Provision:
Freedom of assembly
- Every citizen shall have the right to assemble peacefully and without arms, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of public
order.
Meaning:
Article 16 gives every citizen the right to gather peacefully in public places, be it for protests, rallies or awareness campaigns, as long as they stay peaceful and not violent.
Citizens have the right to assemble in public places. However, certain reasonable restrictions can be imposed on this right in case of public safety or public order, but the restrictions must fulfil the requisites of reasonability and proportionality.
Application:
When citizens organise peaceful protests like the Aurat March to raise awareness and
challenge injustice, they are exercising their right to assembly under Article 16.
However, if there is a potential risk for that protest to turn violent and hinder public order and public safety, or if it is blocking any emergency routes, authorities can lawfully impose restrictions in that case, like changing the route or limiting the
number of participants in the gathering.