ISLAMABAD: Police detained multiple women’s rights activists, among them Aurat March members, as they prepared to hold a rally for International Women’s Day on Sunday in Islamabad.
According to the police, 14 people — including 11 women and three men — were taken into custody in Sector F-6 while participating in the march. Authorities said the group included both organisers and participants of the demonstration.
The detained included prominent activist Dr Farzana Bari, along with other Aurat March organisers and participants. Police confirmed. The police argued that the activists were arrested under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) imposed in the federal capital.
The gathering was an “illegal activity” and the district administration had denied a no-objection certificate (NOC) to Aurat March, the police sources added. Aurat March Islamabad also shared a video on their official Instagram account, showing Bari and other women sitting inside what appeared to be a police vehicle.
Civil society members and activists reacted to the detentions, expressing concern over the restrictions placed on the demonstration. The Aurat March is organised annually by women’s rights groups to highlight the issues like gender equality, workplace rights and protection from violence against women in Pakistan.
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