ISLAMABAD: The government's chief spokesperson Firdous Ashiq Awan on Friday urged the participants of this year's iteration of the Aurat March to refrain from using slogans which are against "societal norms".
"Those slogans which do not belong to either our society, its norms, our religion or in any way in our home environments and which the mind does not accept [must be avoided]," said Awan, during a press conference in Islamabad.
"We will have to see who these handful of individuals are who are out to mislead the entire nation, more so our sisters and daughters."
The prime minister's special aide asked the Aurat March organisers "to march without transgressing the sanctity of our values".
She said she will be happy to march shoulder to shoulder with the participants.
Women and men from the civil society and all walks of life plan to take part in marches around the country on March 8 to demand rights for females. The march's slogans and placards have been criticised by a section of the society for being crude and featuring offensive language.
Reacting to Awan's statements, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's spokesperson Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar said that it had been proven that the PTI was the latest version of the Jamaat-e-Islami.
"We had earlier given the title of 'good looking Jamaati' to Imran Khan," he said. "The PTI has openly come out against women's rights."
He said that those who thought that the PTI was a progressive party were disappointed. "Sindh government will provide protection to women for Aurat March 2020," he said.
In a press conference a few days ago, the Aurat March 2020 organisers discussed at length their charter of demands for the upcoming demonstration. They spoke for economic participation of women, against transgender rape, called on the government to take action against forced conversions and minorities rights.
The march's organisers emphasised on the importance of women's sexual and reproductive rights, expressing regret that every 37 minutes a woman dies in Pakistan.
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