It looks like nothing is going in PTI’s way at the moment. They have a number of leaders behind bars, cases registered against their chairman Imran Khan and workers are trying to escape arrests, especially after May 9 events.
During these hiccups, the supporters are pointing out soft targets to release some of their frustration.
Aurat March is on PTI supporters’ radar at the moment who believe that they should have done more than just statements on recent actions against their women workers.
There are a number of tweets, calling out the movement’s organisers and some renowned journalists for not playing their part in it.
Journalist Athar Kazmi is apparently one of them. He tried to call out the Aurat March organisers at Aaj News show Faisla Aap Ka, but was abruptly stopped in his track by Mosharraf Zaidi, who got triggered as the former named the feminists first while speaking about those who were “exposed” in recent political developments.
“Every class has been exposed in the county in the last year,” said Kazmi. “Your feminists got exposed, your so-called liberals were exposed.”
Zaidi instantly said, “How the feminists came first”.
A couple of days ago, Siddique Jan called out the Aurat March organisers as well, however, he deleted the tweet due to inappropriate language.
Similarly, some other Twitter users shared photos of a woman being dragged by police officers and called out the movement organisers over the issue.
“Waiting for your comments please,” Tayyab Raza wrote on Twitter.
Another user Ahsan Mir shared a picture of female PTI supporters locked up in a police prison van and wrote: “Better than many Aurat March wali Munafiq ladies!”
Malik Azam claimed that female political workers are being sexually harassed in lockups in Pakistan and he didn’t hear any reaction from “Aurat March”.
In a tweet, Aurat March organisers had not only denounced state violence and ‘military interference in politics’ but also show concerns over the developing situation.
“Aurat March Karachi, Islamabad, Multan, and Lahore denounce state violence & military interference in politics. We’re deeply troubled by the political impasse, plunging Pakistan into uncertainty, amplifying the struggles of the working class, especially women,” they wrote on Twitter.
Aaj News talked to Aurat March Karachi. One of their organizers, who wishes to remain anonymous to avoid online harassment, stated that many people have found an “easy new way” of putting the blame on feminists.
“If someone got rapped, it is on feminists; if someone gets killed, it is on feminists; got kidnapped? it is on feminists. Whatever happens in society, the blame is on feminists,” she told Aaj News. “Interestingly, these things come into recognition due to feminists, not only in Pakistan but worldwide. And the feminist movement in Pakistan is not limited to Aurat March. We, feminists, have been raising voice against injustice throughout Pakistan’s history.”
She went on to blame such a mindset under which feminists are blamed whether they raise their voice against the incident or not.
“We try to address and try to change society time and time again through organised campaigns. It is frustrating to see how the blame falls on just feminists,” she said.
She was of the view that it was not possible for the organisation to issue a statement on every issue. “This is a very privileged stance. Ather Kazmi, whoever he is, a journalist or analyst…it is easy for him to say that feminists have shown their true colours just because they haven’t protested on the streets,” she said, adding that her organisation did issue a statement on the issue to condemn it.
She stressed the need for getting the solution to such an issue.
As far as PTI and the current situation are concerned, the March organizer said the organizing committee has cleared its stance on that through the statement. She added that they have no party affiliation.
“Let’s suppose Aurat March called in a protest in solidarity with PTI, and in a few year’s time PTI came back in power and restored to its previous agenda, then if we protest during their tenure, won’t they come to say that we are running an agenda?” she asked.
