A pro-Palestine protester disrupted the speech of Germany’s Ambassador to Pakistan Alfred Grannas during a civil rights conference in Lahore titled ‘People’s Mandate: Safeguarding Civil Rights in South Asia’ on Saturday.
The event, hosted by the Asma Jahangir Legal Aid Cell (AGHS) in collaboration with the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), saw the interruption as Grannas began his address.
The protester voiced concerns about Germany’s stance on the Palestinian issue, stating, “Excuse me, Mr. Ambassador. I am shocked by the audacity that you are here to talk about civil rights while your country is brutally abusing the people speaking for the rights of the Palestinians.”
The outburst was met with applause from the audience, who echoed slogans such as “Free, Free Palestine” and “From the River to the Sea.”
Grannas promptly addressed the interruption, urging the protester to express opinions outside if they wished to disrupt. The livestream of the event muted Grannas’ comments briefly and disabled the feed for a few minutes.
Following the disruption, the Progressive Students Collective (PSC) criticized the conference organizers for allegedly silencing student voices while providing a platform for what they deemed as proponents of Palestinian genocide.
As Grannas resumed his speech, he emphasized the importance of protecting human dignity, aligning Germany’s values with Pakistan’s constitutional principles. He praised Pakistan’s judiciary for its role in interpreting and safeguarding human rights, citing examples of legal reforms that benefited society.
Grannas acknowledged the significance of conferences like these in shaping judicial decisions and fostering intellectual discourse, expressing hope for fruitful discussions.
The conference, initiated in 2018 after the passing of human rights advocate Asma Jahangir, aims to honor her legacy by addressing key issues such as fundamental rights, judicial independence, marginalized community empowerment, freedom of expression, and regional solidarity through panel discussions.
