In a strongly-worded tweet, Mazari said: “women like other segments of society have a right to peacefully protest [and] [to] demand their rights already enshrined in our Constitution”.
Our govt is committed to ensuring an end to discrimination against & harassment of women & has put in place programmes, policies & legislative measures to empower women & girls.
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) March 2, 2020
The human rights minister asserted the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s commitment to ensure an end to discrimination and harassment of women. She said the federal government has put in place programmes, policies and legislative measures to empower women.
Mazari is seemingly referring to Jamat-e-Ulema-e-Islami chief Maualna Fazlur Rehman telling his followers to stop the Aurat March from taking place.
In a video uploaded on Fazl's Twitter account, he can be heard telling his supporters that when they see "these types of elements" they should alert security forces. He continued that if the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) are the ones providing security to the women rallying, then his supporters should take it upon themselves to stop those rallying by force.
وطن عزیز میں انسانی حقوق کے نام پر قرآن وسنت کو روندنے اور اپنی تہذیب و روایات کو پامال کرنے کی اجازت کسی صورت نہیں دے سکتے pic.twitter.com/0rsbkeie4u
— Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman (@MoulanaOfficial) February 29, 2020
His statement has been widely criticised on social media.
Hardline cleric Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of JUI-F, tells activists & supporters to stop #AuratMarch2020 by force if necessary as according to him, women marching for equal rights & end to gender-based violence promotes vulgarity. This is incitement to violence... pic.twitter.com/KHbGIgdiwm
— Bilal Farooqi (@bilalfqi) February 29, 2020
Maulana Fazl openly threatening #AuratMarch2020 with violence.
— Sikander Fayyaz Bhadera (@SikanderFayyaz) February 29, 2020
Government must ensure that these goons do not harm participants of the march and do not hinder them, in anyway, from exercising their constitutional right of peaceful assembly. https://t.co/k2kUJV1iO3
So, Maulana Fazlur Rehman - aka champion of democracy - wants to stop the Aurat March and the US signs an Afghan peace deal with the veritable arm of the ISI...
— Bilal Lakhani (@MBilalLakhani) March 1, 2020
Not a great weekend to be a desi liberal... pic.twitter.com/YiOqhAPwAn
The Aurat March has garnered strong reactions from some segments of the society with one individual approaching the Lahore High Court seeking to regulate the march and restrain active social media advertisement of "such anti-state activities".
The petitioner also asked the bench to promulgate Punjab Red Zone (Establishment and Security) Act 2018 to regulate protests such as Aurat March.
He said women's day itself should be to recognise and appreciate women for their achievements and show solidarity with those battling cruelty, discrimination and violence but warned them against crossing limits by criticising and abusing men.
Petitioner said the rally had garnered backlash last year over "offensive" messages. He said on prima facie the march is a miss-direction and a failed attempt to raise grave issues commonly faced by women that include “education of women, career building, equal pay, a safer environment free from sexual molestation and harassment”.
He argued that "various anti-state parties" were funding the march for the sole purpose of spreading anarchy. "Their hidden agenda includes spreading anarchy, vulgarity and hatred" against religious norms.
The LHC has sought replies from the federal government, deputy inspector general (DIG) operations, and the Cybercrime Cell of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in the matter.
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