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“TransAction” the Provincial alliance of Transgender persons in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa organized a press briefing at Peshawar press Club today to express their concerns over the recent police brutalities against the trans activist in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
TransAction an alliance of transgender which is working to improve gender identity and gender reassignment equality, rights and inclusion both the organizations seeks to improve conditions and advance the rights and equality of Trans people. The transgender community said that there are a number of key areas where their rights are not sufficiently protected and they are particularly vulnerable in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa therefore they have come forward to demand overdue policy changes which should adequately support transgender and intersex people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The president of the TransAction Alliance Farzana expressed her anger and disappointed over the illegal detention of a transgender Sana who is direct representatives of the TransAction Alliance in district laki Marwat. She informed that media that SHO Norang Police Station brutally tortured transgender named Arzu and Sana ur Raees and kept Raees urf Sana in illegal detention and tortured her. Pictures of torture were shared with the media and the transgender who faces the torture were also introduced to the media. Frazana told the media that Sana only got free after the local and media from Peshawar were informed and they started to call the SHO. Complaint against the SHO Norang Gul Hameed is also lodged and the number of complaint is 3 in the IG complaint cell. We are looking forward to see what step the IG takes against the culprit who brought disgrace to the Police Uniform.
Representatives of the Transgender community criticized a notification from SHO Nowshera Cantt last week in which transgender are asked to leave the district in 3 days. Farzana said that this notification is against the fundamental freedoms promised in the constitution of Pakistan. The language used in the notice is a “Street language” and does not bring forward a good image of KP Police which is constantly emphasized by the IG Police and PTI Govt.
Qamar Naseem program coordinator of Blue Veins and a strong advocate of Transgender rights said “Transgender whose gender identity, appearance, behavior or expression differs from their genetic sex at birth – face discrimination in housing, employment, public accommodations and other areas of life, and they are particularly vulnerable to hate crimes and the worst is that the transgender community does not receive any help, support and protection from the government”.
“There was no known grassroots activism among transgender communities in Pakistan. This lack of activism, the silences around sexuality and deeply closeted status of most trans people in Pakistan (many of whom have double lives to avoid revealing their sexual orientation and gender identity) makes it difficult to accurately assess their living conditions and human rights” added Qamar Naseem
Farzana the coordinator of the TransAction Alliance said “Transgender people suffer insistent discrimination in all aspects of life. They experience rampant workplace discrimination, denial of housing, lack sufficient access to quality healthcare free from discrimination and face difficulties in obtaining appropriate name and gender designations on their identity documents.”
Taimur Kamal of Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network (PCSN) expressing his views said that its time for the civil society to ensure that their actions support transgender people’s rights; eradicate transphobic discrimination; and advance equality for all transgender people”
Raees Urf Sana coordinator of TransAction Alliance for District laki Marwat Said “Nobody listens to our outcry. We are targeted because we are trying to stand up for our rights. Transgender individuals in Pakistan have typically faced a myriad of dangers from police, family, community, and religious authorities. We are finally up for our rights and no cheap tactic can stop us from claiming our rights”.
THE PASHTUN TIMES
