Neighbour: The Saga of Forced Conversions in Pakistan (Screening and Discussion)
Join us for the screening of Hum Saya (Neighbour), an award-winning documentary produced by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), which recently received the ‘Best Short Documentary on Human Rights’ award at the Venice Intercultural Film Festival 2023. The film, which has been screened at prestigious venues including the University of Oxford, sheds light on the harrowing stories of abduction, forced conversion, and forced marriage in Pakistan.
Directed by Dawood Murad, Hum Saya skillfully weaves together real-life accounts of the victims and their families, highlighting the role of neighbors and communities as the first line of protection for marginalized groups. Through the powerful narratives of individuals like Jamal Haider and the neighbor of Asif Masih, the film emphasizes the importance of solidarity and community support in combating this multi-faceted criminality.
The screening will be followed by a panel discussion, offering a deep dive into the issues explored in the film and a chance to reflect on how we can champion human rights and social justice for marginalized groups in Pakistan.
Panelists:
- Tahira Abdullah is a Pakistani human rights activist who raises her voice for the rights of vulnerable groups particularly, women and minorities, and engages in efforts to challenge discrimination based on gender and religion in curricula, laws, and policies.
- Pervez Hoodbhoy is a Pakistani nuclear physicist, columnist and analyst. He received the Baker Award for Electronics in 1968 and the Abdus Salam Prize for Mathematics in 1984. He has authored various scientific research papers in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Hoodbhoy is a prominent environmental and social activist and regularly writes on a wide range of social, cultural and environmental issues. He is a strong and avid supporter of the peaceful use of nuclear technology in Pakistan, nuclear non-proliferation, and nuclear disarmament.
- Peter Jacob is a human rights professional, researcher, freelance journalist and trainer. He is serving as Executive Director of the Centre for Social Justice and the Chairperson of the Peoples Commission for Minorities Rights. He has written extensively on human rights and public policy issues for national and international publications. He is a recipient of the International Religious Freedom Award (2023).
- Dr. A. H. Nayyar is a physicist, educationist, researcher and freelance consultant on the issues of education, nuclear safety, and energy. He is the Board Member of the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), Member of the Working Group for Inclusive Education (WGIE) and Member of the Peoples Commission for Minorities Rights (PCMR). He has research studies critiquing the state of education in Pakistan titled A Subtle Subversion and Connecting the Dots to his credit.
- Farhatullah Babar is the secretary general of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). He has been serving as the spokesperson of the PPP, and the spokesperson of the office of the president Asif Ali Zardari. He has served as a member of the Senate of Pakistan for two terms.
- Harris Khalique is a leading poet, essayist, columnist, and human rights defender. He has participated in labor, women, and minority rights movements and has published papers and spoken at conferences on South Asian history and culture, politics, and issues around human rights and international development. He is currently serving as the Secretary-General of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. He is a recipient of the President’s Award for Pride of Performance (2018) and the UBL Literary Excellence Award (2013) for his contribution to literature.
This session is free and open to all. Just visit the venue to attend it.
The Black Hole
Plot 5H, Street 100, G-11/3, Islamabad.
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