very year, the Aurat March Islamabad faces hurdles; administrative delays, security restrictions, negative social media campaigns and counter-protests by conservative groups. Despite these barriers, the marchers continue to claim their space, making the guardians of patriarchal norms deeply uncomfortable.The 2025 Aurat March Islamabad was no different. It was met with road blocks, confiscated sound systems and bureaucratic refusals to issue a No Objection Certificate. But the women, and men, who marched did not stop. Instead, they responded with poetry, theatre and slogans that cut to the heart of not only gender oppression but also the overall depleting situation of human rights in the country.

The authorities’ resistance to the march reveals a deep-rooted fear: fear of women speaking up and fear of their resistance exposing the hypocrisy of the society and the system. The organisers were told to hold their march at Parade Ground—a space symbolic of state power and military might—rather than at the National Press Club, a traditional venue for civil protests. The organisers held a pre-march press conference where they refused to accept the offer calling it “a deliberate attempt to push annual gathering into a controlled and less visible space.” They also wrote a letter to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, requesting him to intervene.There was no answer.

Speaking at the press conference, the organisersemphasised that, since 2020, peaceful women marchers have been denied their right to assembly, facing harassment, threats and violence for attempting to march from Press Club to D-Chowk.They refused to be silenced. They announced that the march would go on, with or without the NOC.

Talking to TNS, Farzana Bari, one of the organisers, said that when authorities refuse to issue an NOC, it causes anxiety among the organisers. “As organisers, we carry a heavy responsibility for the safety of the participants. So, we were transparent about the risks, informing everyone that we had not received the NOC.”

Bari said, “The authorities not only refused to grant permission but also removed our sound system. People in plainclothes seized our truck and detained the driver. We quickly arranged for another vendor. This time, some of the organisers accompanied the truck. However, that too was taken away. At the same time, counter-marchers were permitted to use sound systems,” she said.

Despite this, the participants gathered to commemorate International Women Day on March 8, not just with banners and slogans, but also with art and performances that made their expression even more powerful. The mock funeralfor women’s rights, democracy, the judiciary, minority rights and climate justice was a striking indictment of the state’s failure to protect fundamental freedoms. The funeral was criticised by some rights activists who said that the struggle continues. Nonetheless, it forced the authorities and the onlookers to confront the issues.

Held with the theme of Feminist Politics vs Patriarchal State,Aurat March Islamabad presented a comprehensive list of demands addressing critical human rights, social justice and environmental issues.

About their decision to hold the mock funeral, Bari said, “As women of Pakistan, we feel that the state continues to betray us. There are no convictionsin cases of violence against women. The Executive and the Judiciary have failed to deliver justice to women. Democracy is on the verge of collapse. In terms of climate justice, look at Sindh. People have yet to recover from the last flood. Now, new threats, like the Green Pakistan Initiative, are increasing their vulnerability. Religious minorities continue to face persecution. We feel that the social contract between the 12 million women of Pakistan and the state is breaking. That is why we chose to hold the mock funeral.”

She said that this year, they were not expecting a large turnout due to Ramazan. “However, more women, and men, participated than we had anticipated.Notably, Jamaat-i-Islamiand the students from Lal Masjid did not organise counter-marches. This, I believe, reflects our growing resilience. Despite opposition and barriers, we have demonstrated that we will march on the same day and in the same place, undeterred,” she said. The organisers also noticed a more supportive environment for the slogans this year.They said it reflected greater public understanding and acceptance of their message.

The slogans carried by the marchers included: Apniiftarkhudbanao [Make your own iftar] and Main aisagharbanaongijahan say mujhay koi nanikalsakay [I will build a home from which no one can evict me], Hansitouphansi,keep your stupid assumptions to yourself.

Across the barricades, counter-protesters from a united student platform rejected the march for what they called its Western agenda. They said that the religion and the constitution acknowledged all basic rights of women. What else are these marchers asking for, some of them wondered out loud. The Aurat March organisers described the counter demonstration an indication of their success

Held with the theme of Feminist Politics vs Patriarchal State,Aurat March Islamabad presented a comprehensive list of demands addressing critical human rights, social justice and environmental issues. The speakers expressed concern over the prevailing situation of human rights, particularly the rights of women, demanded the repeal of oppressive laws such as the Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act and amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act.

The marchers also called for an end to enforced disappearances and voiced strong opposition to ‘environmentally harmful’projects such as the Green Pakistan Initiative. They also condemned the government’s policy of forcibly deporting Afghan individuals and demandedthat the state ensure the protection of rights for religious minorities, granting them equal opportunities in employment, education and healthcare for a dignified life.

The writer is a reporter for The News International