The smear campaign against the women’s movement continues to intensify in Pakistan. Just like every year, Aurat March 2021 faced massive backlash by some groups due to loud slogans. Many alleged that the women right’s activists were also contributing to the debauchery in Pakistan. One such group tried to defile the movement by hijacking one of the videos, where activists were demonstrating.
Aurat Azadi March 2021 is activating to demand a solution for the disadvantages of patriarchy in Pakistan. The growing gender gap in Pakistan seems irreconcilable when some internal forces are trying to sabotage the important messages.
Fake Video Of Aurat March Goes Viral
In the video, a group of men and women were chanting slogans to claim freedom by naming some forces that were against it. The video did not go viral until it was manipulated and posted through different accounts. The edited video was made to seem like that the activists were chanting anti-religious slogans against God and The Last Prophet (SAW).
It is not clear whether this person was actually dumb or just somebody who got offended by the names of those forces. Those who are not hard of hearing can easily identify the difference between vocal words and written words.
Where the women clearly said “Orya” and “Ansar”, the written words conveniently changed them to “Auliya” and “Rasul”. It is to manipulate those people who do not pay attention to detail before making a decision. Orya Jan Maqbool and Ansar Abbasi are political commentators who have also endorsed the vilification of the women’s movement. The activists were only directing their disdain towards such kinds of forces.
Activists Share Video With Actual Subtitles
Some people might be used to watching videos with subtitles which is why they couldn’t make out the message of the Aurat March video. The activists from Multan cleared the air by adding subtitles according to the vocals.
It showed how some groups in Pakistan continue to push false agendas against women’s rights with lies and deceit. These forces use misinformation as a tool to malign and silence marginalized voices.
The activists ensured that they will not be startled by some false accusations. They will continue to fight for women’s rights and violence against minorities.
The French Flag Fiasco
There was also a claim going viral that the March was promoting the islamophobic stance of France by raising its flag. It was a false claim as well since the flag that appeared in viral videos did not belong to the French nation.
It was visibly different as France’s flag has Blue, White, and Red colors (in that order) while this one had Red, White, and Purple. Red represented the socialist movement, White stood for peace, and Purple meant feminism. The tricolor flag represented the Women Democratic Front, which is a feminist organization based in Islamabad.
What Is The Actual Blasphemy Here?
Women rights activists remain strong amid criticism and attacks but the issue of false blasphemy accusation is a serious threat to society. It usually results in someone getting abused or killed as history suggests. There is a serious need for accountability for those who falsely accuse each other of blasphemy to cause panic.
A lot of groups in Pakistan misuse blasphemy laws to exact revenge on someone they disagree with. It is up to the Pakistani nation to decide whether the Aurat March is blasphemous or the people who malign the name of The Last Prophet (SAW) in a false accusation.
Also Read
Aurat March 2020- Why Pakistani Women Are Taking to Streets
What Do These Slogans from Anti-Rape Protests in Pakistan Mean?
