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Authorities push back against International Women’s Day march in Pakistan

March 14, 2026

On March 8, 2025, Pakistani authorities violently dispersed the Islamabad chapter of the Aurat March, an annual feminist demonstration held on International Women's Day, arresting over 60 people including prominent activists, journalists, and even family members who came to check on detainees. Police justified the crackdown by citing Section 144, a colonial-era law banning public assemblies that had been imposed following protests over reports about Iran's Supreme Leader, though organizers disputed receiving advance notice of the restrictions. Detainees were held for nearly ten hours in overcrowded cells with inadequate facilities and were pressured to sign affidavits pledging not to participate in similar events before being released.

Who is affected

  • More than 34 women participants and organizers of the Aurat March, including well-known activists
  • At least 27 men who were supporters or allies of the march
  • Mavra Bari's mother and sister, who were detained
  • Girls as young as 14 years old who were confined with adult detainees
  • Journalists covering the event who were detained and manhandled
  • Family members and friends who came to the police station to check on detainees
  • Lawyer Syeda Kashamala, who was detained while checking on colleagues
  • Women and marginalized communities in Pakistan whose rights the march advocates for
  • Human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chatta, who are serving ten-year prison sentences

What action is being taken

  • The Aurat March Multan chapter is monitoring the Iran war situation
  • Freedom Network is monitoring press freedom violations related to the incident
  • The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan is working with Aurat March organizers
  • Aurat March organizers are demanding an investigation into the incident and calling for accountability

Why it matters

  • This incident represents a significant escalation in state suppression of feminist activism in Pakistan, marking the harshest crackdown in the Aurat March's eight-year history. The use of colonial-era Section 144 provisions to prevent peaceful assembly directly contradicts constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly (Articles 16 and 19), highlighting the tension between authoritarian control measures and fundamental democratic rights. The arrests create a chilling effect on civil society organizing and women's rights advocacy, particularly troubling given that the crackdown occurred on International Women's Day while government officials simultaneously issued statements celebrating women's rights. The incident also exposes broader issues of state priorities, as activists note that authorities aggressively target peaceful protesters while more serious crimes go unaddressed, undermining the rule of law and democratic freedoms in Pakistan.

What's next

  • The Aurat March Multan chapter will announce their march date soon, after monitoring the Iran war situation
  • The Karachi chapter has scheduled their march for Mother's Day on May 10
  • The planned march in Multan will be dedicated to imprisoned human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari and Hadi Chatta
  • Organizers are demanding an investigation into the March 8 incident

Read full article from source: Global Voices

Authorities push back against International Women’s Day march in Pakistan