January 31, 2026
By Iqra Manzoor
In 1996, the Saima Waheed Ropri case became the basis for when a woman’s choice became a courtroom battle, and a courtroom battle became a national debate. Saima Waheed’s marriage was put on trial, her autonomy questioned, and her story was given a religious color. Standing in the eye of the storm was Pakistan’s human rights icon, lawyer Asma Jahangir — fighting not just a case, but a culture of control, refusing to let patriarchy write the verdict. This is the story of courage, law, and a woman’s right to choose.