KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has lamented over the wrong use of the blasphemy laws to harass the Aurat March organizers following the rally on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
During a meeting with organizers of the Aurat March’s Karachi chapter, the PPP Chairman said women’s powerful voices during the Aurat March 2021 “challenged those who refuse their abilities.
He said in this gloomy environment, women, especially working women have organized themselves and emerged as a powerful force, adding that for the last decade, the role of women in all movements has remained important and prominent.
“The mistreatment of blasphemy laws by certain forces to target women marchers is deplorable. Bilawal said following a briefing on Aurat March’s security concerns and other issues in the context of false propaganda and doctored videos.
Bilawal Bhutto said noting that women’s role is vital in all walks of life, he was “happy” that organizers of the Aurat March 2021 highlighted the frustrations and issues of Pakistani women.
کراچی: چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو زرداری کی عورت مارچ کے منتظمین سے بلاول ہاؤس میں ہونے والی ملاقات میں خواجہ سرا کمیونٹی کے نمائندے نے بھی مسائل سے آگاہ کیا
کراچی: چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو زرداری اور پی پی پی کی حقوقِ نسواں سے متعلق مسلسل حمایت پر عورت مارچ کے منتظمین کا اظہارِ تشکر
— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) March 17, 2021
On this occasion, representatives of the transgender community and non-binary folks were also present in the meeting and appraised the PPP chair of the issues they face both on a daily basis and in the aftermath of the rally.
He also mentioned the courageous role of his mother, the late Benazir Bhutto, when the Aurat March organizers spoke of the threats they were constantly receiving.
The organizers thanked Bilawal for his continued support for women’s rights,” the party said on Twitter, adding that he listened to their demands and assured them of the Sindh government’s continued support for their cause.
Earlier, images and videos published on different social media platforms’ by unknown individuals shortly after Aurat March 2021 — Women’s March — was held in different cities across the country caused controversy.
Several people considered it was happening due to the organizers, edited to include subtitles that maliciously misinterpreted different words in their chants that have resonated year after year.
various doctored videos and images — part of what Pakistani activists termed was misinformation — had generated anger on social media and led to rallies, especially in federal capital Islamabad, demanding legal action against the Aurat March organizers.
جب آزادی کے نعرے گونجے:
ماہی گیر کا نعرہ، ڈاکٹر کا نعرہ
سندھی کا نعرہ، بلوچ کا نعرہ
پشتون کا نعرہ، گلگت کا نعرہ
پنجاب بھی مانگے، یہ سندھی مانگے آزادی
بلوچ بھی مانگے آزادی
پشتون بھی مانگے آزادی
ہر عورت مانگے
ہر مزدور مانگے آزادی
کسان مانگے آزادی
ہر بچہ مانگے آزادی pic.twitter.com/dWPNA2CZJR— Aurat March – عورت مارچ (@AuratMarchKHI) March 10, 2021
