Islamabad, March 8, 2026: Islamabad Police on Sunday arrested 14 people, including 11 women, for allegedly violating restrictions imposed under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code during a rally organised under the banner of Aurat March.
Officials said the arrests took place in Sector F-6 where participants had gathered for the rally. Organisers had planned to march from F-6 to D-Chowk. Police temporarily blocked the road during the operation and later reopened it after the detainees were taken into custody.
District administration authorities said no No Objection Certificate (NOC) had been issued for the event and that Section 144 — which restricts public gatherings — was already in force in the federal capital.
However, organisers of Aurat March maintained that they had submitted an application for an NOC to the deputy commissioner’s office about a month earlier and that their request had not been formally rejected.
Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations) Qazi Ali Raza said key organisers and supporters were being held at the G-7 Police Station. He confirmed the arrests were made for violating Section 144.
Raza added that several individuals who later gathered outside the police station to protest were also detained for allegedly interfering with official duties, and legal action would be taken against them under Section 188.
In a statement posted on social media, Aurat March Islamabad condemned the arrests and demanded the immediate release of those detained.
“Organisers, volunteers and participants of Aurat March Islamabad were violently and brutally arrested before the protest, scheduled at 1pm, even began,” the statement said.
The organisers alleged that family members and supporters who went to the police station to check on the detainees were also taken into custody.
According to the group, the rally was intended to be a peaceful demonstration highlighting violence against women, children and minority communities and condemning the ongoing conflict involving United States, Israel and Iran.
“It is ironic that on International Women’s Day, Islamabad Police has decided to silence women’s resistance,” the organisers said, calling the arrests unjust and demanding the immediate release of all detained participants.
They also urged participants to disperse and return home to avoid further arrests, saying legal efforts were under way to secure the release of those in custody.
