ISLAMABAD: The orga­ni­sers of Aurat March have clarified that the participants of the march did not raise blasphemous slogans and their video was doctored to defame their struggle.

“The Aurat March faces severe backlash every year. Our videos and posters are targeted and manipulated, spreading misinformation and maligning the March. This year, one of our videos was doctored and heinous allegations are being placed on us,” the organisers of the march tweeted on Thursday.

They said that in the “doctored video” an attempt was made to show that the participants of the march raised blasphemous slogans.

The organisers shared both videos on the social media platform and said that in the original clip the participants chanted that “Mullah should also listen”, but in the doctored video sound “M” was deleted and the women were showed saying “Allah should also listen”, instead of Mullah.

It is relevant to note that Aurat March is a regular annual feature and every year it faces backlash from those who don’t want to see women taking to the streets.

The marches are organised in major cities for highlighting the rights of women and condemning the incidents of violence against them, gender discrimination, economic exploitation and misogyny.

However, the people with right-wing leanings, including religio-political parties, have been opposing Aurat March.

Following this year’s march on International Women’s Day, there is heated debate on social media against and for the march.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2021