Pakistani rights activist Asma Jehangir dies

Asma Jehangir, one of Pakistan's prominent right activists and lawyers, has died of a heart attack in the eastern city of Lahore yesterday, reports UNB. She was 66. Jehangir's daughter, Muneeze, says that her mother suffered a heart attack late on Saturday night and was rushed to hospital where she died on Sunday. Jehangir was born on Jan 27 in 1952. She was the chairwoman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and respected for her outspoken criticism of the country's militant and extreme Islamist groups and unparalleled record as rights activist. Jehangir was also president of the Supreme Court's Bar Association and served as U.N. rapporteur on human rights.

She was on Time magazine's list of 100 most influential women. A fierce defender of democracy, she often criticized Pakistan's military and intelligence. She received the ‘Friends of Liberation War Honour” awarded by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on April 13 in 2013 on behalf of her late father Malik Ghulam Jilani who was imprisoned for denouncing the Pakistan military action in Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan).

 

Pakistani rights activist Asma Jehangir dies

Asma Jehangir, one of Pakistans prominent right activists and lawyers, has died of a heart attack in the eastern city of Lahore yesterday, reports UNB. She was 66. Jehangirs daughter, Muneeze, says that her mother suffered a heart attack late on Saturday night and was rushed to hospital where she died on Sunday. Jehangir was born on Jan 27 in 1952. She was the chairwoman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and respected for her outspoken criticism of the countrys militant and extreme Islamist groups and unparalleled record as rights activist. Jehangir was also president of the Supreme Courts Bar Association and served as U.N. rapporteur on human rights. She was on Time magazines list of 100 most influential women. A fierce defender of democracy, she often criticized Pakistans military and intelligence. She received the Friends of Liberation War Honour awarded by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on April 13 in 2013 on behalf of her late father Malik Ghulam Jilani who was imprisoned for denouncing the Pakistan military action in Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan).