TTP issues threat to Aurat March organizers, rally-goers
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a splinter faction of the Afghan-Taliban on Thursday, March 12, issued threats to organizers of International Women’s Day rallies over alleged blasphemy and obscenity, following the spread of an online misinformation campaign against the Aurat March and Aurat Azadi March.
“We want to send a message to those organisations who are actively spreading obscenity and vulgarity in our beloved Pakistan. Fix your ways, there are still many young Muslims here who know how to protect Islam and the boundaries set by Allah,” the statement read.
The Women’s Action Forum, Women Democratic Front and organizers of Aurat March have categorically denied all allegations as baseless, providing proof that all images and videos used in the hate-campaign against them were either doctored or taken completely out of context in a deliberate attempt to incite violence.
Moreover, experts have called this latest statement an attempt by the banned militant outfit to gain sympathy with conservatives and to recruit radicals in urban centers.
Faisalabad man murders wife on wedding night
A Faisalabad man gunned down his bride following an altercation mere hours after tying the knot Thursday night. The couple had married of their own choice – the deceased’s mother has accused the girl’s in-laws of murder and police have shifted the body to a morgue for an autopsy.
University of Lahore expels couple over proposal video
The University of Lahore on Thursday expelled two students seen in a viral proposal video over ‘gross misconduct and violation of University rules’.
In the video which began making rounds on March 11, a female student can be seen kneeling and proposing to her boyfriend with a bouquet of flowers. The couple then hug amidst cheers from friends and other university students gathered at the spot.
In an Office Order issued by the university, both students had been initially summoned to the Special Disciplinary Committee, and that they had been formally expelled after failing to appear before the Committee. The institution further barred the couple from entering university premises including all sub-campuses.
#UniversityOfLahore has been the top-trending hashtag on Twitter on Friday and Saturday, with many denouncing the knee-jerk reaction of the university administration while others believed the administration were within their right to discipline the students, however they should not have gone as far as to expel them.
