Sindh govt issues Aurat March NOC with conditions for participants' clothing, slogans

KARACHI: The Sindh government has issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) to Aurat March Karachi for their planned gathering on Sunday at Sea View, but with 28 conditions, including restrictions on the content of slogans raised, it emerged on Saturday. The march is planned to be held at Sea View on Mother’s Day (May 10, 2026), which is observed on the second Sunday of every May. Last Sunday, Aurat March organisers in Karachi said they had sent a letter to First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, whose party governs the province, after there had been “no response” to their request to the relevant offices for an NOC. A press conference Aurat March had planned on Wednesday was also hindered by the detentions of multiple organisers. Subsequently, South Deputy Commissioner (DC) Javed Nabi Khoso granted an NOC to Aurat March Karachi to organise “Aurat March in commemoration of Mother’s Day” on Sunday from 3:30pm to 7:30pm. The NOC cited a letter of no objection written by the South senior superintendent of police (SSP) to DC Khoso on May 4, the day after Aurat March shared their letter to Aseefa. It listed a total of 28 conditions and restrictions that the organisers and participants were to abide by. According to the NOC, Aurat March organisers are “bound to comply with all laws in force” and shall be responsible for the “internal cordon security of the participants”. It further stated that “all participants/organisers shall ensure peaceful conduct” during the march. The NOC prohibited “anti-state slogans, banners, speeches or activities”, as well as “anti-religion slogans, placards or objectionable remarks”. It also ordered that “no hateful, provocative, unethical or anti-social content shall be displayed on charts, banners or flexes”. “Participation, support or representation by any banned outfit /proscribed organisation such as BYC (Baloch Yakjehti Committee), JQSM (Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz) shall strictly not be allowed,” the NOC read. The district administration also ordered