength and bravery .  

Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharfi  said "Pakistan has lost a passionate champion of human rights and a staunch supporter of democracy.

Speaking to Geo News, senior journalist Hamid Mir said he still can't believe that Asma Jahangir is no more.  

Bakthawar Bhutto Zardari, daughter of former prime  minister Benazir Bhutto,   said demise of  Asma Jahangir was a huge  loss for Pakistan.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Maryam Nawaz called her death as  "everyone's lose" in her Twitter post.

Born in 1952 and raised in Lahore, Jahangir  studied at the Convent of Jesus and Mary before receiving her B.A from Kinnaird and LLB 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 military regime. 

She was again put under house arrest in November 2007 after the imposition of emergency rule in Pakistan.

 She has represented several clients who were denied their fundamental rights.

 Asma Jahangir defended cases of minorities, women and children in prisons.

She penned two books: Divine Sanction? The Hadood Ordinance (1988) and Children of a Lesser God: Child Prisoners of Pakistan (1992). 

She was recipient of several national 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.