ISLAMABAD: The Pakis­tan Bar Council (PBC) on Tuesday condemned the reported threats being hurled against organisers and participants of the Aurat March to be held on March 8.

PBC Vice Chairman Abid Saqi said in a statement that the uncalled for threats were contrary to the fundamental rights of citizens and constitute hate speech against women’s rights activities across the country.

According to the media reports, the organisers of the Aurat March being arranged to mark the International Women’s Day on March 8 have claimed that they had received death and rape threats on social media as well as from some religious groups.

PBC, the premier lawyer’s regulatory body, therefore, calls upon the relevant government institutions to provide security and safety to the Aurat March organisers and participants to ensure that they exercise their constitutional right to march and protest in a peaceful and safe manner, Mr Saqi said.

The PBC said in the statement that it endorsed the demands made by the Aurat March organisers being in line with fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.

The Aurat March Charter of Demands highlighted issues of violence and econo­mic deprivation against women, and all their demands were legitimate and within the bounds of the Constitution and the laws of Pakistan, Mr Saqi emphasised.

He said it was the fundamental right of every citizen to assemble in public places and mark their peaceful protest. The International Women’s Day was being observed in Pakistan for decades and there had been no instances of violence or unconstitutional activity at the Aurat March, he added.

In fact, the visibility and participation of women in public spaces was a sign of functioning democracy, Mr Saqi said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Peo­ples Party (PPP) Secretary General and former Senator Farhatullah Babar underlined that the Constitution guaranteed freedom of association and freedom of assembly to everyone that could not be curtailed by any one by hurling threats to the organisers and participants of the Aurat March.

Bakhtawar Bhutto-Zardari, the sister of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, has also extended full support to the Aurat March and slammed the elements who were threatening its organisers.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2020