Pakistan: Aurat March baton charged by Islamabad police as world celebrates Women’s Day

Pakistan's Islamabad Police on Wednesday allegedlybaton-charged participants in the Aurat March, an action which was widely condemned by the country's Human Rights Commission along with many other politicians and former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Since the first Aurat March in Pakistan, which was taken out in 2018 in Karachi, the women of the country have been holding the march annually in various cities to mark the International Women’s Day on March 8 every year.

As the world marks this special day to voice support for women in theirfight for their rights, Wednesday in Pakistan, started with videos surfacing online wherein the police were seen using water canons on women and obstructing the Aurat March.

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While posting one such video where a police officer was pushing a female participant back, Pakistan Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman wrote, “The Islamabad police had no business baton-charging a small peaceful procession."

“It is the women holding laathis that need to be pushed back, not progressive women. Sad to see this happening. I will seek an inquiry,” she added.

The Punjab home department has already imposed Section 144, barring public demonstrations and gatherings. This came ahead of Wednesday's PTI election rally and Aurat March.Several PTI workers have also been detained in the Zaman Park neighbourhood for breaking Section 144, according to a Geo News report.

Punjrush which is one of the march’s organisers said, “They started pushing us so we started to push back...and then they started fighting and we started fighting and it just got confusing.”

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The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also rebuked the alleged use of force by the Islamabad Police. “Women have as much right to peaceful assembly as any citizen. The police are supposed to provide security to the marchers, not to resort to violence against peaceful demonstrators,” the commission said.

Pakistan’s interior minister Rana Sanaullah tweeted on Wednesday after the ruckus that Islamabad Police have been summoned and strict legal action will be taken.

After the social media was flooded with visual reports coming out of Pakistan, Islamabad Police said Inspector General Islamabad Dr Akbar Nasir Khan had taken notice of the incident. The police also sought a report from the DIG operations.

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The Islamabad Police apologised for the incident and wrote, “The Islamabad police standwith the participants of the march for the struggle and protection of women’s rights.”

Scores of PTI workers were taken into police custody on Mall Road for violating Section 144. He further said that all roads leading to PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s Zaman Park residence had been cordoned off. Water cannons were used in an effort to dispel PTI workers while police officials also smashed the windows of their cars.

Meanwhile, several PTI activists were detained by police for breaking Section 144. PTI chairman Imran Khan's Zaman Park mansion had all access routes cordoned off. PTI workers were chased away using water cannons, and police officers allegedly broke the windows of their vehicles.

Earlier, Islamabad high court (IHC) on Wednesday trashed a petition challenging the permission granted to organisers to hold Aurat March.

(With inputs from agencies)

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