The Human Rights Council (HRC) of Pakistan strongly criticized the detention of women activists and civil society members during the Women’s March in Islamabad on International Women’s Day. The HRC emphasized that peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are essential rights protected by the Pakistani Constitution. Despite the release of three journalists, many activists remain in custody, prompting the HRC to call for their immediate release while upholding their right to peaceful assembly and freedom of speech.
Expressing solidarity with women activists, journalists, and civil society members advocating for justice and equal rights, the HRC highlighted the significance of International Women’s Day in recognizing women’s struggles for equality and justice. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), another human rights body, denounced the crackdown on peaceful protestors as unacceptable, emphasizing the state’s intolerance towards civil rights movements and its violation of freedom of expression. The BYC urged civil rights activists to speak out against injustices faced by women in Pakistan and called on the international community to hold institutions accountable for human rights violations.
