Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Sherry Rehman had reached the march after videos of police baton-charging the march participants made rounds on social media.

Senator Sherry Rehman had also condemned the incident on Twitter, saying that the incident has been brought to the interior minister’s notice and she had also sought an enquiry on the use of violence by police.

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

To this, Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir, one of the organisers of the march, said that the senator was the reason behind the chaos which they dealt with for the next four hours.

Imaan Mazari also called Sherry Rehman for not doing enough and showing up to the march for a “photo-op”.

U came to the march for ur photo-op & left after creating complete chaos which we were then dealing with 4 next hour. U were rude 2 us during r meeting w/ u on 6 March & were aware of all the risks we were taking. Pls save this drama for sm1 who believes it. Too little, too late. https://t.co/zFnjn1QsWa

— Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (@ImaanZHazir) March 10, 2023

Senator Sherry Rehman took a strong exception to this tweet and said that she did not show up for a photo-op and left a scheduled press conference to reach the venue of the march because she received a distress call.
“In my office, I offered u a safe space throughout the year to meet and build traction, not just a one-year episodic march,” she added.
She also condemned the angry sloganeering directed at her when she reached the march venue, saying “rudeness is never going to get you allies or grow solidarity”.

Oh please. I did not need your “photo op”; left a fully scheduled press con at PID (anyone can check) at 2.40 becoz I got a distress call. In my office I offered u a safe space thru the year to meet and build traction, not just a one year episodic march. With my broken shoulder I… https://t.co/N4MYQ4jY9G

— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) March 10, 2023

To this, Iman Mazari said that “calling it just a 1-year episodic march shows what you really think about it”, while adding that the senator could have criticised what she had said without “punching down on the movement”.

Calling it “just a 1 yr episodic march” shows what u really think of it.That in itself is sad.This “one year episodic march” is a global practice-doesnt mean collectives (or even individuals w/in them) r not working yr rd. Cd hv criticized what I sd w/o punching down on movement

— Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir (@ImaanZHazir) March 10, 2023

Another organiser of the march also corroborated Mazari’s version of the events, saying that she had asked the minister to condemn the baton charged, and to this, she had replied that “have you gone insane, how can I condemn my own government”.

Absolutely madam @sherryrehman I asked you to condemn lathi charge u said
“تم پاگل ھو میں اپنی گورنمنٹ کو کنڈئیم کروں”
Ur press put their boots on trans & women on floor & suffocated them to cover u, I pulled them &stood infront of to stop 2nd presser that angered u & u left.1/2

— Fauzia Yazdani (@yazdanifauzia) March 10, 2023

@drfarzanabari requested on pub mic-lead us to D chowk; u left post presser-1. presser-2 by standing with trans created chaos.trans were beaten up by media. we were harassed, young volunteers hounded.

we stood our ground & made it.

I didn’t expect it from #PPP so yes too late

— Fauzia Yazdani (@yazdanifauzia) March 10, 2023

It is pertinent to mention here that a scuffle broke out between media persons and transgender people present in the march reportedly after Sherry Rehman’s arrival as the reporters pushed through transgender individuals trying to get better coverage of Sherry Rehman.

Aurat March in #Islamabad was marred by police violence and hostility.
See details here:#AuratMarch2023 #AuratAzadiJalsa2023 #AuratMarchISB pic.twitter.com/iSvz7NDdti

— Dissent Today (@DissentToday) March 9, 2023

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Aurat March is held annually in several cities of Pakistan on International Women’s Day.

The Aurat March participant said that he is sharing the story of his mother because it is not just a story of an individual but the story of millions of women in Pakistan.

THREAD

As my placard from this year’s Aurat march has gone viral, I want to share the story of my mother. It’s not the story of an individual; it is the story of millions of women in Pakistan and around the globe. When my mom was 10 years old, she was fond of reading and writing pic.twitter.com/ixpJnkE4OK

— Ehtesham Hassan (@Ehteysham1) March 9, 2023

He said that his mother was very fond of education and wanted to go to school like her brothers.

and wanted to go to school like her brothers. One day, she expressed her desire to her grandmother, who agreed and purchased a “Takhti” for her. My mom went to school for one or two days, and when she returned home, she cleaned her “Takhti” with mud so she could use it again the

— Ehtesham Hassan (@Ehteysham1) March 9, 2023

“When my mom was 10 years old, she was fond of reading and writing,” he said while adding that she was allowed to go to school after she expressed this desire at home.

“One day, she expressed her desire to her grandmother, who agreed and purchased a “Takhti” for her. My mom went to school for one or two days.”

next day.

One day, a relative who was a Molvi and member of a religious political party, Maulana Fazal Rehman, came to visit their home. He saw my mom’s Takhti and asked her grandmother about it. She told him that it belonged to her granddaughter, who goes to school and wants to

— Ehtesham Hassan (@Ehteysham1) March 9, 2023

However, a male relative of the family, who was also associated with a religious party, upon learning that his mother goes to school became “infuriated”, saying “there was no need for girls to study, as it was against their culture and religious values. He claimed that if she learned to write, she would write letters to other men and violate the honor of their family.”

learn. The Molvi became infuriated when he heard this and said that there was no need for girls to study, as it was against their culture and religious values. He claimed that if she learned to write, she would write letters to other men and violate the honor of their family.

— Ehtesham Hassan (@Ehteysham1) March 9, 2023

And from that day, he said, that his mother was not allowed to go to school.
“Whenever my mom tells me this story, I can see the tears and helplessness in her eyes, which breaks my heart, but I can’t do anything to help her.”

From that day, she was never allowed to go to school. Whenever my mom tells me this story, I can see the tears and helplessness in her eyes, which breaks my heart, but I can’t do anything to help her. Her dreams were shattered, and she was deprived of the fundamental right to

— Ehtesham Hassan (@Ehteysham1) March 9, 2023

He added that his mother was deprived of her fundamental right to education and this still happens in Pakistan and around the world “where women’s basic rights are taken away because of their gender”.

education, with no one to assist her. This still happens in Pakistan and around the world today, where women’s basic rights are taken away because of their gender, and nobody seems to care.

— Ehtesham Hassan (@Ehteysham1) March 9, 2023

He concluded that this was the reason that he carried the banner with this message to march on International Women’s Day.

That’s why I decided to carry this banner on International Women’s Day, so that no other women would be treated like this.

— Ehtesham Hassan (@Ehteysham1) March 9, 2023

It is pertinent to mention here that more than one-third of Pakistani girls don’t have access to education and Pakistan often ranks among the worst countries in gender inequality in the education sector.

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