Why Pakistan's Lahore admin denied permission for 'Aurat March' but allowed 'Haya March'?

The HRCP has criticised the Lahore district administration for rejecting Aurat March organisers permission to hold a public rally.

The Lahore administration in Pakistan has denied permission to a march planned by a women's group called 'Aurat'. On the occasion of Women's Day on March 8, 'Aurat' had planned to conduct a march, but it was opposed by a section of people and another group called 'Haya'. Surprisingly, the local administration has granted permission to conduct a march for 'Haya'.

Lahore's Deputy Commissioner Rafia Haider said that allowing 'Aurat' group to march might lead to clashes with members of Jamaat-i-Islami's 'Haya March', which is conducted by religious groups in protest against 'Aurat' group which has reportedly got permission to conduct march around Nasser Bagh in Lahore on March 8.

"Following the current security scenario, threat alerts and law and order situation, and in the light of activities like controversial cards and banners for awareness of women's rights and the strong reservation of the general public and religious organizations, especially JI's women's and student wings, who had also announced a program against the Aurat March," Dawn quoted the top cop as saying in a statement.

She further explained that the permission to the 'Aurat' group to carry out the march might result in clashes. Hence, the administration has denied permission to the feminist group for the holding of the Aurat March and Convention at Alhamra Hall, The Mall, and Aiwan-i-Iqbal, and a rally from the Lahore Press Club to Charing Cross, and also at a rally at Nasser Bagh, on March 8 to avoid any law and order situation or mishap.

Aurat March Response

The Aurat March organising committee slammed the local administration's refusal to hold the march. "The denial of NOC cites the 'Haya March' by the JI as the reason for denial. The DC herself acknowledges that the Jamaat has "announced a program against the Aurat March", yet it is the March that is being denied its constitutional right, not the group inciting violence.

"Not only are we being denied permission to gather at our chosen route (Nasir Bagh), the rejection further goes out of its way to foreclose all previous venues of the March such as Press Club, Alhamra, and Mall Road," a statement from the organisation said. The DC's actions are a "blatant denial of our fundamental rights" as a people's movement, it said.

"We do not require an NOC to exercise our constitutional right to march. There is no legitimate 'public order' rationale to prevent us from assembling, marching and making our voices heard. Last year (2022), Aurat March Lahore chose not to escalate things after the march was arbitrarily cut short by the district administration, despite being given an NOC. Permission was still given to violent and hateful groups to hold a counter-protest along the route of the march," it stated.

In a city where large crowds are allowed to gather for PSL, a peaceful gathering of women and gender minorities is being silenced and denied their constitutional right to assembly. Are cricket matches more important than issues of gender-based violence? it was questioned.

"We would like to remind the city admin that the courts have already upheld our right to hold Aurat March. In 2020, the Lahore & Islamabad high courts respectively upheld the march's constitutional right to speech & assembly & directed the government to grant permission. There is no doubt that we will march on March 8th because we will not cede the little space we have carved for ourselves for 6 years. We will march, upholding the rich history of Pakistani women and transgender activists defiantly fighting the systems that seek to oppress us," the Haya March said.

HRCP flays admin

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has criticised the Lahore district administration for rejecting Aurat March organisers permission to hold a public rally. "It is regrettable that their right to peaceful assembly is routinely challenged by the district administration because 'controversial' placards and 'strong reservations' from the public and religious organisations ostensibly create law-and-order risks. This is a poor defence," a statement from the organisation said. It urged the caretaker Punjab government to provide security to the 'Aurat' group to conduct the march.

Islamists up in arms against Aurat March

The Islamists in Pakistan do not want the government to give permission to the 'Aurat' group. "Aurat March is nothing but a political tool and fraud. It isn't even a "movement." It's just a bunch of few frustrated blue and pink haired Shabanas who get a chance to scream in the streets once a year. They don't represent the average woman's issues in Pakistan," a user said.

Another user said, "It is completely HARAM for Muslims to take part or support Aurat March. Their agenda is clear, to promote liberal values in Pakistan in the guise of women rights."

In the previous years as well, the march by the 'Aurat' group had faced backlash from Islamists in Pakistan.