My father was jailed off and on for seven years.
Even when we talked about child labor, we were frowned upon. But then you know that you have to speak the truth irrespective of the repercussions.
I don't care what America and Africa think; I am only concerned that the people of this country should be saved from its Army.
We are so resilient as a people. I have so much respect for their dignity and courage. I hope the world sees this side of Pakistan, one where professionals want a democracy. The spirit of our intelligentsia cannot be broken.
Past experience has shown that the Islamists gain space when civilian authority weakens.
We believe that when there is a democratic setup, we have a greater voice.
We have the tendency of over-legislation regarding women.
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.
I had to face imprisonment and house arrests, but it made me tougher.
When the Bangladesh war happened, people in Pakistan who did not support it were called unpatriotic. My father was in the jail at that time, and a lot of those who knew my family used to call us children of a traitor.
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.
Organized groups claiming roots in religious ideologies have unleashed an all-pervasive fear of mob violence in many parts of the country.
If state protects the rights of people, they start respecting the state.
To set a trap for a handful of promiscuous individuals, the Zina law has laid a minefield for women in difficult circumstances.
There used to be very few women in prisons, but this changed with the introduction of the hudood laws.
The Musharraf government has declared martial law to settle scores with lawyers and judges. Hundreds of innocent Pakistanis have been rounded up. Human rights activists, including women and senior citizens, have been beaten by police. Judges have been arrested and lawyers battered in their offices and the streets.
I am so proud of Pakistanis and specifically of our lawyers for speaking out and getting their heads bashed in for a better Pakistan.
Look at the world, all the suffering... Being under house arrest is the least I can sacrifice.
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.
However flawed democracy is, it is still the only answer.
