ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON "NAYA DAUR"
Nayha Jehangir Khan - March 10, 2020
On March 8, thousands of people came together to celebrate Women’s Day in all the major metropolises including Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Quetta. By noon they were cheering, singing, and chanting together surrounded by the security forces who were deployed in order to protect their freedom and uphold their right to hold a peaceful protest. The morning broadcasts of the Aurat March were colourful, joyful and exciting. The last chapter to start their proceedings late was Islamabad set to begin at 3:00 PM.
Hundreds of women, men, and families gathered near the intersection of Garden Road and Agha Khan Road. There were holding up their placards and banners, waiting to be led towards the origin point of the march. They steadily walked 400 meters to the Islamabad National Press Club ground, where they were met with hundreds of other attendees and the local media.
Watching them come into a unified formation, synchronised, ready to take charge their slogans were filling the air. Chanting to the beat of a singular drum, the atmosphere was euphoric and charged, for those few moments.
Far from TV and media’s constant bickering over the slogan ‘Mera Jism Meri Marzi’ (My Body, My Choice) there were these real people with genuine empathy and concern for their society. Their placards read a shared experience under this slogan forming a fierce female landscape of bravery, confidence and openness to dialogue. The crowds were beaming with warm smiles, passing joyful glances to each other, shoulder to shoulder they walked together in victory and solidarity.
Women’s voices soared through the air. Women Democratic Front (WDF) leader Ismat Raza Shahjahan, shared the struggles of organising against all odds. The intimidation they had received from opposing groups did not deter them from coming together to stand against patriarchy, capitalism, imperialism and colonialism. The opposing groups were trying to instill fear into the attendees of the Aurat March.
But the naysayers failed as people rejoiced, chanted and celebrated women fighting for their freedom from economic and societal oppression. Veteran activist Tahira Abdullah rang the proverbial alarm of standing up to misogyny and hatred towards women. She shared her forty years of experience fighting for human rights and women’s equality in Pakistan. Delivered a chilling speech that shared the brutal honesty and struggles of women in society.
The on-ground security had planted a separation on the dual carriage green island in hopes to subdue tension being caused by the standoff between Lal Masjid’s Haya March and The Aurat Azadi March, happening simultaneously, opposite to each other. The opposing group was holding their procession on the road that led to Democracy Chowk (D Chowk) leaving the Aurat March no other choice but to take a different route. The momentary disruption caused was soon overcome by the people reclaiming their public spaces by staying together and restarting their melodious chanting of slogans of freedom and courage.
Volunteerism was at the heart of the march, with dozens of men and women working in tandem with the security forces, to ensure that people were safe and taken care of throughout the attack. The daring voices of the courageous women of the Aurat Azadi March assured the attendees that everything was being taken care of, that they were safe. Among those leading the charge were Tooba Syed and Maria H. Malik.
People walked to D Chowk with their voices echoing in the streets of Islamabad. Their posters and placards raised, recovering together, and keeping their spirits high well into the night. At D Chowk, there was a recitation and performance of the Aurat March Anthem followed by socially conscious theatre that highlighted the issues and concerns for protecting women’s rights in Pakistan. An inspiring day in the history of Islamabad, where women stood up to the oppressing elements trying to dominate them in public space that should be shared by every man, woman and child without fear.
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