She said this in response to a question at a discussion on the topic 'Human Rights in Pakistan -The Way Forward,' held under the aegis of the Asia Program and the Asian-American Network Against Abuse of Human Rights (ANAA), held at the Woordrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
Asma Jehangir asserted that it was in the 80s that "a Jihadi culture" was injected, and Pakistan together with the United States fought a war against former Soviet Union in Afghanistan "and, suddenly, you want to take it away."
Such a politicisation, she said, had its own dynamics.
Larry Robinson, former Political Counsellor, US Embassy, Islamabad was the other speaker, while Dennis Kux, Senior Policy Scholar of the Woodrow Wilson Center was the moderator.
According to her, the extremists also had their rights, though resort to any violent methods falls in the category of violation of law, which should be dealt with through routine criminal law. "Adoption of non-legal methods should not be allowed and condoned, even while tackling any act of violent extremism," she added.
Responding to a question, Asma Jehangir pleaded that People's Party and PML-N were mainstream political parties, adding, "religious parties would be wiped out, in any free and fair elections."
She said while the extremist rightist group hates the US, there were others who commended the US for its help, and believed it was the only super power which extended its help.
Asked why no secular opposition group has emerged in Pakistani society which could create an impact, she regretted it was "rightly so." She stated that there were social movements and under currents that had continued, though not very powerful to make an impact. She referred to the bar associations, trade unions and the free Press- "though, there is also an element of indifference or fatigue factor at play."
To a question on women's rights in an Islamic polity, she said it was not Islam to be blamed, but a discriminatory attitude, which created an arbitrary male-dominated social environment- which needed to be condemned and rejected.
"Right to oppress comes from an inhibition and a feeling when those resorting to male domination feel that a compromise is possible," she said, adding, else, religious teachings, as such, hardly preach discrimination on the basis of gender.
Asma Jehangir said the demands of the new era had changed and we had to forge a common approach, as the world fraternity required to work together.
In Pakistan, denial of justice to the poor or less influential was rampant, she stated, adding there was bankruptcy in civil society, as there was dearth of secular writers and poets and the necessary element of cultural sophistication was, somewhat, missing. "With it a society begins to decay, and with it comes conservatism- preaching of hate, and exclusivity gains coinage."
Of Pakistan's political system, she said it had its own limitations, and pleaded that political culture must be allowed to take roots.
In his words, Dennis Kux said "sadly, it has not been a happy half a century, but we hope, the next half a century will be good, inshallah- and let's hope, future is better than the past." Director Asia Program, Robert Hathaway said, "Pakistan has many friends in this country (the US), who want to work with you for a better world."