The Sindh government on Friday issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) to Aurat March Karachi for a planned demonstration on Sunday, imposing 28 conditions such as bars on “objectionable” clothing and criticism of state policies.
The NOC follows the brief detentions of several Aurat March organizers while they were attempting to address a press conference at the Karachi Press Club earlier this week. In it, South Deputy Commissioner Javed Nabi Khoso has granted an NOC with 28 conditions for the march to take place from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
According to the NOC, the organizers have been bound to comply with all relevant laws, as well as take responsibility for the “internal cordon security of the participants.” Additionally, all participants are required to “ensure peaceful conduct” and are barred from any “anti-state slogans, banners, speeches or activities” or “anti-religion slogans, placards or objectionable remarks.”
The NOC, which states that it can be withdrawn at any time without any reason, also directs organizers to ensure “no hateful, provocative, unethical or anti-social content shall be displayed on charts, banners or flexes.” It further strictly bars any participation of “banned” outfits, identifying the Baloch Yakjehti Committee and Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz specificially.
The participants have been directed against wearing “objectionable clothing” or carrying out any “promotion for the LGBTQ” community, including transgender persons. “No sectarian/objectionable activity/speech shall be allowed which causes or creates hatred amongst the various groups or may provoke or injure feelings of the people,” it reads. It further bans any speeches “against the ideology of Pakistan or policies of the state,” as well as criticism of the armed forces.
While stressing that the march cannot block any main thoroughfares, the NOC directs organizers to ensure a single entry/exit point and to require participants to pass through walkthrough gates. The organizers, states the NOC, must depute volunteers for security of the exit/entry locations and parking lots, which would be established “at least 200 yards away from the main venue.” All vehicles entering the parking lots, states the NOC, would be thoroughly checked.
The NOC says any law and order situation would be solely the responsibility of Aurat March organizers and directs them to abide by instructions of police personnel. In this regard, it states that the district administration and law enforcement agencies may change the route or venue of the march or ask for the event to conclude ahead of its scheduled time.
The district administration has also sought a full list of all volunteers for the event and barred aerial firing and drugs and alcohol.