The organizers of the Women’s March in the federal capital have said that they will go ahead with their proposed program despite not getting formal permission from the administration, and a rally will be taken out from the National Press Club to D Chowk today.
Human rights activist Dr. Farzana Bari said that like previous years, we will demonstrate outside the National Press Club (NPC), and will try to march towards D Chowk (on the occasion of International Women’s Day).
Dr. Farzana Bari, one of the main organizers of the march, said that she had submitted a formal application to the Islamabad administration several months ago, seeking permission to march from NPC to D Chowk, but has not yet received an NOC for the program.
She said that the organizers of the march have also written a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, requesting him to direct the Islamabad administration to issue an NOC for the program.
Dr Farzana Bari said that instead of granting permission, the administration is asking to postpone the event in view of the holy month of Ramadan.
She said that the organizers have already decided that the event will be completed with simplicity, without any music or other fanfare, to respect the sanctity of the holy month.
She said that it would not be possible for them to give up their right to celebrate this day, which comes only once a year.
She said that a call has been given to the participants to gather in front of the Press Club at 1 pm, and they will try to march towards D Chowk around 4 pm.
In their open letter posted on Instagram, the organizers of the march informed the Prime Minister that despite countless attempts to obtain NOC for the past 6 years, they have been “deprived of protection and the right to protest”.
The letter states that in the past, our organizers have faced brutality at the hands of religious fundamentalist groups, the police, and the Islamabad administration, which has sent a very negative message to the international community about the situation of women’s rights in Pakistan.
