ACP’s dance event had nothing to do with that of Aurat March, SHC told

The Arts Council of Pakistan on Tuesday denied that its dance event had any link with the Aurat March, which was organised by separate organisation.

Filing comments on a petition against holding of an alleged controversial dance event at the ACP, ACP secretary Ejaz Ahmed Farooqi submitted that Arts Council had organised the event with purpose to honour Pakistani film music.

He submitted that the theme of the event was to pay tribute to Pakistani Sufi and film music and it was an event open to families to attend. He said artists performed culturally significant folk Sufi dances choreographed over old Pakistani films songs.

He further noted that the entire petition was based on an alleged event that took place during the Aurat March at the Frere Hall this month, whereas the ACP has no link with the Aurat March.

A division bench, headed by Chief Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi, inquired the provincial law officer whether other respondents had filed comments on the petition.

Federal and provincial law officers sought time to file comments on the petition. The court directed the deputy commissioner od District South and other respondents to file comments on the petition on the next date of the hearing.

Petitioner Samina Rizwan and other women rights activists submitted in the petition that the dance event “Dance Junction volume 2” was held under the auspicious of the ACP in collaboration with Wahab Shah’s company on March 8 with sub-title “Dance to express yourself”.

They submitted that various advertisements for collecting donations and calling volunteers for the Aurat March were made available on social media platforms and the ACP website.

The petitioners remarked that highly objectionable writing on placards were displayed by women folk and young girls at the event on public roads, which was not only against Islamic injunctions but also in clear violation of the provisions of the Constitution.