ISLAMABAD: The self-exiled Pakistani social activist Gulalai Ismail is in hot water after being nominated for the “2021 International Women’s Rights Award” by an “annual gathering” of human rights activist, reputed to oblige people challenging Islamic teachings and values.
The Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, a lesser-known group calling itself an “annual gathering at UN European Headquarters of human rights advocates, dissidents” nominated Gulalai Ismail for the award to be presented on June 7.
Known in Pakistan for her tirade against Pakistan and challenging Islamic values, Gulalai shifted abroad and sought asylum in the USA in 2019. She had been an active member of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement.
She was also booked on various charges including blasphemy and terrorism but later, she escaped from Pakistan and settled abroad.
However, following her nomination for the award, the netizens sprung up to question her qualification for the award.
The social media sites were flooded with the comments censuring the activities of Gulalai Ismail and also raised questions about the credibility of the group announcing the award.
“Whoever is against Pakistan, they award him (because) they know they can only undermine Pakistan through traitors but not through fight,” said a Twitterati ZA Warraich.
Aaqib Khan, another netizen said Gulalai Ismail had been running campaign to seek revocation of blasphemy laws of Pakistan. It is unfortunately, you have also started playing up with religion.”
Others also questioned the rationale for human rights award to a lady who has never worked for women rights in Pakistan with no substantial work on her credit. This also undermines the credibility of the award.
With an objective to create fissures and divisions within society by promoting sub-nationalist agenda, Gulalai Ismail was disowned and rejected by Pushtun community owing to her vicious agenda for promoting the “Lar-o-bar” against Pakistan.
“I am from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and I am ashamed that she is from a Pashtun family. We disown her,” said another user with username of WatanPal.
“Great disgraceful award for acting as Mir Jaffar,” said Shazaib, while another Twitter user called the group as “another Indian sponsored NGO” referring to the unearthing of Indian Chronicle, a network of at least 750 fake media outlets by EU DisinfoLab running 15-year global disinformation campaign to serve Indian interests, mostly against Pakistan.
“Geneva Summit which has only 3000 followers and non verified Account. This is what you call “Indian Chronicle” Literally Good joke,” another netizen commented.
The Twitterati believed that the award reflected the support and recognition offered to people toeing foreign agenda. This in turn motivates others working against Pakistan, that they would be looked after. The move also reflects the nexus between foreign-funded NGOs and their masters in western capitals, they viewed.
Another Twitterati said Gulalai Ismail dances on the tune played by Afghan leaders like Ghani, Hamdullah Mohib and Amarullah Saleh. The Gulalai gang and network is exposed internationally. He said that her ilks like Afrasiab Khattak, Bushra Gohar, Manzoor Pashteen have all been rejected by the people of Pakistan.
The group honouring Gulalai Ismail had also conferred “Courage Award” on Saudi blogger Raif Badawi in 2015, who was arrested in 2012 and sentenced to seven years in prison and 600 lashes and then resentenced to 10 years and 1,000 lashes in 2014 for “insulting Islam” in his blogs.
The same group also gave a human rights award to an Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad for creating a Facebook page inviting women in Iran to post pictures of themselves without their headscarves in defiance of rules requiring them to wear a hijab.
