#ApologizeToAuratMarch: Social media in uproar after manipulated video accuses organizers of blasphemy

Apologize To Aurat March: Social media in uproar after manipulated video accuses organizers of blasphemy.

This year’s Aurat March was struck with blasphemy accusations after a manipulated video started doing rounds on social media.

Social media is currently in an uproar and the organizers and supporters of the Aurat March Karachi are demanding an apology after a video clip from the March 8 demonstration started doing rounds on various social media platforms.

The video clip had been tempered that falsely show participants of the march raising blasphemous slogans.

In this regard, an official statement was shared by the march’s organizers to clarify the matter and shared both the original and doctored video clips.

According to the forum, the fake videos were shared by some journalists with massive Twitter followings and led to death threats for the organisers.

“The Aurat March faces severe backlash every year. Our videos and posters are targeted and manipulated, spreading misinformation and maligning the March. This year, one of our videos was doctored and heinous allegations are being placed on us,” the tweet said.

Female journalists and activists have shared their demands ‘Apologize To Aurat March‘ in a signed document after the recent episode of allegations on Aurat March.

Google Document available online that contains both the statement and signatures of over 260 journalists, activists, supporters.

The demands include:

1. “A public apology and immediate retraction by all the journalists and media houses who have shared misinformation about the Aurat Marches and that this is put out on the social media accounts, newspapers, television shows, etc”
2. “That individual journalists and media organisations desist from spreading false and malicious information endangering the lives of Aurat March organisers and participants.”
3. “That media houses stop inviting individuals with a history of repeatedly and deliberately spreading disinformation on their platforms”

“These tweets with false information were shared by Ovais Mangalwala, Ansar Abbasi, and Orya Maqbool Jan,” stated the document.

The hashtag #ApologizeToAuratMarch is the top trending topic on social media today.  Several people have also taken to Twitter to condemn the doctored videos and demanding an inquiry into the incident along with an apology.

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Minister of Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has asked for an inquiry against those who committed the ‘grave offense’ of editing a fake Aurat March video.

Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari also condemned the act. She called it a “purposeful campaign” that will “not deter this beautiful and necessary movement”. 

Meanwhile, female journalists and supporters are in an uproar demanding a ‘public apology’ over the doctorated video clip.