The Price of Dissent: Gulalai Ismail on Pakistan's Military Establishment, Women's Empowerment, and her Exile

This week, A'ndre speaks with noted Pakistani human rights activist Gulalai Ismail on Pakistan's security forces and military power, her work on women's empowerment, and her exile from Pakistan. Gulalai, who managed to escape to the United States in 2019 after being placed on a "kill list", discusses her story, from founding Aware Girls at the age of 16 (an organization that trained thousands of young women including Malala Yousafzai) to speaking out against the military for crimes committed against the Pashtun people. Gulalai discusses the dominance of the Pakistani military, including how the military is the true holder of political power irregardless of which party or prime minister holds office, and she shares her thoughts on the recent ousting of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Gulalai does also discuss her work on women's empowerment, discussing how so many young women in Pakistan have inspired her for fighting for peace and against forced marriages, honor killings, and other patriarchal constructs.