RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Rasm-i-Qul of Asma Jahangir was held at her residence here Wednesday. Haider Farooq Maududi, son of famous scholar Abul A’ala Maududi, offered pray for the departed soul.

The Qul ceremony was attended by politicians, judges, lawyers, activists, celebrities and members of the society. Among others former Chief Justice of Pakistan Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, opposition leader in Senate Ch Aitzaz Ahsan, former Governor State Bank of Pakistan Shahid Kardar, former PCB Chairman Shahryar Khan, renowned journalists I. A. Rehman and Hussain Naqi and architect Nayyar Ali Dada, and Usman Pirzada also attended the ceremony.

The participants paid her tribute for her life-long struggle for the rights of the poor and marginalized segments of the society. Asma Jahangir died of cardiac arrest on Sunday at the age of 66. She also a cancer patient was seen as a major blow to those struggling for protection of human rights of citizens. The deceased is survived by a son Jeelani Jahangir and two daughters Munizae Jahangir and Suleema Jahangir.

Asma was also a co-founder and chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, besides being the UN special reporter on human rights in Iran since 2016. She along with her sister Hina Jillani set up first legal aid cell for women in Pakistan.

Asma was imprisoned in 1983 for her work with the Movement to Restore Democracy (MRD) during of General Ziaul Haq’s military rule. She was also placed under house arrest in 2007 for her part in a lawyers’ movement for restoration of deposed judges of superior courts.