Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

‘Hijab marches’ compete with Pakistan’s International Women’s Day rallies

‘Hijab marches’ compete with Pakistan’s International Women’s Day rallies

Minister says women’s march violates Islamic values, prompting counter-events organised by religious groups

More than 1,000 veiled women attended marches to promote Islamic values in cities across Pakistan on International Women’s Day in an attempt to counter pro-gender equality rallies.

In Islamabad and Karachi, well-attended “hijab marches”, organised by religious groups, competed with those participating in aurat – Urdu for women – rallies, which call for an end to systemic discrimination in the country.

The aurat march has been held each year on 8 March – International Women’s Day – since 2018, and organisers have faced numerous death threats as well as accusations of taking foreign funding to promote obscenity.

Last month Pakistan’s minister for religious affairs, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri, opposed the aurat march, and said it violated Islamic values. He demanded that the prime minister, Imran Khan, rename 8 March as Hijab Day, which prompted Tuesday’s counter-marches.

Protesters take part in an aurat rally to mark International Women’s Day in Karachi on 8 March 2022.


“Every year on our day religious Islamist parties threaten our march and oppose it, but Pakistani women will continue our struggle and we will counter this opposition for our rights,” said Farzana Bari, one of the aurat organisers.

Hira Ali, a university student from Islamabad, where men hurled stones at marchers in 2020, said: “The Islamists came out to suppress our voice and we will not allow them to oppose our right to protest and we own our public space.

“The perpetrators of violence against women often walk away without facing punishments and we will fight against the injustices,” she said.

In the past there has been controversy among conservative and religious circles over the slogans and placards used in the march, primarily: “My body, my choice” and “Stop being menstrual-phobic”.

Authorities in Lahore urged organisers to cancel the event there on security grounds, and threatened not to provide security for the marchers, but after a legal challenge in the city’s high court the march went ahead.

A woman puts her view across on International Women’s Day in Karachi on 8 March 2022.


Fabricated videos and fake images of last year’s International Women’s Day march were circulated online and appeared on TV shows falsely accusing women of chanting blasphemous slogans, which carries the death penalty in Pakistan.

Over the past four years the aurat march organisers have claimed victories for gender equality, for example last year’s ban on the “virginity test” for female rape victims in Punjab. But the flood of threats and online abuse have led march organisers to deactivate their social media accounts.

Last year’s Global Gender Gap Report by the World Economic Forum ranked Pakistan 153 out of 156 countries.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Qatar Airways Clears Backlog of Passengers Following Missile Threats
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
×