Activist Gulalai Ismail has stated that the reason for her leaving Pakistan was the state’s failure to protect her.
She made these comments in response to comments made by Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari in a recent interview to Voice of America.
In the interview, in response to a question about why Gulalai Ismail had to flee Pakistan, the HR minister had said Gulalai had made allegations against the Pakistan Army without any data and facts. She had further stated, “I guess If you want asylum you’ll start accusing your country’s army, because that is the only way you’ll get it.”
In a tweet made on Sunday, Gulalai responded to Shireen Mazari’s comments. She said that trolls of the establishment made various allegations against her regarding her religious views and loyalty to the state.
https://twitter.com/Gulalai_Ismail/status/1178212961334304768?s=20
With regard to Shireen Mazari’s comments about backing accusations with data and facts, she asked rhetorically whether the claim of a woman In Khaisoor about alleged mistreatment at the hands of soldiers was not enough for an investigation by the state.
In response to comments about asylum, she said that her brother and sister were already in America and if she wanted to move to America and acquire a green card she could easily have done so.
She said the sole reason why she left the country was because the state failed to protect her and even her family was punished for her critical views and had cases of terrorism registered against them.
She said that the sole reason for leaving the country was the failure of the state, adding that the state had failed to provide her with her constitutional rights.
Gulalai Ismail had gone into hiding following a crackdown on Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement after a protest against the alleged rape and murder of 10-year-old Farishta. Three months after the crackdown, it had emerged that Gulalai was in the United States and had sought political asylum there.