Pakistan People's Party mourns Asma Jahangir's demise

Lahore [Pakistan], Feb 12 (ANI): The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has suspended party activities and will fly its flags at half mast to pay tribute to renowned lawyer and human rights activist Asma Jahangir.

"The [Party's] Chairperson [Bilawal Bhutto] has directed the party to hold references across the country to pay homage to her [Asma Jahangir]," tweeted filmmaker Assad Zulfiqar Khan?.

On Sunday, Jahangir passed away at the age of 66.

The cause of her death has not been confirmed yet, but according to media reports, it was due to cardiac arrest.

Her death saddened the entire nation as people from all social strata, including politicians, lawyers, judges, civil rights campaigners, expressed their condolences.

She was the co-founder of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the Women's Action Forum, and actively participated in protests against the establishment.

Human rights activists and organisations across the globe grieved her demise.

The representative of Baloch Republican Party to the UNHRC, Abdul Nawaz Bugti said that Asma Jahangir was a brave voice of the oppressed people, including the Baloch who stood for their rights and spoke truth to the power.

She received several awards, including a Hilal-i-Imtiaz and a Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 2010.

Jahangir is also a recipient of the 2010 Freedom Award, 2014 Right Livelihood Award, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) prize for the Promotion of a Culture of Human Rights, and an Officier de la Legion d'honneur by France. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI