PESHAWAR: Members of transgender community have demanded registration of FIRs against the people involved in violence against them and urged government to take practical steps for their protection.

Addressing a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Tuesday, Transgender Alliance president Farzana Jan said that the growing incidents of violence against transgender community forced many of its members to leave Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

On the occasion, Mahi Gul and Ghazala, members of the transgender community, alleged that influential people were involved in violence against them but police were reluctant to take action against the accused persons.

They said that several members of their community lost lives during the past few years. They said that they had done nothing wrong but police were in the habit to pick them up in case some anti-social elements fired shots in wedding ceremonies or other functions.

Police enter Peshawar Press Club to disrupt news conference

“We are not safe in Peshawar, not even in the presence of police,” they complained. They said that they were also citizens of the country and had right to live with peace. They added they had provided all kinds of proofs to the police after every incident but no action was taken for their safety.

The members of transgender community also held a protest demonstration outside the press club and chanted slogans for acceptance of their demands.

Meanwhile, a police party led by DSP Ihsan Shah entered Zubair Mir Hall of the press club to stop leaders of the transgender community from criticising police during the press conference.

According to the press club finance secretary, Yasir Hussain, he asked the DSP that his interference was sheer violation of freedom of press but the official threatened him with dire consequences.

Reacting to the irresponsible attitude of the police official, Khyber Union of Journalists announced to hold a protest demonstration on Wednesday (today).

KhUJ president Fida Khattak and general secretary Mohammad Naeem urged the union members to participate in the rally in a large number.

Peshawar Press Club also announced boycott of police events. The PPC governing body, which met with its president M Riaz in the chair soon after the incident, formed a five-member committee comprising M Riaz, Arif yousufzai, Irfan Musazai, Fida Khattak and Imran Bukhari to represent the journalists during negotiations with police.

A statement issued by police here said that Capital City Police Officer Abbas Ahsan took notice of Peshawar Press Club incident. It said that SP Ahmed Zunair Cheema would probe the matter.

The statement quoted Mr Ahsan as saying that journalists always sided with police in its war against crimes.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2021