The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan announced it will file a writ petition against the actions of the Islamabad police after a peaceful Women March was reportedly met with force and mass detentions on International Women’s Day. At a press conference held at the National Press Club Islamabad, HRCP Secretary General Haris Khalique and march organiser Dr Farzana Bari described what they called state violence and severe mistreatment of participants and supporters.
Speakers said the Women March had been planned as a peaceful demonstration and that organisers had sought a no objection certificate weeks in advance but received no response. They argued that, as Pakistani citizens, they have a constitutional right to assemble and express their views and added that restrictive measures cannot curtail those rights without legal challenge.
According to HRCP and organisers, Islamabad police conducted arrests at the march and at multiple police stations where supporters had gone to seek information or help. Many women were allegedly subjected to physical harassment, including hair pulling and beatings, and were held in overcrowded lockups where conditions made breathing difficult. Organisers reported that dozens were detained for hours and that officers used rough tactics against minors and elderly participants alike.
Those detained included people ranging in age from 14 to 73, with organisers reporting approximately 35 men and 44 women in custody. The group says two pregnant women and girls as young as 14 and 16 were among those reportedly mistreated. Police also allegedly confiscated mobile phones and personal items and compelled detainees to unlock phones so messages and personal data could be examined.
HRCP and march organisers demanded an independent investigation into the conduct of the Islamabad police and called for accountability for officers implicated in the reported abuses. They said they will challenge any laws or administrative measures that limit peaceful assembly and freedom of expression and will pursue remedies through the courts.
Journalist Farhat Fatima recounted attempts to cover the events at the women police station where she said she identified herself as press. She described being taken to the lockup area, facing attempts to seize her mobile phone and later being detained in a room where officers from the Anti-Terrorism Squad and Special Branch accused the group of working against the state and violating Article 144.
Organisers and human rights advocates present at the press conference warned that the reported actions by the Islamabad police represent a worrying escalation in the restriction of civic space for women’s rights activism and pledged to continue legal and public advocacy on behalf of those detained and harmed.
