Aurat March organisers decide to hold rally tomorrow, with or without NOC

Islamabad:The organisers of Aurat March Islamabad held a press conference at the National Press Club, expressing their resolve to proceed with the women's march on International Women’s Day, with or without No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by the authorities.

The speakers shared that they had applied for the NOC to hold the march in front of the National Press Club before Ramazan but had not received approval. They said that they have written letter to the Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif to take notice of the situation but they have received no response. “This has always been the approach of administration. Since we have to announce the venue and organise resources, we have decided not to further pursue the process and hold the March in front of the National Press Club with or without NOC,” they said talking to media persons.

The organisers also emphasized that peaceful women marchers have been consistently denied their right to assembly, facing harassment, threats, and violence when attempting to march from Press Club Islamabad to D-Chowk. Since 2020, they said that their applications for a NOC have been repeatedly ignored, and this year they are being directed to march at Parade Ground, “a site associated with military displays, further highlighting the state's anti-feminist and anti-democratic stance.” They demanded the state's immediate and unconditional issuance of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for all future Aurat Marches.

In the press conference, held under the theme “Feminist Politics vs. Patriarchal State,” the Aurat March organisers presented a comprehensive list of demands addressing critical human rights, social justice, and environmental issues. They expressed serious concern over the prevailing situation of human rights particularly the rights of women. They said that Aurat March Islamabad would continue to challenge patriarchal structures and advocate for the rights of women, transgender individuals, non-binary persons, and marginalized communities.

During the press conference, Aurat March Islamabad demanded an immediate end to state silencing and the repeal of oppressive laws such as the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act (PAPO) 2024 and amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), which severely restrict fundamental rights like freedom of speech, assembly, and association. The collective also called for an end to the enforced disappearances of Baloch, Pashtun, and Sindhi human rights activists and journalists. Furthermore, they voiced strong opposition to environmentally destructive projects such as the Green Pakistan Initiative, demanding their immediate halt.

Aurat March Islamabad also reiterated its demand for March 8th, International Women's Day, to be declared a national holiday. An Aurat March organizer demanded that the state must declare Gender-Based Violence a national emergency and implement strategic measures to foster a zero-tolerance approach towards all forms of patriarchal violence. She further stressed that we demand an end to underage marriages, rigorous enforcement of laws against gender-based violence, and the full implementation of the Transgender Rights Protection Act.

The organisers also voiced that Aurat March Islamabad condemns the government's policy of forcibly deporting Afghan individuals as a humanitarian crisis and a violation of fundamental human rights. We demand the government immediately halt these deportations and instead implement policies that provide safe and legal pathways for Afghan refugees seeking protection.

Furthermore, they demand the state to ensure the protection of rights for religious minorities, granting them equal opportunities in employment, education, and healthcare for a dignified life. We demand that the blasphemy law be amended to prevent its misuse for political and economic gain. “We demand an immediate stop to the persecution of the Christian, Hindu, Shia and Ahmadiyya communities and demand that their social, political and economic rights as citizens of Pakistan be protected.”

The press conference concluded with slogans of women’s empowerment, and a poem by renowned poet Kishwar Naheed. Aurat March has been held annually since 2018, advocating for women's rights and gender equality in Pakistan.