Pakistan: Three journalists detained ahead of International Women’s Day march

Three journalists reporting on a planned International Women's Day (IWD) march in Islamabad were among at least 44 people detained by local police on March 8. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), condemn the arrests and urge the government to ensure it protects press freedom and the right to peaceful protest.

Police personnel dressed in plain clothes detain activists of the women's rights group Aurat March, upon their arrival ahead of a rally on International Women's Day in Islamabad on March 8, 2026. Credit: Aamir Qureshi / AFP

The demonstrators, which included students, activists, and event organisers, began marching towards the National Press Club (NPC) as prearranged when police intercepted the group and began to arrest members of the crowd, taking them to Islamabad's Women Police Station. Journalists Ismat Jabeen, Sehrish Qureshi, and Farhat Fatima, who were reporting on the rally, were among the 35 men and 44 women detained.

Local sources report that police physically assaulted and harassed demonstrators while bringing them into custody, with their mobile phones and personal belongings confiscated. According to IFJ monitoring, colleagues of the detained journalists who had not attended the march were also briefly detained when arriving at the station.

NPC Secretary Nayyar Ali and other union leaders contacted Senator Sherry Rehman, who personally attended the station and secured the release of the journalists and several other demonstrators, with others remaining in detention. In March, Islamabad authorities had extended a ban on all types of public gatherings, protests, and rallies under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code. This measure is often enacted by officials to maintain public safety or minimise disruption when justified by alleged heightened security threats in the capital, and authorises police to detain individuals participating in 'unlawful' gatherings.

The Aurat March (Women's March) is celebrated on International Women's Day annually, and organisers have raised concerns about difficulties obtaining a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) since 2018, which provides official permission for public demonstrations. Although officials declined an NOC grant for the 2026 rally, organisers went ahead with the march, citing the constitutional rights of citizens to challenge restrictions to free expression.

Pakistan's National Commission for Human Rights, in a statement, expressed concern at the arrests and affirmed that peaceful assembly is a constitutional right guaranteed to all citizens.

The PFUJ said:"Police action against peaceful protesters in Islamabad is not justified by any law, as these are constitutional rights ensured to every citizen of Pakistan. We urge the government to avoid such violent suppression of journalists in the future."

The IFJ said: "A violent crackdown on women journalists, particularly on International Women's Day, marks a grim trajectory for press freedom and fundamental human rights. The IFJ urges the Pakistani authorities to cease the increasing illegal detention of journalists and the use of legislation to harass and target media workers."