Web Desk(National Times)- Police on Tuesday released seven Aurat March activists after briefly detaining them near Karachi Press Club (KPC), following orders from Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The activists were detained after they gathered at Karachi Press Club (KPC) for a press conference scheduled for 4pm to demand a no-objection certificate (NOC) for their upcoming annual march in Karachi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An Aurat March organiser confirmed to Dawn that seven people, including Sheema Kirmani and Shahzadi Rai, had been released. This came shortly after Lanjar ordered the metropolis\u2019 south zone police to release the detained activists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a post on X following the release, Aurat March Karachi said: \u201cWe will NOT back down from our politics, and we will continue to demand an NOC!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cScare tactics to suppress dissent are shameful!\u201d it said, demanding that the Sindh government issue a statement explaining the reason for the arrests and for the \u201cdelay\u201d in granting the NOC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shortly before 4pm, the rights group said three of its organisers were \u201cpicked up\u201d from KPC before they could even begin the press conference. In another post, it claimed that access to the press club had been blocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a subsequent post, Aurat March Karachi said \u201cseven organisers and volunteers have been arrested to stop them from reaching KPC!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe state is using all its tools to suppress a women\u2019s movement that works on cross-class issues of gender, violence and labour rights!\u201d it added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBooking a room and having a press conference within the walled confines of the press club is allowed even during Section 144!\u201d Aurat March Karachi pointed out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It sought to know what law the \u201cpeaceful activists\u201d were held under, as they were not protesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This year\u2019s Aurat March in Karachi is planned to be held at Sea View on Mother\u2019s Day (May 10), which is observed on the second Sunday of every May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Sunday, the organisers said they had sent a letter to PPP\u2019s Aseefa Bhutto Zardari \u201cafter receiving no positive response from the authorities\u201d on their request for an NOC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Systematic denial of public space\u2019
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and other activists strongly condemned the detentions of Aurat March activists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The HRCP noted that the incident was not an \u201cisolated overreach but rather part of a broader and deeply troubling pattern: the systematic denial of public space to citizens seeking to articulate their rights\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This echoed the HRCP\u2019s findings from its annual report for 2025, which noted that reports of intimidation and restrictions on movement contributed to a climate of fear and self-censorship, limiting public discourse and obscuring human rights violations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On today\u2019s detentions, the HRCP highlighted that the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression were constitutionally guaranteed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPreventing citizens, particularly women and marginalised groups, from even convening a press conference reflects an increasingly repressive approach to governance, where dissent is treated as a threat rather than a democratic necessity,\u201d it stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Digital rights activist Nighat Dad said, \u201cSindh Government \u2014 this is on you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tagging the ruling PPP\u2019s X account, she said, \u201cYou cannot claim to be progressive while silencing women on the streets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Echoing Aurat March Karachi\u2019s stance, lawyer and rights activist Jibran Nasir asked how Section 144 of the PPC \u201cprohibits access to KPC\u201d and under what law \u201cpress conferences have been banned\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Web Desk(National Times)- Police on Tuesday released seven Aurat March activists after briefly detaining them near Karachi Press Club (KPC), following orders from Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar. The activists were detained after they gathered at Karachi Press Club (KPC) for a press conference scheduled for 4pm to demand a no-objection certificate (NOC) for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":125326,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-125325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n