The Lahore High Court was informed on Thursday that the Aurat March will take place in Lahore on February 12 with security provided by local police. The court disposed of a contempt petition filed by march organizers against government officials for delaying approval.
Lahore Deputy Commissioner Syed Musa Raza told the court that permission had been granted for the annual demonstration. A government lawyer submitted a letter confirming security arrangements for the event, with the additional deputy commissioner stating that “foolproof security” would be in place.
The contempt petition was filed by activists Khawar Mumtaz, Leena Ghani, Neelam Hussain, Fatima Jan, and Shereen Umair against the Lahore DC, Operations DG Muhammad Faisal Kamran, and Chief Traffic Officer Athar Waheed. They accused officials of using delaying tactics and not complying with a 2023 court order regarding the march’s approval.
This year’s march will follow its usual route from Lahore Press Club to Edgerton Road, outside the PIA Office. The same route has been used in previous years, including 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Unlike previous years when it was held on March 8, International Women’s Day, the march is being organized on February 12 to mark National Women’s Day in Pakistan. The date commemorates the 1983 protest led by the Punjab Women Lawyer’s Association against the discriminatory Law of Evidence enacted under General Zia’s rule, during which women faced police violence and arrests.
