Ajit Karn
Islamabad: According to Report that the Aurat March, an annual rally held by women across Pakistan on International Women’s Day to express their grievances and commemorate womanhood, turned violent on Wednesday due to a confrontation between the marchers and the police.
As women and transgender people from various professions congregated for the Aurat March rally, a violent brawl broke out outside the Press Club, where police allegedly struck participants with batons and attempted to “stop” the rally.
According to report, a verbal altercation occurred between the rally participants and the police after the police questioned the large number of transgender persons attempting to join the rally. The police also stated that large groups of women were attending the march.
Women participating in the march asserted that the police “worked hard to halt the rally.”
During the rally, participants murmured slogans in support of women’s rights, and transgender individuals, whom the police stopped to query, joined them.
As per report, chaos soon broke out outside the Islamabad Press Club, and protesters began to chant slogans against the government and the media.
Several correspondents at the event expressed concern over the fact that, despite covering the incident peacefully throughout the morning, they had been caught in the crossfire of the altercation. A female journalist and a photographer from a local news station were also injured.
According to report that Federal Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman also attended the rally and vehemently condemned the outbreak of violence.
On her Twitter account, Rehman stated, “Friends from the Aurat Azadi March are justifiedly distressed. The Islamabad police had NO RIGHT to laathi charge a tiny, nonviolent march. It is the women wielding laathis, not progressive women, who must be driven back. It’s unfortunate to see this happening. Will seek information.”
In a second tweet, she stated, “I’ve requested an investigation into this violence, which I vehemently condemn. There is no justification for this. Even on International Women’s Day. We did not fight for this and will not tolerate it. Has been brought to the attention of the interior minister.”
According to report that, following the outbreak, a number of individuals and organisations have spoken out against the administrations and condemned the brutality.
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The Pakistan Human Rights Commission (HRCP) tweeted, “HRCP condemns the use of force by Islamabad police against protesting citizens during the Aurat Azadi March. We are also troubled by reports that religious groups have attempted to prevent women from participating in the march. Women have the same right as other citizens to civil assembly.”
The Aurat March was also held in Ghotki, where marchers chanted, “As long as women continue to be murdered, we will continue to resist.”
