Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari has condemned those political leaders who are urging people to "forcibly stop Aurat March".

"Women, like other segments of society, have a right to peacefully protest and demand their rights already enshrined in our Constitution," she wrote on Twitter on Monday.

https://twitter.com/ShireenMazari1/status/1234399130136477697

"Our government is committed to ensuring an end to discrimination against and harassment of women and has put in place programmes, policies and legislative measures to empower women and girls," the minister added.

Some women rights activists are holding this event for past two years on March 8, the International Women's Day, and each time the event has invited strong reaction from conservative segments of society, who see believe the platform is being used to spread obscenity in the country.

Political parties are also polarised on the issue, with the PPP seeking security for the participants of the March and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the leader of religiopolitical JUI-F asking his followers to stop the march from taking place.

In a recent rally, Fazl, without naming the Aurat March, said that "whenever you see these types of elements, you should alert security forces about them and if they [security forces] provide protection to these people, your sacrifices are going to be required to stop them by force".