Amnesty International called for authorities to grant permission after the Faisalabad Aurat March was cancelled allegedly due to pressure from the city administration, which refused organizers a 'no objection certificate' (NOC).
The march was being organised to raise voice against the tragic murder of Noor Mukadam and protest against the rising incidents of violence against women in the country.
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Last week, organisers of the Aurat March had applied to the Faisalabad district administration for a NOC. However, it was refused.
After the refusal, the Aurat March organizers cancelled the event and started an online campaign against the Faisalabad district administration's decision.
“It’s utterly sad that the system reacted against a peaceful and democratic March that was organized by students of the city. The administration seemed horrified by the popularity and solidarity by the peoples of the city and denied providing any sort of space and protection for a peaceful demonstration, rather, resorted to harassment and threat to the organizers," said the Aurat March Faisalabad chapter in a Facebook post.
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On Monday, Amnesty International South Asia called on the Pakistani government to grant permission to the Aurat March organizers to hold the protest.
"Amnesty International notes with serious concern the government’s decision to bar the AuratMarch protest in Faisalabad yesterday. The right to peaceful assembly is protected by all major human rights conventions and the Constitution of Pakistan," Amnesty International South Asia said in a Twitter message.
The Aurat March organisers also posted a charter of demands online, which stated that its objectives include an end to all gender-based violence and an end to the suppression of freedom of expression by patriarchal institutions.
The group demanded that the government should establish gender-based violence reporting cells, a toll-free helpline for reporting cases of domestic violence, special centers for abuse victims, and an end to incidents of honor killings.
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