Posted on February 11, 2019 by beenasarwar
I wrote this piece for a web dossier produced by Heinrich Boell Foundation for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights‘ 70th anniversary 2018 – Asma Jahangir – ein bedeutungsvolles Leben, ein inspirierendes Erbe. Sharing now, a year after Asma Jahangir has passed on. This piece doesn’t include her role for peace in the region and in the UN system that I’ve written about earlier and also detailed in a longer essay to be printed in an anthology titled Voices of Freedom from Asia and the Middle East, co-edited by Mark Dennis and Rima Abunasser, TCU, is under publication by SUNY Press. Above: Asma Jahangir at her office; still from my documentary Mukhtiar Mai: The struggle for justice (2006)
By Beena Sarwar
The field on the outskirts of Lahore was full of workers waiting to hear the woman from the city speak. They squatted on their haunches with dull hopeless eyes, the drab greys and browns of their clothes at one with the earth they fashioned into bricks to bake in bhattas — kilns that dot the rural landscape of Punjab and upper Sindh. For their back-breaking labour they were paid in kind, leading to generations of indebtedness as the traditional informal economy transitioned into a cash-based system.
Continue reading →
Filed under: Freedom of expression, Gender, History, Human rights, Pakistan, Violence in the name of religion | Tagged: Activism, Asma Jahangir, blasphemy, blasphemy law, bonded labour, forced disappearances, forced marriage, rule of law, UDHR, women | 4 Comments »
Posted on January 26, 2015 by beenasarwar
Pakistanis against terrorism: Shehroz Hussain speaking at the global protest vigil on Jan 16, in Boston
Shehroz Hussain was a foreign student from Pakistan, a freshman at college in the USA, when Taliban or their affiliated groups shot dead his father, Dr Riaz Hussain Shah, in front of his clinic in Peshawar in January, 2013. “In August 2012, as I stood at the airport to say goodbye to my family, I did not know I would never see one person again,” said Shehroz, speaking at a protest vigil last Friday in Boston’s historic Copley Square. “That person was the one with the most tears. He cried so much that relatives joked with him. I will never forget that night when I was woken up in the middle of the night on 9th January, 2013, to the sound of my crying brother on the phone: ‘Baba ko Maar Diya‘. They have killed Baba.” Continue reading →
Filed under: Progressive politics | Tagged: blasphemy law, Jibran Nasir, Pakistan, Shaan Taseer, Shama Shahzad, Shehroz Hussain, shia killing | Leave a comment »
Posted on September 24, 2013 by beenasarwar
Read Omar Ali’s blogpost Three Layers of Confusion.. and their consequences” for a sound analysis of the vicious suicide bombing in Pakistan on Sunday targetting a church in Peshawar, killing at least 81 people, many of them women and children. Among them were six members of one family, including five women and a child. As Dr Ali points out, “it is not that no action has been taken against them. ..but there is a curious disconnect between these operations and the national narrative being promoted by the same military”. BELOW: a statement by the Forum for Secular Pakistan urging the government to Devise a long-term strategy for dealing with terrorism
Continue reading →
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: blasphemy law, comparative religion, Lahore Grammar School, LGS, Mubashir Lucman, Mullah Baradar, Pakistan, Peshawar church blast, suicide bombing, TTP | 1 Comment »
Posted on March 10, 2013 by beenasarwar
Demonstration in Karachi against the attack on Christians’ homes in Lahore. AP Photo/Fareed Khan
Another day, another bout of madness in Pakistan. On Saturday, a mob torched Christian houses in Joseph Colony in the Badami Bagh area of Lahore, after allegations of ‘blasphemy’ against one of its residents. This was clearly no spontaneous ‘riot’ but a well-planned and orchestrated move. Because of the warnings received ahead of time, the residents were evacuated so that there was no loss of life (though the alleged blasphemer’s 65-year old father was beaten up). Small mercies.
Locals say that the land mafia was behind this attack. No surprise. Malafide motives (property, debt, rivalry etc) have been behind all accusations of ‘blasphemy’ investigated so far. Continue reading →
Filed under: Blasphemy Laws | Tagged: Badami Bagh, blasphemy law, Christians attacked, Joseph Colony, Lahore, land mafia, Pakistan | 3 Comments »
Posted on April 18, 2011 by beenasarwar
Karachi, you were wonderful tonight. Photo: Sabeen Mahmud
April 17: Karachi, you were wonderful tonight. Great event, attended by about 30,000 people. See the text of the resolution (long version as well as short version read out in the plenary) at the Citzens for Democracy blog.
Congratulations to the CFD team for making this happen. This is our Pakistan.
Filed under: Progressive politics | Tagged: Activism, art, blasphemy law, cfd, Faiz, jashne faiz, karachi, music, Pakistan, theatre | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 5, 2011 by beenasarwar
CFD volunteers engaged with the public and got a great response. Photo: Shuja Qureshi
Posted to the Citizens for Democracy blog:
“Without exaggeration, the exercise was a phenomenal success. Not only because a total of 15,000 signatures were collected… but also because it showed that ordinary people… overwhelmingly agreed with the cause…”
The real Pakistan | By Farieha Aziz Continue reading →
Filed under: Progressive politics | Tagged: Activism, blasphemy law, cfd, farieha aziz, k b abro, Pakistan, progressive politics, salmaan taseer, shahbaz bhatti, signature campaign | 10 Comments »
Posted on January 8, 2011 by beenasarwar
Copy of a pamphlet including contact details of those threatening Sherry Rehman and anyone else who supports amendments to the 'blasphemy laws', distributed today in Karachi after Friday prayers
Citizens for Democracy, Pakistan:
Position and Press Statement on assassination of Salmaan Taseer
Karachi: Citizens for Democracy (CFD), a nation-wide umbrella group of political parties, trade unions, professional organisations, NGOs and individuals, strongly condemns the cold-blooded and cowardly murder of Salmaan Taseer.
The unarmed Governor of Punjab was shot in the back in the most cowardly manner by one of his own bodyguards on Jan 4, 2011, following a concerted propaganda campaign that falsely accused him of having been disrespectful to the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon on Him). This campaign was conducted in the media and through the mosques. Continue reading →
Filed under: Blasphemy Laws | Tagged: blasphemy law, citizens for democracy, Pakistan, salmaan taseer | Leave a comment »
Posted on December 30, 2010 by beenasarwar
Transporters have endorsed religious parties’ nation-wide strike Dec 31 and there is huge pressure on the Pakistan government to make no changes to the controversial ‘blasphemy laws’. I believe the government wants to make the changes (though there are some within it who don’t) that all progressive Pakistanis want but is up against the wall; it is weakened and attacked on all sides. The ‘religious right’ has been organising massive demonstrations (they may not win at the polls but they have street power), and there is a country-wide shutters down strike tomorrow.
We have to take it one step at a time. First work together to stop the abuse – whether it’s through procedural changes or amendment to the law (and there are many among the religious right who agree); ensure enforcement of law and order any way we can (ie not allow vigilante action & not allow those involved with it to go scot free).
Meanwhile, prepare the ground and keep working towards the goal of repeal or at least substantive amendments that will now allow injustice. There’s a demo in Islamabad today, a seminar in Karachi. Another seminar in Karachi is planned as well as a demo in the second week of Jan, 2011. It is a long term struggle, there are no overnight solutions. Governmentt doesn’t have a magic wand it can wave. It may take years but it will happen one day, if there is a sustained struggle and the political process continues.
Filed under: Blasphemy Laws | Tagged: Activism, blasphemy law, Pakistan, transporters strike | 2 Comments »
Posted on December 27, 2010 by beenasarwar
We had a good meeting yesterday in Karachi, convened by the newly formed Citizens for Democracy, to strategise about developing a long-term strategy to counter the ‘blasphemy law’ hype that has been created in Pakistan.
Some press reports this morning that used the info we sent them.
1. The News – lead story on City page today by Shahid Husain – ‘Tough struggle needed to reform blasphemy law’
2. Express Tribune: ‘Citizens for Democracy’ alliance formed to amend blasphemy laws
3. Daily Times used the info like a press statement: Citizens For Democracy meet at PMA House
Email sent to Citizens for Democracy e-group about the meeting yesterday: Continue reading →
Filed under: Blasphemy Laws | Tagged: 18th amendment, Activism, blasphemy law, Caritas, citizens for democracy, CJP, federal shariat court, LPP, Pakistan, Peter Jacob, pma house, Shafi Mohammedi | 7 Comments »
Posted on December 19, 2010 by beenasarwar
Asma Jahangi has denied reports published in several papers today that the SCBA passed a ‘resolution’ condemning any efforts to discuss, debate or change the ‘blasphemy law’ (Lawyers to lawmakers: Supreme Court Bar wants no changes to blasphemy laws)
This is to deny that the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) in its second executive committee meeting held on 18 December 2010 unanimously passed any resolution regarding either section 295 C of the Pakistan Penal Code itself or any case related to it. The facts are that a resolution to that effect was presented by a member of the executive committee but only apportion of it was passed unanimously, which paid reverence and commitment to honour and respect the name of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), while the rest of the resolution regarding 295 C, the case of Aasia Bibi and its consequences was deferred with consensus. The Supreme Court Bar Association regrets the attempt made by one of its executive members to mislead the press and the public. The SCBA is a responsible body and its resolutions will be fully debated before being passed especially unanimously.
From Asma Jahangir
Dated 19 December 2010
Filed under: Blasphemy Laws | Tagged: Asma Jahangir, blasphemy law, Pakistan, scba | 7 Comments »
Journeys to democracy 