Women all over the country gathered to express their outrage through these signs on the motorway incident.
Ever since the horrible motorway incident, Pakistani women are questioning the safety of the country they live in. Even the authorities are involved in insensitive victim-blaming, instead of providing justice. We are scared, we are angry and we want our public spaces to be safe. So, Aurat March called a nationwide protest to raise voice against rape culture and patriarchal violence.
Here we have picked up some of the most powerful posters that you absolutely have to see:
1. The protest raised very valid questions on the victim-blaming culture
2. Some of the signs at the motorway incident protest asked where would these disgusting men stop at?
Went to the protest today!!! #HangRapistsPublically pic.twitter.com/OkVFsEXBZp
— Komal Shahid (@ArmedWithWords) September 12, 2020
3. And that’s the only way to end rapes
#HangRapistsPublically pic.twitter.com/CVpONHS8rI
— Sooper Maham (@Mahahahaham) September 12, 2020
4. People with signs at the motorway incident asked where are the authorities when we need them?
5. The responsibility of your izzat does not lie on the shoulders of women.
6. We cannot move forward if we don’t teach men the same way we teach women, according to these signs at the motorway incident
No tasers and knives can save me from the fear of being unsafe in my own house, in my own city, in my own country. Teach your men! pic.twitter.com/Bxe3mDUYP2
— S. (@sunflowermochii) September 12, 2020
7. Educating our sons is the only way to stop rape culture from rising in the first place
8. Some signs at the motorway incident protest asked for schools to stop eliminating the reproduction chapter, that’s what you are breeding
I don’t want to see performative hangings to appease the public, I want to see long term structural change. #MeraJismMeriMarzi #motorwayincident pic.twitter.com/BUw4ftQFci
— Mera Jism Meri Marzi (@notsafaimran) September 12, 2020
9. These men are the reasons women aren’t allowed to work and travel freely, asked other signs at the motorway incident protest
10. A lot of signs at the motorway incident protest highlighted what we wear is not a statement of our consent
11. It wasn’t the time, the road, or clothes.
Where else did you think our bodies get violated? #MotowayIncident #RiyasatJawabDo #MeToo pic.twitter.com/q5TPttbpaL
— MeraJismMeriMarzi (@manalkhan07) September 12, 2020
12. This little cutie stood up for his mum and melted our hearts with his signs at the motorway incident protest. Here’s to raising feminist sons
— Aurat Azadi March Islamabad (@AuratAzadiMarch) September 12, 2020
13. This one had me in fits. A new road sign maybe?
#MeraJismMeriMarzi #DismissCCPOLahore pic.twitter.com/Ob0yzoZJNF
— . (@sluttysavitriii) September 12, 2020
14. Aurat hi kyoon?
15. People demanded the dismissal of CCPO Lahore who blamed the woman on getting raped
#DismissCCPOLahore pic.twitter.com/ZYzCnOsn6T
— Faizan. (@thoraoffbeat) September 12, 2020
16. ”Raat 12:30 nahi nikalna chahye tha.”
#moterwayincident #auratmarch pic.twitter.com/6sc8R9ir6v
— Aurat Azadi March Islamabad (@AuratAzadiMarch) September 12, 2020
17. ”G.T Road se jana chahye tha”
18. Everyone had enough of the CCPO’s toxic comments
19. Apnay mashwarey apny paas rakhein, shukriya.
20. Our Police need this definitely
21. Hold rape apologists accountable.
#JusticeForShaheenaShaheen pic.twitter.com/yOh1lcA9Vo
— Aurat Azadi March Islamabad (@AuratAzadiMarch) September 12, 2020
22. Well…
23. Instead…
24. Hurts, doesn’t it?
25. Not all Men. But all Women
WORDS. pic.twitter.com/ZDBmhEOojj
— Komal Shahid. (@TheKomalShahid) September 12, 2020
26. When will all this end for good?
27. Louder for people at the back
#auratmarch #MotowayIncident #azadi pic.twitter.com/HINcyafmEJ
— Aurat Azadi March Islamabad (@AuratAzadiMarch) September 12, 2020
28. Kudos to all the male allies
29. Let’s end this together
30. End patriarchy
31. Victim-blaming only proves your incompetency. Just stop it.
32. We need solid actions instead of useless wordplay
Haq chayiye, Izzat chayiye, tumhari bukwas nahi chayiye! #RemoveCCPOLahore pic.twitter.com/bo5ct5kgmP
— the99thZainabyouknow (@najeebz18) September 12, 2020
33. For those advocating for the public hanging of rapists
This was important to see today. #MotowayIncident #Lahore pic.twitter.com/TjmnbH4xRi
— Sara Hayat (@saratamman) September 12, 2020
34. CHILLS
"Why does every woman know another woman that was raped but no man knows a rapist?"
Jab tak aurat tung rahay gi
Jung rahay gi
Jung rahay gi#MeraJismMeriMarzi pic.twitter.com/RBJbiI9hSc— aloo آلو (@kachalooooo) September 12, 2020
35. Keep it in your pants
Jo baat hai pic.twitter.com/nHztQloGLm
— Maryam (@maryamful) September 12, 2020
36. POWERFUL
“Hukam tou nafs marnay ka tha,
Humney tou Zameer maar diye!” #motorwayincident pic.twitter.com/Ql3ZjSn4pv— kaise nahi du gay tum azaadi? (@SohaTazz) September 12, 2020
37. Can’t decide whether to laugh or cry
A placard displayed at Liberty protest today. pic.twitter.com/U2uIVSWNeA
— Hamza (@hamzamujahid_) September 12, 2020
38. Pakistani men are really closer to crossing that line
placard made by my father. #AuratMarch pic.twitter.com/a0FMvReJIo
— Dr. Nauman Niaz ➐ (@aishha17_) September 12, 2020
39. Hope we have a secure future for them someday
This is so heart breaking seriously. 🙃 pic.twitter.com/cYnRRGEAUe
— علینہ 🇵🇰 (@aleenarathore) September 12, 2020
40. Stronger than ever
41. This one wrote a beautiful message for the motorway victim and I am in tears
— – (@maulana_banana) September 12, 2020
It was so empowering to see women from all walks of life gathering to channelize their outrage. So, even if you weren’t there, you still can see some of the most important signs from the protest. Comment down below to tell us what your favorite poster was. Meanwhile, let’s hope for a positive change for the women in Pakistan.
People Are Shocked At The CCPO Lahore Umar Sheikh For Being Dheet And Continuing His Victim Blaming Despite Being Slammed For It
Cover image via @AuratAzadiMarch/ @maryamful/ @Mahahahaham via Twitter