Pakistan: Transgender rights row deepens as Swabi elders push expulsion plan, HRCP condemns move
(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
HRCP Slams Elders’ Plan to Expel Transgender People from Swabi District in Pakistan
In a shocking move, community elders in Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, have formed an 11-member committee to push out all transgender persons from the district. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has come out strongly against this decision, calling it unconstitutional and discriminatory.
The HRCP shared its statement on X, condemning the elders’ action. They say it promotes violence against an already marginalized transgender community in Pakistan. "No Pakistani citizen can be denied the right to live, work, or earn a livelihood based on their gender identity," the HRCP emphasized. They urged the provincial and district authorities to protect the transgender rights in Swabi, as these are guaranteed under Pakistan’s Constitution.
The committee includes Maulana Abdul Samad Haqqani, the tehsil president of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl. He claims transgender people should leave peacefully because their presence leads to music events that harm the youth. Another member, Yasir Khan, added that they’ll first ask the community to go voluntarily. If not, they’ll involve the police to enforce it.
This controversy kicked off after a police raid in Swabi. Officers arrested over 200 people, including two transgender individuals, for resisting during a music event. The police said the crowd used abusive language when they tried to stop the gathering.
Transgender representatives hit back with a video message. They insist they respect local traditions while earning a living but warn that no one can take the law into their own hands. They also pointed out that if the government offers jobs, they’d happily stop performing at social functions.
The committee plans to meet soon and talk to local police to roll out their expulsion strategy. This has sparked widespread concern over transgender rights in Pakistan and the need for better protection against such discriminatory actions.
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