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Oslo: Asma Jahangir, noted human rights activist of Pakistan has strongly condemned human rights violations carried out by Indian occupying forces in Kashmir. This was stated by Asma Jahangir during a seminar held at Oslo, in Norway.
Asma Jahangir also said that the people of Kashmir are interested in freedom and not in merger with Pakistan. She said that we should respect the aspirations of the people. She was answering to a question raised by Sardar Ali Shahnawaz Khan Executive Director Kashmiri-Scandinavian Council (Norway) during the seminar which was conducted by LIM an NGO working in the field of Gender equality - Integration and Diversity.
About the issue of Gilgit Baltistan she said that Pakistan should immediately declare it as its province.
Earlier Asma Jahangir addressed the seminar titled 'Building a Free Pakistan'.
The text of her address is as below:
"I am an ordinary lawyer from Pakistan.
We have learned to build on the positives. I realized, like many of my friends, when we talk about mindsets. We heard these cliches, so many times. Muslims can never stink, can never lie, have their own way of life.
This is a mindset that is created, we are not born with it. It is created by those who are greedy for power, and they are dictators. Whether they are dictators for Islam, or national security, or stability.
Today, every country, West or East, progressive or not, policies are being led by intelligence departments. I ask how this is.
Although I have been an activist since before I was born, because my father was in the opposition, it was not until I became a lawyer. At the time, the most lethal dictator had taken over our country, and was patronized by the West. We suffered from the jihad industry, every single day was September 11. We had never experienced laws of public stoning, amputation of hands, public flogging. And we saw it then. And the West was backing this great leader, to the cost of the women, and the people of Pakistan.
A woman who was raped could be charged with extramarital sex. A young woman was flogged publicly in Karachi, and we said: over our dead bodies, will our daughters go through this.
There had been demonstrations earlier, around politics. But no one had previously demonstrated against Islamization.
We were beaten badly, slapped around, thrown in the police van. And the more repression that was thrown at us, the stronger our resolve. We will not allow one dictator to ruin a whole generation of our women.
I believe that women in our country are the hidden verb. They have so much couage, they tell you off, even as a lawyer.
I took a case of an 11 year old boy, accused of blasphemy. The judge on appeal was killed, and I was attacked, many times. But now, that boy is safe. And another case, a young woman, who now lives here in Norway, who wanted to get married without the permission of her father.
Words on the transition to democracy: I believe that when there is less democracy, you need more democracy. One word of caution, however, which I learned from reading about the transition in Algeria. Islamists use the ladder of democracy to get to the top, and once they get there, they kick it off. You must ensure they do not sow the seeds in the constitution and the laws, because then it will take a generation to get rid of it. You cant be intolerant on religion and claim you are a democrat.
All the Western countries are so afraid of what will happen. Theyre so politically correct. But let there be a war of words, rather than fear for everyone."
KashmirWatch - Latest News & In-depth Coverage on Kashmir Conflict
Asma Jahangir also said that the people of Kashmir are interested in freedom and not in merger with Pakistan. She said that we should respect the aspirations of the people. She was answering to a question raised by Sardar Ali Shahnawaz Khan Executive Director Kashmiri-Scandinavian Council (Norway) during the seminar which was conducted by LIM an NGO working in the field of Gender equality - Integration and Diversity.
About the issue of Gilgit Baltistan she said that Pakistan should immediately declare it as its province.
Earlier Asma Jahangir addressed the seminar titled 'Building a Free Pakistan'.
The text of her address is as below:
"I am an ordinary lawyer from Pakistan.
We have learned to build on the positives. I realized, like many of my friends, when we talk about mindsets. We heard these cliches, so many times. Muslims can never stink, can never lie, have their own way of life.
This is a mindset that is created, we are not born with it. It is created by those who are greedy for power, and they are dictators. Whether they are dictators for Islam, or national security, or stability.
Today, every country, West or East, progressive or not, policies are being led by intelligence departments. I ask how this is.
Although I have been an activist since before I was born, because my father was in the opposition, it was not until I became a lawyer. At the time, the most lethal dictator had taken over our country, and was patronized by the West. We suffered from the jihad industry, every single day was September 11. We had never experienced laws of public stoning, amputation of hands, public flogging. And we saw it then. And the West was backing this great leader, to the cost of the women, and the people of Pakistan.
A woman who was raped could be charged with extramarital sex. A young woman was flogged publicly in Karachi, and we said: over our dead bodies, will our daughters go through this.
There had been demonstrations earlier, around politics. But no one had previously demonstrated against Islamization.
We were beaten badly, slapped around, thrown in the police van. And the more repression that was thrown at us, the stronger our resolve. We will not allow one dictator to ruin a whole generation of our women.
I believe that women in our country are the hidden verb. They have so much couage, they tell you off, even as a lawyer.
I took a case of an 11 year old boy, accused of blasphemy. The judge on appeal was killed, and I was attacked, many times. But now, that boy is safe. And another case, a young woman, who now lives here in Norway, who wanted to get married without the permission of her father.
Words on the transition to democracy: I believe that when there is less democracy, you need more democracy. One word of caution, however, which I learned from reading about the transition in Algeria. Islamists use the ladder of democracy to get to the top, and once they get there, they kick it off. You must ensure they do not sow the seeds in the constitution and the laws, because then it will take a generation to get rid of it. You cant be intolerant on religion and claim you are a democrat.
All the Western countries are so afraid of what will happen. Theyre so politically correct. But let there be a war of words, rather than fear for everyone."
KashmirWatch - Latest News & In-depth Coverage on Kashmir Conflict
