Kabul, March 9 (NationPress) - The Human Rights Council (HRC) of Pakistan has expressed strong disapproval regarding the unlawful arrest of women activists and members of civil society during the Women’s March in Islamabad, which was held in conjunction with International Women’s Day.

“The right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression are essential rights enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan. The obstruction of women participating in a peaceful march and the subsequent detention of activists constitutes a breach of democratic values and fundamental human rights,” the rights organization remarked.

In a statement of serious concern, the HRC of Pakistan acknowledged that while three journalists — Saharish Qureshi, Farhat Fatima, and Ismat Jabeen — had been released, numerous others remain unjustly detained.

The rights body urged Pakistani authorities to immediately free all remaining detained activists and participants, emphasizing the need to uphold the constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.

Furthermore, it called on officials to guarantee that women, journalists, and civil society organizations can exercise their democratic rights without the threat of harassment or arrest.

Standing in solidarity with all women activists, journalists, and members of civil society who persist in their fight for justice and equal rights, the HRC of Pakistan stated, “International Women’s Day serves as a global platform to recognize the struggle of women for equality, dignity, and justice. Silencing these voices through arrests only diminishes Pakistan’s commitment to human rights and democratic ideals.”

Simultaneously, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) condemned the suppression of peaceful protestors as “unacceptable.”

The rights organization pointed out that the arrest of peaceful demonstrators underscores the inability of state institutions in Pakistan to tolerate civil rights movements, reflecting a severe violation of freedom of expression.

“Women in Pakistan are indeed subjected to various forms of suppression, whether socially, politically, or economically. The crackdown on the Aurat March in Islamabad demonstrates how the state regards its women. The rights to freedom of expression, protest, and the fight for justice are profoundly disrespected in Pakistan, where even its own citizens, particularly women, are prohibited from organizing peaceful demonstrations on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

The rights organization encouraged civil rights activists to voice their opposition against the injustices faced by women in Pakistan under military rule and called upon the international community to hold institutions accountable for violating basic human rights.