Pakistan: Transgender rights row deepens as Swabi elders push expulsion plan, HRCP condemns move

Islamabad [Pakistan], September 14 (ANI): The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has sharply criticised the decision of community elders in Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who reportedly formed an 11-member body to drive out all transgender persons from the district, Dawn reported.

According to Dawn, in a statement shared on X, the HRCP said it "strongly condemns the reported decision by community elders in Swabi to create a committee tasked with expelling transgender persons from the district. Such actions are unconstitutional, discriminatory, and encourage violence against a community that is already marginalised." The body added that no Pakistani citizen can be denied the right to live, work, or pursue a livelihood based on gender identity.

The HRCP has called on provincial and district administrations to safeguard the transgender community in Swabi, stating that their fundamental rights are guaranteed under the Constitution.

The committee behind the decision includes the tehsil president of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Maulana Abdul Samad Haqqani, who argued that transgender persons should leave the district "peacefully." He claimed their presence encouraged musical events that negatively affected the youth. Another committee member, Yasir Khan, said the community would first be asked to depart voluntarily, but if they refused, police intervention would be sought, according to Dawn.

Committee members stated they plan to meet again in the coming days and will also consult local police to devise a strategy for implementing the expulsion.

The controversy arose after a police raid in Swabi in which more than 200 people, including two transgender persons, were arrested for allegedly resisting authorities during a music event. Police accused participants of using "abusive language" when officers tried to halt the gathering.

In reaction, transgender representatives released a video message rejecting the committee's decision. They stressed that they respect cultural traditions while earning their living but warned that no one has the right to take the law into their own hands.

They also said that if the state provided employment opportunities, they would willingly stop performing at social functions, Dawn reported. (ANI)

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