All posts by Raza Jaffri

An unfinished agenda

Human Rights, Islamisation, War and Peace, Women

By Zubeida Mustafa

IT is gratifying that the government of Pakistan has conferred a civilian award posthumously on Iqbal Haider, a former law minister and senator but remembered now as one of the country’s foremost human rights and peace activists.

The award came befittingly on Dec 10, Human Rights Day. This was shortly after a reference was organised by the Joint Action Committee and a number of civil society organisations at the Karachi Press Club last Wednesday.

When the reference was held, it was over three weeks since Iqbal Haider had departed from our midst. But a sense of loss continued to haunt the occasion which brought together a large crowd of his friends and admirers who recalled his services to the numerous good causes he passionately supported. Continue reading An unfinished agenda →

The lion won’t roar again

Development and Poverty, Media, Social Issues

By Zubeida Mustafa

IN January 2012, I wrote about Ardeshir Cowasjee after he had announced that he was “winding down”. It was a sort of farewell to him in these pages though ARFC wrote two more ‘ad hoc’ articles in 2012. But it was not the same as reading him every Sunday (or Friday, before 1997). Many readers had written to me asking if he could not be persuaded to continue writing.

On that occasion, Justice (retd) Majida Rizvi had vehemently stated, “My request to him is to roar again and again as in the past to keep all on their toes.” Continue reading The lion won’t roar again →

Death penalty should end

Human Rights, International Politics, Justice, Politics

By Zubeida Mustafa

LAST Thursday Pakistan reported its first execution in four years. Muhammad Hussain was hanged in Mianwali jail thus ending the tacit moratorium the government has observed since 2008 when Gen (retd) Musharraf’s rule ended.

The convict was a soldier of the Pakistan Army who was accused of killing his senior — a havaldar — with whom he was embroiled in a personal dispute. This came as a shock to human rights activists who have been campaigning against capital punishment. This execution took many aback because only a fortnight ago the president’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar had disclosed that the government was working on a bill to abolish capital punishment before the elections. The bill will convert the death penalty into life imprisonment. Continue reading Death penalty should end →

Sisterhood of women

Education, Human Rights, Media, Women

By Zubeida Mustafa

RECENTLY, Judy Woodruff, the founding co-chair of the International Women Media Foundation (IWMF), summed up the goal of the organisation’s architects thus: to “promote opportunity for women journalists around the globe” and “highlight the work that women are doing in other countries, especially in those countries where there’s not a free press, and where they are dealing with an oppressive government, or oppressive financial interests who don’t want the story told”.

The IWMF wants to “provide women this extra lift” and it has been doing this for the last 22 years since it was launched by a group of enterprising women journalists. It exemplifies perfectly the global sisterhood of women that feminist activists have talked about for years. Continue reading Sisterhood of women →

Zubdeida Mustafa’s acceptance speech

Media, Women

I feel greatly honored to be here to receive this award. I receive this award also on behalf of all my fellow journalists in Pakistan who have struggled collectively for years for press freedom which created the space for me to write on issues that are close to my heart, which made this award possible. Their struggle has been vindicated.

Also deserving recognition are the women journalists in my country who followed the path I charted out for myself. Thus they honored me. Had they not done so, I would not have earned the description of a “pioneer”.

I feel humble before my fellow professionals here, Khadija from Azerbaijan, Asmaa from Palestine and Reeyot from Ethiopia who have won the courage in journalism awards. They risked their lives and freedom and deserve our admiration. They inspire me. Many years ago in 1994, a very dear friend and colleague of mine, the late Razia Bhatti, also won this honor and that is how the IWMF was introduced to Pakistan. We learnt about the good work the IWMF is doing to encourage female journalists to realize their full potential. Continue reading Zubdeida Mustafa’s acceptance speech →