Pakistani newspaper under fire for describing Aurat March participants as “whores"

KARACHI – A far-right-wing and Islamist Urdu-language newspaper Daily Ummat referred the Pakistani Aurat March participant’s as "whores" on its front page story on April 5.

The story published on Monday morning stated that most of the women were raped in 14 countries including America, Japan, Sweden, South Africa, India and Bangladesh and other African countries.

The report further described that the “whores” of this annually held social and political demonstration are unable to see these non-Muslim countries where the sexual assault rates are high.

The offensive language has widely shared on social sites as people slammed the Karachi-based newspaper for using the derogatory term against women. People are also mentioning All Pakistan Newspapers Society and Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors to take notice against the newspaper for insulting remarks.

On the other hand, a private news channel also mentioned that they approached the newspaper’s editor, Amjad Irshad, for his comments on this. Irshad however asked them to call later and later, he didn’t get back to respond on the matter.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan HRCP also condemned the use of unethical language against women. A tweet shared on the official handle of the country’s oldest human rights organizations stated “HRCP condemns the use of unethical and inappropriate language against women in the daily Ummat.

????️ HRCP condemns the use of unethical and inappropriate language against women in the daily #Ummat. The newspaper must publish an unconditional apology and refrain from using such language in future. 1/2

— Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) April 5, 2021

The newspaper must publish an unconditional apology and refrain from using such language in the future, the tweet further added.

This is the same newspaper that is orchestrating a vilification campaign against leading elderly writer #AmarJaleel. Such practices bring a bad name to the profession of journalism. The APNS and CPNE must take notice. 2/2

— Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) April 5, 2021

Earlier on March 11, a doctored video clip from Aurat March 2021, in which a large number of women can be seen chanting slogans in a unified formation, synchronized with the beat of drum mentioning Almighty, Prophet PBUH, and other religious personalities, has taken Pakistan by storm.

Doctored clip of Aurat March in Pakistan sparks ... 03:49 PM | 11 Mar, 2021

ISLAMABAD – A doctored video clip from Aurat March 2021, in which a large number of women can be seen chanting ...

After which the Aurat March organizers had issued a statement condemning the defamation campaign against participants of the march on social media as a large number of people had begun a smearing campaign against the march, inciting violence against the participants on the grounds that disrespectful slogans, placards were used at the march on the name of feminism.