LAHORE  -  Khadija Siddiqui, a law student who was stabbed 23 times by her class fellow, shared her life journey in a session arranged by Herself Women Convention at Punjab Information Technology Board on Wednesday.

Herself management welcomed the Khadija Siddiqui, who shared her story of perseverance and strength to a session attended by large number of people.

“I was always the shy quite girl,” Khadija started her story with this line. “There is a purpose to your existence. I found my purpose after what I went through,” Khadija told the gathering. Khadija was stabbed 23 times by her class fellow in May last year. She vowed to fight legal battle after the attack. Last month, a judicial magistrate in Lahore sentenced the attacker in Khadija Siddiqui stabbing case to seven years in prison.

"I saw death so close. I yearned to turn the clock back in that moment," Khadija Siddiqui shared. She said her parents supported her all the time. “My parents did not let the societal pressures trickle down to me.”

Host Nabeel A Qadeer, who is director Entrepreneurship Punjab Information Technology Board, asked Khadija about her inspiration. The 22-year-old replied it was her parents. She said it was her near to death experience that made her realise that we must never take life for granted.

Nabeel, the program’s host, told her: “You're not only a hope for women but the men of our society in pursuit of justice.”

Sarah Ansari, PITB’s Communications and Design Strategist, said at the event: “What an absolute inspiration. Thank you Khadija for not giving up. An excellent session organised by herselfpk.” Khadija Siddiqui on ‘why a common woman of Pakistan should pursue law as a career’ said it will help them to fight the legal battler better than other people.

Khadija’s agony came to the spotlight a few months ago when she was forced to sit an exam with her attacker, Shah Hussain, prompting the authorities to issue statements showing solidarity with her. Hussain had stabbed Khadija, a student of LLB at The Institute of Legal Studies, 23 times on a busy road in the provincial capital in broad daylight on May 3, 2016.

In Khadija’s words, the incident left a scar on her soul. “I have been raising this issue for a long time, but I did not receive the support I needed. This proves how everyone takes such issues, even women,” she said. The Lahore High Court took notice and issued directives to a subordinate court to hear the case on a daily basis. Khadija had told the court that son of influential lawyer Tanvir Hashmi was wearing a helmet when he attacked her. She said that his helmet fell down when he was trying to flee and she recognised him.

During the hearing, the prosecution presented 11 witnesses to prove the suspect guilty of attempted murder. The defence opposed it, pleading the judge to delete the offence of attempted murder. On July 27, the court reserved the judgement and on July 28 the prosecution moved an application in the sessions court, requesting transfer of the case to another court in a bid to delay the judgement. After the verdict, Shah Hussain was taken into custody in the courtroom.

According to the judgement, the convict would serve a collective jail term of 23 years and pay Rs334,016 fine. Talking to the media soon after the verdict was announced, Khadija extended her gratitude to her lawyers, the media, Tehmina Durrani and everybody else who showed solidarity with her. She said she had no personal enmity with anyone. “I stood firm against the oppression and injustice.”

FAIZAN ALI WARRAICH