ISLAMABAD: A constable was arrested for taunting the head of the transgender protection unit of the police on Saturday.

A case was registered against the constable at the Ramna police station under section 506ii of Pakistan Penal Code in response to a complaint lodged by Nayyab Ali, a support officer and head of the transgender protection unit at the Police Facilitation Centre, F-6.

According to the FIR, Nayyab Ali went to the Ramna police station to report a crime committed against a transgender, Paro Khan, where the constable misbehaved with her.

In response, Nayyab Ali introduced herself and asked the constable not to use derogatory words, the FIR said. But the constable pointed his gun at her and warned her that if she said another word she would be shot.

Other police officers in the police station did nothing and just took the constable aside. However, the constable came back and started abusing them.

Despite repeated requests, Nayyab Ali and Paro Khan were not allowed to leave the police station, the FIR said. After getting information, the transgender community staged a protest outside the police station.

“I have yet to be given police protection from the the Ramna police station until an inquiry is conducted and concluded,” the complainant said in the FIR, adding: “I feel very unsafe and threatened by these police officers who I once called my colleagues.”

Meanwhile, an unidentified man manhandled a transgender — Yawar Khan — at G-11 where he had gone for dinner. The suspect also snatched gold ornaments worth Rs100,000 and Rs28,000 from the transgender and escaped, said police.

In another incident, a man broke into the house of Qasim alias Saima, also a transgender, and subjected him to torture before taking away Rs50,000 and ornaments worth Rs161,000.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2022