Authorities denies permission to hold Aurat March in Lahore.

The district administration of Lahore has denied the organisers of Aurat March - a women's rights movement in the country - the permission to hold a public rally to mark International Women's Day on March 8.

The local authorities were requested to grant permission for the event, however, the Lahore deputy commissioner (DC) turned down the requests citing the threat alerts from security agencies as the reason.

Reacting to the decision, the Aurat March organising committee vehemently condemned the DC in a series of tweets, saying that the NOC was denied due to Jamat-e-Islami's "Haya March".

"The DC herself acknowledges that the Jamaat has announced a program against the Aurat March, yet it is the March that is being denied its constitutional right, not the group inciting violence," it noted.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also condemned the Lahore district administration's move, terming it "regrettable", The News reported.

'It is regrettable that their right to peaceful assembly is routinely challenged by the district administration on the grounds that 'controversial' placards and 'strong reservations' from the public and religious...