SLAMABAD: Calling for gender-based violence to be declared a national emergency, organisers of the Women’s March on Thursday urged the government to declare March 8 International Women’s Day, as a national public holiday.

At a press conference held at the National Press Club, social activists, including Dr Farzana Bari, Huda Burghari, Nishat Maryam, Zainab Jamil and Jiya Jaggi, presented a set of demands addressing human rights, social justice and environmental concerns.

They called on the state to recognise gender-based violence as a national emergency and adopt a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of patriarchal violence. They demanded the eradication of child marriages, strict enforcement of laws against violence and full implementation of the Transgender Rights Protection Act. Additionally, they stressed the need for safeguarding the rights of religious minorities by providing them with equal opportunities in employment, education and healthcare. The organisers also urged immediate amendments to blasphemy laws to prevent their misuse and called for an end to the persecution of Christian, Hindu, Shia, and Ahmadi communities, ensuring their social, political and economic rights.

Criticising restrictions on their peaceful gatherings, the Women’s March organisers condemned the denial of their right to assembly and the constant threats and harassment they face. They expressed concerns over repeated obstacles in obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) for their events since 2020. They also rejected the proposal to relocate the march from the National Press Club to the Parade Ground, which is primarily used for military activities. They demanded that NOCs be issued for all current and future Women’s March activities without obstruction.

The organisers also strongly condemned the forced deportation of Afghan refugees, warning that such actions would lead to severe human rights violations. They urged the government to halt these deportations and instead implement policies that ensure the protection and legal status of Afghan refugees.

Furthermore, the government was urged to take immediate action against enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings targeting Baloch, Pashtun and Sindhi human rights activists, journalists and political dissenters. They also highlighted the urgent need to address the environmental crisis and demanded an end to environmentally harmful projects like “Green Pakistan.”

They ended their press conference with the reiteration of their demands for gender justice, minority rights, and the freedom to assemble peacefully without state interference. The organisers emphasised that Women’s March remained an independent, non-partisan and intersectional feminist movement committed to upholding fundamental rights and freedoms in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2025