February 05, 2026
By Rehan Piracha
In 2010, democratic forces in society were under threat. A dictator-like chief justice had consolidated control over the judiciary, handpicking loyalists and sidelining others. Many who had supported the lawyers’ movement for judicial restoration felt deeply disillusioned. Her comrades and fellow lawyers urged her to resist these trends, warning that freedom of expression and democratic principles were being undermined, and that the Supreme Court was increasingly serving vested interests. Though she initially hesitated, it soon became clear that Asma Jahangir was a natural contender — a fierce critic of the military establishment and all anti-democratic forces, and, in her own words, “no stooge of any political party or judiciary.” A progressive voice, and against right wing politics, with strong youth support, Asma faced a hostile and dangerous campaign, including threats to her life and accusations of being anti-Muslim and anti-Pakistani. She persevered and won, becoming the first woman president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA). Here is the complete story: