Women rights activists in Pakistan held marches across several cities in Pakistan, popularly known as Aurat March, on Tuesday on the occasion of International Women's Day - despite facing threats from several hardline Islamist groups - demanding equal rights and an end to discrimination. 

Aurat March, which first began in Pakistan in 2018 in the largest city of Karachi, has emerged as one of the most powerful women-centric movements for the equal rights of women in Pakistani society. 

In the last few years, the movement extended to more cities, including Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Larkana, and Hyderabad. This is the fifth straight year when the organizers held the marches across cities in the country. 

However, the growing popularity of the Aurat March comes with the wrath of radical Islamist groups, which in the last few decades have grown significantly in strength. Last year several women activists participating in the marchers were attacked by Islamists who accused the former of raising blasphemous slogans during the event.

So far, however, no incident of violence against the organizers has been reported. 

This year as well, several Islamist groups have issued veiled threats against the marches. Religious Affairs Minister Noorul Haq Qadri wrote a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan asking him to make sure no anti-Islamic slogans were raised in the marches this year. 

During the marches on Tuesday, organizers this year put forward various demands, including equal wages, peace security, justice, and reimagining the education system, reported Dawn. 

Significantly, the Pakistani government on Tuesday also launched the National Gender Policy Framework, which aims to set a structured mechanism with defined objectives for improving the lives of women and providing them with equal opportunity. 

Low enrollment of girls in educational institutes and lower representation of women in politics and systematic discrimination by society are outlined as the key challenges in the upliftment of Pakistani women.   

(SAM)