Human Rights Commission of Pakistan announced plans to file a writ petition after condemning the violent response by Islamabad police toward participants of the Islamabad Women’s March. At a press conference held at the National Press Club, Secretary General Haris Khaliq and organisers including Dr Farzana Bari, Tahir Abdullah, Zainab, Halima Azhar and journalist Farhat Fatima described the events as deeply troubling and stated they would pursue the matter in court.

Speakers said the Islamabad Women’s March had been called as a peaceful demonstration, and organisers had sought a no objection certificate well in advance. They noted that since 2018 an official NOC has routinely been withheld and that their recent application submitted one and a half months earlier received no response. They insisted that as citizens of Pakistan they retain the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and expression and that restrictive measures should be challenged legally.

Witnesses and organisers recounted that police used force, detained senior organisers and supporters, and subjected many women to physical harassment. Supporters who went to various police stations to seek information or help were reportedly arrested and held for several hours. The treatment inside custody was described as inhumane, with dozens placed together in a single lockup under suffocating conditions.

Halima Azhar said those detained ranged in age from 14 to 73, with roughly 35 men and 44 women among those taken into custody, including two pregnant women. Accounts given at the press conference alleged that minors aged 14 and 16 were also mistreated. Police were accused of confiscating mobile phones and personal items, compelling detainees to unlock devices, and examining messages and information stored on phones, creating fear and anxiety among participants and their families.

Journalist Farhat Fatima described being prevented from conducting reporting. She said that after identifying herself at the women police station she and colleagues were taken to the lockup, faced attempts to seize their phones, and were later confined to a room. Officers from ATS and the Special Branch allegedly accused them of working against the state and of violating Article 144, claims the speakers at the press conference rejected as unfounded and hostile to press freedom.

The Human Rights Commission has demanded an independent investigation into the incident and called for prompt action against any officers found responsible for the alleged abuses. Organisers and rights advocates reiterated their commitment to continue the struggle for women’s rights and to seek judicial redress for restrictions on the right to peaceful assembly and free expression in the context of the Islamabad Women’s March.