Top 45 Asma Jahangir Quotes

The Army is into every business in this country. Except hairdressing.

We eat, drink, and sleep religion, but we do not do good.

To set a trap for a handful of promiscuous individuals, the Zina law has laid a minefield for women in difficult circumstances.

My family has equally suffered abductions, attacks and life threats, but I have continued my struggle for justice.

One example that has hurt me is that of Aung San Suu Kyi. I admire her a lot, but her unwillingness to protect the Rohingiya Muslims shows how intolerance has seeped into politics and the level at which it has seeped. It immobilises politicians.

The interaction between human rights campaigners from Pakistan and India was a big taboo in the 1980s. When we started traveling to India to increase people-to-people contact between the two nations, we knew that we would face serious repercussions back home.

General Zia-ul-Haq, a dictator and unscrupulous political actor, used Islam as a pretext for waging war in Afghanistan and adopting an aggressive stance towards India. By advancing a more orthodox version of Islam, he was able to hold on to a repressive regime and quell any opposition.

She is absolutely inspiring. Malala is a vindication of our struggle.

Everything is a risk in Pakistan: If you defend women, it’s a risk. If you defend non-Muslims it’s a risk. If you discuss religion, it’s a risk. But you can’t really sit there like a vegetable in your own society. And I’m committed to that society… and I feel I need to turn around and speak as I should.

The state has not only the obligation to stay neutral in matters of religion but also to ensure that freedom of thought and conscience of all individuals is protected.

I have protection. I have police protection. I have personal bodyguards. I have three sets of them. But believe me, this is really psychological for the family. If they want to get me, they can get me. And every time that I have been saved, it’s been by coincidence.

When there is oppression and dictatorship, by not speaking out, we lose our dignity.

Duplicity in matters of religion is not confined to Pakistan, but it hurts the most in societies where debate on religion is asphyxiated and preachers of hate have become keepers of faith.

I’m not fearful for myself, because I’ve seen adversity, and I can see it again. But I feel very upset and anguished when I see images of young lawyers beaten up.

There have always been difficult situations for activists in Pakistan. In the 1960s, people fought for linguistic and ethnic rights in relation to the Bangladesh movement and the struggle of the people in the western Balochistan province.

I had to face imprisonment and house arrests, but it made me tougher.

There are some societies where women are not even allowed to drive a car, and that restriction is based in the name of religion and tradition. There are other countries where a woman can be punished if she does not cover her head.

I suppose anyone who calls a dictator a dictator is ‘dangerous‘ and ‘imbalanced.’

In 1986, Pakistan got the blasphemy law. So, while we had just two cases of blasphemy before that year, now we have thousands. It shows that one should be careful while bringing religion into legislation, because the law itself can become an instrument of persecution.

The world has to have zero tolerance for naked dictatorship.

As a lawyer, many a time I took up difficult and sensitive cases dealing with minorities‘ and women’s rights. Yes, I constantly receive threats, and to be very honest, at times it is very scary. But I have to continue my work.

I have noticed encouraging signs in the fight against religious intolerance, and I am impressed by the outstanding degree of human rights activism in India.

In bonded labour cases, judges would ask me why I had brought those people to the courts who stank. ‘You are here precisely for them,’ I would respond.

A woman’s whole life is spent making chicken curry while her husband works. Then, any time he likes, he can kick her out.

It is not easy for the courts to control the intelligence agencies. There has to be concerted and coordinated effort on part of the courts, the parliament, and the government.

If your people don’t really believe or respect you, if you don’t have the moral authority to rule, then your goose is cooked.

I am certainly not a martyr kind of a person. I love my life. But if one has to, then there is nothing more nobler a cause that I can think of.

We may fight terrorism through brute force, but the terror that is unleashed in the name of religion can only be challenged through moral courage.

Every religion curbs women rights to some extent. Some countries acted against religions and put a ban on wearing hijab, which was also a violation of human rights.

The way my father worked altruistically and the manner in which he used to go behind bars and come back home smilingly was inspirational.

There used to be very few women in prisons, but this changed with the introduction of the hudood laws.

The morality of a society is not judged by the behaviour of an oppressed class but by the rules and laws made by the state, which either protect or exploit an already depressed section of society.

There was a time that human rights was not even an issue in this country. Then prisoners‘ rights became an issue.

Religiosity is suffocating in Pakistan. It invariably stokes the fire in driving society to religious extremism.

A really responsible court will never give an order it knows will not be implemented.

Past experience has shown that the Islamists gain space when civilian authority weakens.

If state protects the rights of people, they start respecting the state.

We never learnt the right lessons. We never went to the root of the problem. Once you start politicising religion, you play with fire and get burnt as well. Another lesson we did not learn is that Muslims are not homogenous.

I think I have lived enough in this country where I can say what I think is true and which is the voice of my conscience.

I have no illusions about our elected politicians. Pakistani democracy is anything but perfect.

I don’t need a certificate of my patriotism from those in the establishment.

My father was jailed off and on for seven years.

Good or bad people can be democratically elected, but it is always easy to fight for human rights under this system.

Every fair-minded person holding a position of authority must support the few who have stood up against the injustice being perpetrated in the name of blasphemy.

While speaking in the NA, one must maintain respect.