Renowned Pak Lawyer, Activist Asma Jahangir Passes Away at 66

Asma suffered a cardiac arrest and breathed her last in Hameed Latif Hospital in Lahore.

Pakistan's well known human rights lawyer and social activist Asma Jahangir passed away in Lahore, on Sunday, 11 February, of cardiac arrest. She was aged 66.

"Asma suffered heart attack today morning and she was rushed to Hameed Latif Hospital Lahore where she breathed her last. Doctors tried to save her life but couldn't," senior lawyer Adeel Raja said.

Born in January 1952 in Lahore, Asma co-founded and chaired the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. She had also been Supreme Court Bar Association president.

After obtaining LLB degree from the Punjab University in 1978, she started her career as an advocate at high and supreme courts.

She became a champion democracy activist and was subsequently imprisoned in 1983 for participating in the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy against the military dictator of Zia-ul-Haq.

After co-founding it in 1987, Jahangir was elected as the Secretary General of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan until 1993. She was also the first woman in Pakistan to serve as the President of Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan.

In 1983, Jahangir was put under house arrest and jailed for participating in the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy.

In 2007, she was put under house arrest again for protesting along with fellow lawyers in response to the former president and army chief Pervez Musharraf's decision of unconstitutionally suspending Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry as the Chief Justice of Pakistan's Supreme Court.

For her work in Human Rights services, she was awarded the Hilal-i-Imtiaz, the second highest civilian award of Pakistan. In 2010, she was awarded with the 2010 UNESCO/Bilbao Prize for the Promotion of a Culture of Human Rights.

She is survived by two daughters and a son. Her daughter Muneezay Jehangir is a TV anchor.

As the news of her death broke condolences started pouring in from the lawyers, rights activists and politicians across borders, terming it a "great loss" for Pakistan.

I am devastated @ loss of my mother Asma Jahangir.We shall B announcing date of funeral soon.We R waiting 4 our relatives 2 return 2 Lahore

— Munizae Jahangir (@MunizaeJahangir) February 11, 2018

Shocking/tragic news of passing away of Pakistan’s human rights icon, Asma Jehangir, one of the most courageous exponents of human rights globally. Irreparable loss. Last year, Asma visited Occupied Kashmir as UN Rapporteur & exposed Indian Army’s crimes against humanity.

— Mushahid Hussain (@Mushahid) February 11, 2018

RIP Asma Jahangir. The Subcontinent’s bravest and most “incorrigible” liberal. No one touched by her came without her touch of kindness. Both Pakistan and India are poorer today. pic.twitter.com/IEL3rXbjcS

— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) February 11, 2018

One of the bravest persons I have had the privilege to meet, Asma Jahangir has passed away.. a human rights activist and lawyer who was at the forefront for securing democratic values in Pakistan.. RIP

— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) February 11, 2018

A horrible loss for all of us. Will miss her incredible courage in insisting that human rights cannot be comprised, ever. #AsmaJahangir

— meenakshi ganguly (@mg2411) February 11, 2018

‘Speaking truth to power’ a phrase, we often use. #AsmaJahangir lived,practiced till her last breath. Questioned mullahs, military, judges, politicians, all the powerful;defended downtrodden. Faced threats &
attacks. Was never afraid.What a hero. We have to contend with a void. pic.twitter.com/NFamtObL0s

— Raza Ahmad Rumi (@Razarumi) February 11, 2018

Asma Jahangir , undoubtedly the bravest and the most resilient fighter for human rights who had the courage to face the wrath of the dictators and the fury of the fundamentalist Mulla has passed away . It is the loss of the whole Sub continent .

— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) February 11, 2018

Deeply shocked & saddened to hear of #AsmaJahangir. She was a true defender of #HumanRights #Democracy & fought till her last breath against authoritarian power, orthodoxy & discriminatn. She was & will remain an inspiration A huge loss. Condolences to all whose lives she touched pic.twitter.com/FtR6HnFbIf

— Nandita Das (@nanditadas) February 11, 2018

Oh. A brave and sane voice falls quiet in #Pakistan #AsmaJahangir https://t.co/6FsvyKuUpH

— Madhavan Narayanan (@madversity) February 11, 2018

Today it's not only Pakistan who will cry. The entire South Asia shall mourn #AsmaJahangir. This is a loss of not only Pakistan. She shook up the conscience of the world.

— Marvi Sirmed (@marvisirmed) February 11, 2018

So so so upset. It’s the passing of the only Pakistani feminist icon we knew as kids. The only one we looked up to as the relentless upholder of women’s rights in this country. Salaam to that great, great Pakistani woman. #AsmaJahangir

— Sabahat Zakariya (@sabizak) February 11, 2018