Aurat March
Aurat is not Begairat!

According to the Aurat March organizers, Aurat March continues to be a necessary tool to challenge the country’s prevailing patriarchal values. They feel that the zeal of the movement embodies the spirit of young people in Pakistan who feel empowered to create change.

Although Islam and Pakistan’s constitution both have given sufficient women rights but still many women in Pakistan say they remain severely limited by their gender. Feminist organizations and social activists has many battles to fight on the battle field, from balancing the scales by empowering women to demanding their rights against gender-based violence and discriminations. It is a never ending pool of battles.

The slogan for this year’s Aurat March was “Ujrat, Tahafuz aur Sakoon.” This year, the Aurat March was held in Jinnah Park in Karachi. Part of the reason why Aurat March began was to make public the grievances of women around the country. It highlighted the struggles of domestic workers, sanitation workers, manual workers, and minorities who have faced the threats of harassment and violence.

These slogans on the placards reflect the challenges women are facing on daily basis, now this is a whole new debate that narrow-minded people criticize women for raising their issues and demanding equal rights in Pakistan. Honestly, I don’t mind these marches, but there is a sober way of doing things. In this March, issues of discrimination with transgender were raised and demand for their rights were the main point of attention.

The reason why I’m giving them the center of attention award is because they are promoting vulgarity and absurdity under the umbrella of Aurat March, using controversial slogans to distort Islamic ethics. I’ve watched so many videos of them being bechari on the screen and disguising their identity by stating that they are forced to work as sex worker and dance to make their living as it is a only source of income for them but at the venue nobody had paid them to dance and showcase such acts of vulgarity then why they foster and create an atmosphere of disgust around. Acting like a bitch and portraying like a bechari is something I don’t like and will never support.

I do believe in equal rights but have you seen man dancing on streets to demand their rights?  Silent marches and speeches to aware people about their condition in the country is enough to voice your opinion. There’s no need for a march in Pakistan promoting women’s rights if they are being held with no dignified norms because women in the country live according to Islamic principles and everyone should respect the boundaries even in the case of discourse. I feel women involved in organizing Aurat March have a specific agenda, to promote Western culture.