Adil Najam

Ms. Asiya Nasir – Christian Member National Assembly (MNA), elected on a reserved seat from NA-322 (Balochistan-III) on an MMA (Mutihada Majlis i Amal; a coalition of religious parties) ticket, interestingly with JUI(F) affiliation – made this hard-hitting and courageous speech on the floor of the Pakistan National Assembly on March 4 before leading a token walk-out of minority and other members from the Assembly on the issue of Shahbaz Bhatti’s assassination.

The speech should be listened in full, not just for its heartfelt passion and its cry of pain, but also because no matter how much you think you know about Pakistan, you are bound to learn things you did not know. Asiya Nasir speaks to us not simply as a Minority or Christian MNA, but as a Pakistani. And it is as a Pakistanis that we must respond.

The 30 year old Asiya Nasir – wife of Nasir Masih and mother of a son and two daughters – has much to say and ask that we really have no response or answers to. But we should all be grateful to her for raising her voice as a Pakistani and asking questions that we have ignored – indeed, hidden – for too long. We are better off today because these questions have been asked.