Participants of the Aurat March that is held every year to mark International Women’s Day in Pakistan were beaten up in Islamabad while the routes to the march were blocked in several cities. The organisers faced hostility from the city administrations as authorities in Lahore did not issue a No Objection Certificate until after the court’s order, while the Islamabad and Multan administrations issued NOCs at the last minute.
In Islamabad, police baton-charged the Aurat March participants and blocked the route to the march with barbed wires and containers.
Police baton charge at Aurat March participants in Islamabad. #AuratMarch2023 #AuratAzadiJalsa2023 #AuratMarch #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/X6UQFDgyuX
— Dissent Today (@DissentToday) March 8, 2023
Police also remained silent spectators while media persons attacked the transgender people participating in the march.
Media persons hit transgender people participating in Aurat March as Islamabad police remain silent spectators. #AuratMarch2023 #AuratAzadiJalsa2023 #AuratMarch #8thMarch pic.twitter.com/ST1RKHCV1U
— Dissent Today (@DissentToday) March 8, 2023
The march participants were also intimidated and harassed by religious groups.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah took notice of the violence used by the police against citizens and said that “strict legal action” would be pursued against those responsible for the “mistreatment”.
Sanaullah said he had taken strict notice of the behaviour meted out to the participants of the march, adding that the Islamabad police chief had been summoned regarding the matter.
I have taken strict notice of the behaviour meted out to the participants of the women’s march in Islamabad. The IG Police Islamabad has been summoned, and strict legal action will be taken against those responsible for this mistreatment.
— Rana SanaUllah Khan (@RanaSanaullahPK) March 8, 2023
Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman also condemned the incident.
“The Islamabad police had no business baton-charging a small peaceful procession,” she tweeted.
“It is the women holding laathis that need to be pushed back, not progressive women. Sad to see this happening. I will seek an inquiry,” she said.
Friends from @AuratAzadiMarch are rightly upset. The Islamabad police had NO business laathi charging a small peaceful procession. It is the women holding laathis that need to be pushed back, not progressive women. Sad to see this happening. Will seek an inquiry
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) March 8, 2023
In another tweet, she said that “there is no excuse for this (violence). That too on International Women’s Day. This is not what we fought for and will not tolerate it”.
I strongly condemn this violence and have sought an inquiry on the incident. There is no excuse for this. That too on Int’l Women’s Day. This is not what we fought for and will not tolerate it. Has been brought to the Interior Ministers notice. https://t.co/HL45Hj9HOn
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) March 8, 2023
Separately in Lahore, the routes leading to the march were also disrupted due to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf rally in the city, while the Punjab Home Department imposed Section 144 in the city, barring all protests and demonstrations.
According to a notification issued by the Punjab Home Department, “holding all kinds of assemblies, gatherings, sit-ins, rallies, processions, demonstrations, […] protests and such like other activities are banned across the district Lahore are banned to avert any untoward incident”.
The basic demands behind the march are equal opportunities for everyone, including transgenders and women; raising awareness regarding gender-based violence, and calling on authorities to make laws in this regard. The demands also include risks related to climate change and the exploitation of the poor that comes with it among many other issues.
However, the organisers of the March face resistance from the government and regressive elements in society every year.
