There were several events organised in Lahore on 8th March, the International Women’s Day.
WAF, Lahore held a press conference at the Lahore Press Club. The well attended Press Conference began with dedicating the day this year to Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to acknowledge her contributions and her ultimate sacrifice for the country and its people; followed by highlighting the significance of the day and its brief history; reading out of the statement; a brief review of WAF’s struggle for women’s rights and democracy in Pakistan, its opposition to military rule and more recently its whole hearted support for the restoration of the judiciary. There was a lively question answer session with reference to the WAF statement and the conference ended with Rubina Saigol’s recitation of her poem “Wifaq”
The press conference ended with the re-iteration of the demand for the restoration of the judiciary and return to 2 November constitution. Black flags and stickers (“adilya bahal karo”, etc.) were handed out to all participants and a procession taken out with placards and banners, and yellow balloons (WAF colour) were let off. Popular slogans for the restoration of the judiciary, ouster of Musharraf (“Go Musharraf Go”), women’s rights (“Still Marching On…), constitutionalism, etc. were raised. Representatives of lawyers, students, women and minorities organizations, NGOs and others participated. Passers-by raised Victory signs in support. Police was present in large numbers police but stayed away from the demonstrators.
The press conference was varyingly reported in the Lahore edition of different newspapers: detailed reports in DT, News and Jung, only a picture in the Nation. Samaa and a few other local TV channels covered the press conference and the demonstration in their 8th March round up.
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