The organisers of Aurat March Islamabad have stated their intention to request a “holiday” on International Women’s Day.

At a press conference held at the National Press Club, they stated that they had submitted an application for a no objection certificate (NOC) to hold the march outside the National Press Club before Ramazan but had not received approval.

They mentioned that they wrote to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to address the issue, but have yet to receive a response.

It has always been the approach of administration, they said and added that the organisers have decided not to further pursue the process and hold the ‘march’ in front of the National Press Club with or without NOC since the orgainisers have to announce the venue and organise resources.

The press conference was held under the theme ‘Feminist Politics vs. Patriarchal State.’

Social activists, including Dr Farzana Bari, Huda Burghari, Nishat Maryam, Zainab Jamil and Jiya Jaggi, put forward certain demands, which are as follows:

• Aurat March Islamabad called for an “immediate halt to state silencing and the repeal of oppressive laws,” including the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act (PAPO) 2024, as well as amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), which “limit fundamental rights” such as freedom of speech, assembly, and association.

• The collective urged an end to the “enforced disappearances of human rights activists and journalists from Baloch, Pashtun, and Sindhi communities.”

• The organisers “strongly condemned the forced deportation of Afghan refugees,” warning that such actions could result in human rights violations.

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• They emphasised the need to tackle the “environmental crisis” and called for the cessation of “environmentally damaging projects like ‘Green Pakistan’.”

• They demanded an “end to the persecution of minorities.”

• Aurat March organisers called for the elimination of child marriages, stringent enforcement of laws against violence, and complete implementation of the Transgender Rights Protection Act.