ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of women rallied across Pakistan on Friday for International Women’s Day, a movement that often draws criticism from right-wing religious groups for its alleged western influence.
Known as Aurat March, women turned out in major cities to highlight issues such as street harassment, bonded labor and the lack of representation in parliament.
“We face all sorts of violence: physical, sexual, cultural violence where women are exchanged to settle disputes, child marriages, rape, harassment in the workplace, on the streets,” said Farzana Bari, the lead organizer of Aurat March in Islamabad, where hundreds of women gathered to dance, chant and listen to speeches.
“People in Pakistan don’t get punished, there’s a culture of impunity.”
In Pakistan, just 21 percent of women are in the workforce and less than 20 percent of girls in rural areas are enrolled in secondary school, according to the United Nations.
Only 12 women were directly elected into parliament out of 266 seats in last month’s election.
Much of Pakistani society operates under a strict code of “honor,” with women beholden to their male relatives over choices around education, employment and who they can marry.
Hundreds of women are killed by men in Pakistan every year for allegedly breaching this code.
The Aurat March dates back to 2018, when it was launched in Karachi but has since spread across most of the country.
The head of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said it “commends the resilience of working women in the face of harmful misogynistic attitudes and unprecedented economic instability.”
“However, it is gravely concerning that Pakistan continues to lag behind global economies in addressing chronic gender disparities,” added Asad Iqbal Butt.
Women supporters from right-wing religious parties also staged small counter-protests, known as modesty rallies, in Lahore and Karachi, holding banners calling for the protection of Islamic values.
The Aurat March is seen by critics as supporting elitist and Western values in the Muslim country, with organizers accused of disrespecting religious and cultural sensitivities.
In previous years, Aurat March organizers have had to battle in the courts for permission to hold demonstrations, while doctored images of banners held up by women have circulated online leading to harassment and death threats.
In 2020, groups of hard-line Islamist men turned up in vans and hurled stones at women participating in the Aurat March in Islamabad.
Hundreds attend women’s day marches, counter-protests in Pakistan
https://arab.news/wm8vz
Hundreds attend women’s day marches, counter-protests in Pakistan
- Working women in Pakistan face harmful misogynistic attitudes amid chronic gender disparities
- Right-wing religious groups also staged small counter-protests, calling for protection of Islamic values
UK announces ‘major reset’ of Pakistan development partnership with new trade, climate, education initiatives
- UK commits to increased investment-led cooperation in climate, business regulation and higher education
- London shifts from aid donor to investment-focused partner as bilateral trade crosses $7.3 billion
ISLAMABAD: The United Kingdom on Wednesday unveiled what it called a “major reset” in its development partnership with Pakistan, announcing new investment-focused cooperation, education programs and a bilateral climate compact during a visit by UK Minister for Development Jennifer Chapman.
The trip marks the first federal-level development dialogue between the two governments in eight years and reflects London’s shift from a traditional aid-donor role toward investment-based partnerships. The British government said the new approach aims to use UK expertise to help partner economies build capacity and unlock domestic growth.
Pakistan-UK trade has also reached a record high, crossing £5.5 billion ($7.3 billion) for the first time, with more than 200 British firms now active in Pakistan, an increase London says signals growing two-way commercial confidence.
“Pakistan is a crucial partner for the UK. We work together to tackle the drivers behind organized crime and illegal migration, keeping both our countries safer,” Chapman was quoted as saying in a statement by the British High Commission in Islamabad.
“Our strong bilateral trading relationship brings jobs and growth to us both. And we’re working together to tackle climate change, a global threat.”
The minister and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday jointly launched a package of business regulatory reforms aimed at improving Pakistan’s investment climate and making it easier for UK firms to operate. Officials said the initiative supports Pakistan’s economic recovery agenda and creates new commercial avenues for British companies.
A second key announcement was the next phase of the Pak-UK Education Gateway, developed with the British Council and Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission. The expanded program will enable joint research between universities in both countries, support climate- and technology-focused academic collaboration, and introduce a startup fund to help commercialize research. The Gateway will also promote UK university courses delivered inside Pakistan, giving students access to British degrees without traveling abroad.
Accompanied by Pakistan’s Minister for Climate Change Dr. Musadik Malik, Chapman also launched a Green Compact, a framework for climate cooperation, green investment, environmental protection and joint work at global climate forums.
The UK emphasized it remains one of Pakistan’s largest development partners, citing ongoing work in education, health, climate resilience and anti-trafficking capacity building.
During the visit to Pakistan, Chapman will meet communities benefiting from UK-supported climate programs, which London says helped 2.5 million Pakistanis adapt to climate impacts in the past year, and observe training of airport officers working to prevent human trafficking.
“We remain firm friends of Pakistan, including in times of crisis, as shown through our floods response,” Chapman said. “And we know to accelerate growth in both our countries, we must work together in partnership to tackle the problems we face.”
