[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text dp_text_size=”size-4″]The Lahore High Court approved the Women’s Day event on Tuesday after successful negotiations between the Aurat March organisers and the municipal administration, with the latter being instructed to make sure that the march does not include any offensive slogans or illegal conduct.
Rights activists Leena Ghani, Khawar Mumtaz, and Hiba Akbar have submitted a petition against the Lahore administration’s refusal of permission for the Aurat March to take place outside Nasser Bagh.
Deputy Commissioner Rafia Haider and other police representatives appeared before the court to inform Justice Anwaar Hussain that the authorization had been declined due to security concerns raised by the district intelligence committee.
The Pakistan Super League was being conducted in the Qaddafi Stadium, according to the deputy commissioner, who said that security arrangements had already kept the police busy.
Notwithstanding the government’s professed security concerns, the judge questioned the political rallies that were taking place in the city. He claimed the police were always ready to spring into action anytime a political personality appeared before the courts.
Read More: Aurat March organisers demand increased spending on health and education.
According to the deputy commissioner, the previous year’s Aurat March resulted in a law and order scenario.
The march could take place in front of the Lahore Press Club, a police officer said.
According to Judge Hussain, it is the administration’s duty to uphold law and order. Also, he counselled the march organisers to exercise responsibility and work with the authorities.
The judge instructed the city administration to meet with the petitioners and come up with an agreed-upon plan while noting that similar disputes were brought to court every year. He began hearing again
The petitioners were represented by attorney Asad Jamal and Sabahat Rizvi, secretary of the LHC Bar Association.
According to the attorney, the deputy commissioner denied the petitioners’ request and forbade them, along with thousands of other women, from participating in a legal and peaceful Aurat March on International Women’s Day.
He claimed that the DC’s contested order was an arbitrary and dishonest use of its authority and a blatant breach of the Constitutionally protected fundamental rights of the people.
According to him, the petitioners’ basic right to legal assembly could not be restricted unless it interfered with the rights of other citizens.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
