Lahore court reserves verdict on petition seeking FIR against Aurat March participants

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According to a police report submitted in court, there had been no illegal or immoral act committed in the march in front of Governor House Punjab on International Women's Day. ─ Photo courtesy Amnesty International/File
According to a police report submitted in court, there had been no illegal or immoral act committed in the march in front of Governor House Punjab on International Women's Day. ─ Photo courtesy Amnesty International/File

A sessions court in Lahore on Wednesday reserved its verdict on a petition seeking the registration of a first information report against the participants of the Aurat March this year for an alleged immoral and unconstitutional act.

Amina Malik of the Civil Society Network filed a petition under section 22-A and 22-B of the Code of Criminal Procedure pleading that an application had been submitted with the Civil Lines station house officer (SHO) for registration of an FIR against Aurat March participants, but the SHO was reluctant to lodge a case.

The petitioner argued through her lawyer that participants had displayed placards with immoral slogans. The lawyer claimed that the act was against the Constitution and Islamic injunctions, and asked the court to order the police to lodge a case against the participants.

On May 6, the judge had issued notices to the Lahore capital city police officer (CCPO) and the police complaint redressal cell with regards to the petition for May 14.

During today's hearing by Additional District and Sessions Judge Amir Habib, District Complaint Officer (DCO) Superintendent of Police (SP) Faisal Mukhtar submitted the police's response to the petition in court.

According to the police report, there had been no illegal or immoral act committed in the march in front of Governor House Punjab on International Women's Day. It added that a case could not be registered for taking out a peaceful rally.

The court subsequently reserved its verdict in the case.

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