Jugnu Mohsin Sethi

Syeda Maimanat Mohsin, known as Jugnu Mohsin, is a Pakistani politician and journalist. She serves as a member of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) after joining the party on 1 April 2022.

Early life and education

Mohsin was born in 1959 to a family of the landed gentry. She attended the Convent of Jesus and Mary in Lahore for her early schooling. Later, she completed her A-levels at the Moreton Hall School. Mohsin moved to the United Kingdom to pursue higher studies at the University of Cambridge. She earned a law degree there and was subsequently called to the Bar at Gray's Inn in London.

Career

Her professional journey began in the media industry as an editor for The Friday Times and Good Times. In 1984, following the imprisonment of her husband Najam Sethi on copyright charges, the couple decided to launch an independent newspaper. Because Sethi's name carried infamy, they applied for a publishing licence using Mohsin's name. She reportedly told Nawaz Sharif during their meeting that she intended to publish a social magazine featuring pictures of weddings and parties. The license was approved in 1987, but she requested a one-year delay to avoid the era of General Zia ul Haq. The first issue finally appeared in May 1989.

During the presidency of Pervez Musharraf, Mohsin wrote a monthly satire column titled "Mush and Bush." This column featured fictional dialogues between the Pakistani President and US President George W. Bush. She also utilized her writing to criticize Nawaz Sharif for his authoritarian personality and intolerance of dissent. Her sister, Moni Mohsin, also contributes to the paper with a column called "Diary of a Social Butterfly."

Mohsin entered politics and won the 2018 elections from the PP-184 constituency of Okara District. She secured 62,506 votes during this campaign. She served as an independent member of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab until 31 March 2022. Following this period, she joined the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) on 1 April 2022. Her parliamentary term concluded on 14 January 2023.

As an activist, she advocates for a liberal Pakistan and opposes religious fundamentalism. She is a member of the Women's Action Forum of Pakistan. In January 2006, she famously argued that women should have the right to wear shorts during marathons rather than the shalwar kameez. Although she was once a critic of Imran Khan, she supported his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, after her 2018 election.

Personal life

Mohsin met Najam Sethi while studying law at the University of Cambridge. They married in 1983 after she successfully navigated opposition from her family. In early 1999, she faced a significant crisis when government agents arrested Sethi. She reported that eight armed officers broke into their home and tied her up in a separate room. During his month-long detention without charge, Mohsin launched an international campaign to secure his release.

The couple has two children, named Ali Sethi and Mira Sethi. In 1991, their publishing company, Vanguard Books, released the book My Feudal Lord by Tehmina Durrani. This publication later led to legal disputes involving Durrani, who accused Sethi of stealing earnings from the book. However, a review by The Independent described Mohsin and Sethi as the injured parties in that dispute.

Awards and recognition

In 1999, the Committee to Protect Journalists presented Mohsin and Sethi with the International Press Freedom Award. This honor followed the arrest of Sethi by the Nawaz Sharif government. Amnesty International also designated Sethi a prisoner of conscience during his detention.