The High Court of Lahore (LHC) granted authorization to the march of Aurat, scheduled for February 12, following petitions deposited by activist Leena Ghani and others.
The hearing, chaired by judge Anwar Hussain, saw the government’s legal representative submitting a letter confirming security agreements for the event. The court asked the authorities to provide full security measures for participants.
The organizers had filed a petition against the outrage against the assistant commissioner of Lahore, Syed Musa Raza and other officials for having failed to process their request in a timely time, reported Express News.
The petitioners, including eminent activists Khawar Mumtaz, Leena Ghani, Neelam Hussain, Fatima Jan and Shereen Umair, had approached the high court of Lahore after their request for walking, submitted in January, had not been acted.
They accused officials of delaying the event using “tactics of dilators” and not implementing an order of the court in 2023 requiring the facilitation of the march.
During a hearing, judge Anwaar Hussain was informed that the authorization of the march had been granted and that the authorities would guarantee adequate security for the event.
The Ministry of Education will provide additional support for the demonstration, which will be held on its traditional Lahore Press Club route to Edgerton Road.
The petitioners had previously argued that the delay violated their fundamental right to the freedom of assembly and expression, guaranteed by articles 16 and 19 of the Constitution of Pakistan.
The court had ordered in 2023 that the competent authorities facilitate the organizers of March.
In a letter to the court, the additional sub-commissioner confirmed that “infallible security” provisions had been taken for the march, which should now take place on February 12, a date chosen to commemorate the National Women’s Day in Pakistan.
The march will star in activists of various communities and will raise awareness of gender issues, including women’s rights and discrimination. It should attract large crowds through Lahore and Pakistan.
Despite the legal victory, some organizers and participants expressed their concerns concerning the challenges they were faced with the approval of the event. However, they are now focusing on the guarantee that walking takes place peacefully, with full participation
