Unapologetic Asma
Madam,
I learnt of the passing away of Asma Jahangir with the deepest grief. This light should have been with us for decades longer to strengthen our resolve to face and fight that which is unworthy amidst us.
She was living testimony to the difference one person can make in our struggle for respect and dignity in our collective lives and against impunity suffered by those on the margins.
She altered the prospects of human rights defenders, women’s rights, prisoners, the place of human rights in society.
She was also an exemplar of principled personal courage, strength and convictions.
For all her skills she had a singular disability. She could not comprehend the word FEAR. Undaunted by attacks, she suffered house arrest, imprisonment and challenged those who could have wanted to silence her. She never retreated from the barricades.
She was a model member of the legal community and a lifelong reminder to it that their profession could not truly be divorced from the idea of justice.
Asma had a distinguished Commonwealth pedigree. She was a member of the Commonwealth Observer Team at the South African ‘freedom’ elections in 1994. As Secretary- General of the Commonwealth when I was invited by the Heads to form an Eminent Persons Group to propel reform and renewal in the Commonwealth Asma was a natural choice. Working with her towards this noble goal, and our last meeting when she came to see my wife Babli and me when we visited Islamabad, will always remain among the most treasured memories of my life.
Asma’s passing is a grievous loss to the global human rights movement. She is now among God’s (more combative) angels. No doubt she prays for us. It is for us to resolve to remember and support her and win her approval.
Kamalesh Sharma,
New Delhi.
Demand KP girls schools
Madam,
The literacy rate in Pakistan has been recorded at 58% as per the Economic Survey of Pakistan 2016-2017. It is true that this number has shown a gradual improvement over the years, but the quality of education and the colossal number of out-of-school children remains a huge concern.
Over 22.8 million children across Pakistan are out of school and 2.5 million of them belong to my province, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. What is all the more alarming is that over 1 million out-of-school children in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are girls.
We can’t possibly improve Pakistan’s education indicators without addressing the mindset that prevents our girls from acquiring an education. The seriousness of the government – or lack of it – in terms of facilitating girls’ access to education can be gauged from the fact that at the primary, secondary and high school levels, the schools for girls are far fewer in number than those for boys. As per the school statistics available on the website of the Elementary and Secondary Education Department, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, there are only 8,553 primary schools for girls (compared to 14,469 for boys); 1,113 middle schools for girls (compared to 1,529 for boys) and a shameful 722 high schools for girls in the entire province compared to 1,386 schools for boys.
I appeal to the people of Pakistan in general and those of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in particular to demand schools in their areas from the politicians this election year. Our children have the right to quality education and it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that this right is duly provided.
Hisham Khan,
Via email.