Aurat March activists detained in Islamabad before IWD annual march
-
- Zoya Anwer
- 1 Minute ago
ISLAMABAD: Police detained several women’s rights activists, including members of the Aurat March movement, in Islamabad on Sunday ahead of a rally planned for International Women’s Day.
According to police officials, the activists were taken into custody from the Super Market area in Sector F-6, where participants had begun gathering before the march was scheduled to start.
Aurat March Islamabad posted a video on its official Instagram account claiming that organisers and volunteers had been detained while attempting to organise what it described as a peaceful demonstration. The footage showed a number of women, including prominent rights activist Dr Farzana Bari, seated inside what appeared to be a police vehicle.
Police sources confirmed to Dawn that Dr Bari was among those taken into custody. Officials said the detentions were carried out because Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code was in force in the federal capital at the time. Section 144 allows local authorities to temporarily prohibit public gatherings of four or more people in a designated area.
They also added that NOC was not granted to the participants ahead of the march. However, a source close to the organisers said that while NOC was not granted, there was an informal agreement that the march would be allowed to be held peacefully.
In videos shared online, organisers alleged that relatives and legal representatives were initially prevented from meeting the detained activists. In a later post, Aurat March Islamabad also claimed that police had taken into custody family members and others who had gathered outside the police station.
Lathi Charge
Reporting from the scene on March 8, 2026, Independent Urdu journalist Ramna Saeed described a tense and volatile environment at a local police station: “Upon arriving with my team, I observed a heavy police presence, including several prisoner vans. Law enforcement officers were using physical force against individuals gathered in the station’s courtyard, systematically arresting anyone who approached.”
Ramna also witnessed firsthand an act of violence where a man was beaten with a baton. Despite the presence of female officers, a woman was also seen being forcibly dragged away by authorities.
“The situation escalated when our team attempted to document the events from a distance of approximately 30 to 40 feet. Police intervened and forced the team to shut down their camera, challenging the necessity of their reporting despite our credentials as a member of the international media,” she added.
Officers also reportedly questioned the significance of the event and why it required media coverage, failing to provide a clear legal reason for halting the recording: “To avoid being targeted or arrested, individuals began standing alone and at a distance from one another, as the police were actively arresting anyone perceived to be part of a group.”
Geo News journalist Azaz Syed tweeted that according to his sources the march was averted because a similar agreement was also reached with participants of Haya March and Jamia Hafsa representatives, who have in the past created difficulties for Aurat March organisers.
A day earlier, Aurat March representatives held a press conference at the National Press Club outlining the theme for this year’s march, “Feminist Constitution.” They also criticised the broader regional situation linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, arguing that geopolitical tensions were being framed through narratives about women’s rights.
The group reiterated demands for legal reforms, including the repeal of the Hudood Ordinance and recent constitutional amendments they said undermine democratic and gender rights protections.
You May Also Like
