ike every year, activists, students and civil society members started gathering in the Super Market in F-6 area for the annual Aurat March on International Women’s Day. They were in for a surprise: police had soon detained dozens of the participants even before the rally could begin. Photographs of the venue and prison vans quickly went viral.

According to the organisers, volunteers and activists had assembled peacefully ahead of the planned march towards the National Press Club when police intervened and took several participants into custody.

Those detained were taken to a nearby women’s police station. Videos circulating on social media showed the participants being escorted into police vehicles while chanting slogans affirming women’s rights.

Media reports suggested that several participants were pushed, dragged or beaten; that mobile phones were snatched away; and they were confined in a crowded lock-up. Family members were reportedly not allowed to meet the. People who gathered outside the police station to seek information about their relatives and friends were also taken into custody. Even some lawyers and journalists, who attempted to meet the detained activists, were detained.

“The girls were manhandled and beaten. They were taken into custody and shifted to a women’s police station. When their relatives and friends reached there, they were also locked up. The girls were baton charged, their hair was pulled and they were forced to sign fake [sic] affidavits,” Human Rights Commission of Pakistan secretary general Haris Khaliq told a press conference the next day.

He said that Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar and Senator Sherry Rehman had later played a role in facilitating their release.

The arrests drew immediate criticism from civil society organisations and rights groups. Many pointed to the irony of detaining women activists on a day globally dedicated to celebrating women’s rights and empowerment.

Every year on International Women’s Day, activists, students, workers and rights campaigners gather in various cities of Pakistan for the Aurat March. Since its inception in 2018, the march has been a platform to highlight issues ranging from gender-based violence and workplace discrimination to reproductive rights and economic inequality.

In its early years, the march was widely seen as a platform where women, particularly young women from diverse backgrounds, could raise issues often considered taboo.

The participants spoke openly about domestic violence, workplace harassment, reproductive health and unequal access to economic opportunities.

However, the movement soon drew attention from conservative quarters. Certain placards and slogans, particularly those advocating bodily autonomy, triggered strong reactions from such groups. In some instances, activists alleged that placards were deliberately misrepresented or doctored on social media, fuelling outrage and hostility against the participants.

Over the years, opposition to the march has become more organised. Online campaigns have targeted organisers, accusing them of promoting agendas considered incompatible with cultural or religious values. Some women activists have reported receiving abusive messages, threats and personal attacks on social media platforms.

The pressure has not been confined to the digital sphere. Complaints have been filed with the police against organisers. Some Aurat March committees have had to approach courts to secure permission for the event. Obtaining a no-objection certificate from local administrations has become harder.

The arrests drew immediate criticism from civil society organisations and rights groups. Many pointed to the irony of detaining women activists on a day dedicated to celebrating women’s rights and empowerment.

Counter-events have been organised in some years by groups opposed to the march. As a result, security concerns have become a recurring feature of the planning process, with organisers negotiating with authorities over routes, scheduling and crowd management.

For organisers, the arrests this year once again highlighted the difficult terrain they navigate regularly. Addressing a press conference Farzana Bari said the administration’s refusal to grant permission was a recurring issue.

“This is not new. Every year we apply for an NOC almost a month in advance. The administration refuses to issue the certificate, citing security concerns,” she said.

Bari acknowledged that Section 144 had been imposed in Islamabad at the time. However, she claimed that restrictions on public assembly could not override constitutional rights.

“We are not ready to accept any law that goes against the constitutional rights. We are not prepared to be securitised in the name of security,” she said. She vowed that the march would take place on the same day next year.

Aurat March representatives had earlier addressed a press conference on March 7 at the National Press Club, announcing that this year’s theme for the Islamabad march was Feminist Constitution.

They had also condemned US and Israeli attacks against Iran.

Speaking to The News on Sunday, Bari said the organisers had submitted a formal application to the inspector general of police and the district administration seeking an inquiry into alleged abuse and harassment by Islamabad police.

“It was not just physical violence. Humiliating language was used against the participants. The way body searches were conducted is illegal and cannot be justified,” she said.

The organisers have also demanded the removal of the station house officer of the women’s police station where the detained activists were taken.

Bari said if the police or district administration failed to meet the demands, the organisers would pursue legal remedies.

“We will approach the Federal Constitutional Court if necessary. We will also write to and seek meetings with the National Commission on the Status of Women, the Women Parliamentary Caucus, the National Commission for Human Rights and the Ministry of Human Rights. Our lawyers are exploring legal options,” she said.

Lawyer Syeda Kashmala, who said she was manhandled and detained for attempting to meet the detainees as their legal representative, said the experience was “deeply traumatic.” She said those detained included children, pregnant women and elderly citizens.

She recalled meeting two women in the lock-up who had come to participate in the march for the first time. “The girls thought the police were there to protect them. When they approached the police to ask about the exact location of the march, they were detained instead,” Kashmala said.

“They were dragged by their hair, humiliated and detained despite committing no crime and forced to sign undertakings not participate in such activities in the future. While they were signing the affidavits, policewomen made videos of them.”

Kashmala also said she had filed a complaint through the Islamabad police helpline 1715to report abuse of authority but had not received a response. She said she was considering pursuing the matter in a court.

Islamabad administration officials have defended the police action, stating that the detentions were made because the gathering violated restrictions imposed under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The law allows designated authorities to temporarily prohibit public gatherings in specific areas to maintain law and order.

When contacted by TNS, the Press Information Department said that the administration was not opposed to peaceful demonstrations but prior permission was required due to the restrictions in place. It said that the restrictions had been imposed due to security concerns in the capital.

“Despite these directions, the protesters attempted to force their way onto. Therefore action was taken. However, taking a lenient view, no FIR was registered and the participants were released the same day,” the Ministry of Information said.

The writer is a reporter for The News International