Zubair Qureshi
Federal capital saw three different Marches on the eve of International Women’s Day—two by religious parties’ women and one by progressive and liberal women. Representatives of various transgender associations of the twin cities also participated in the march and raised slogans along with the progressive women. They were calling for equal rights, freedom of women, elimination of discriminatory laws and end to rape in society.
Heavy contingent of police and paramilitary forces were deputed at the march venue throughout the day to meet any untoward incident on this occasion. In the wake of the warnings given by religious parties leaders and opposition from hardliners extraordinary measures were taken for the smooth passage of the march that started from the National Press Club and ended at the D-Chowk.
The marches by religious parties were named “Haya” or “Modesty” march and the participants of the march held banners inscribed with slogans highlighting teachings of Islam.
The march organized by Women Action Forum, Women’s Democratic Front and a number of other progressive organizations however met with serious resistance by the students and faculty of the nearby seminaries.
The incident took place when the protest was about to end and the participants were already leaving. The religious hardliners while shouting slogans against the participants of the Aurat March called them vulgar and anti-Islamic and declared they would not let vulgarity and obscenity prevail in society.
The march participants remained peaceful despite stoning by the hardliner elements and kept raising slogans for the rights of women.
According to Ismat Shahjahan, head of the Women’s Democratic Front, which organized the march, some four participants suffered head injuries, while three others were less seriously hurt.
Thanks to police and paramilitary forces present there, they intervened in time to keep the situation under control. About 1,000 people participated in the Islamabad Women’s March.
While talking to Pakistan Observer a number of women representatives of the Aurat March described the recent controversy generated over a slogan “My Body, My Choice” saying it meant women had the right to protect their body as well as their personality from unnecessary pressures and domination.
Police on the occasion arrested a man also who was trying to participate in the march in a traditional women burqa. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ministers had shown different response to the women march as Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari had extended her support to the march and opposition to the religious hardliners while Special Assistant to PM on Information & Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan had said she was all for women march had they disassociated themselves from the vulgar slogans like “My Body My Choice.”
