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The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has strongly condemned a decision by community elders in Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to form a committee tasked with expelling transgender persons from the district.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, the Commission said, "HRCP strongly condemns the reported decision by community elders in Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to form a committee aimed at expelling transgender persons from the district. Such actions are unconstitutional, discriminatory and amount to incitement to violence against an already marginalised community. No citizen can be deprived of the right to reside, work or earn a livelihood anywhere in Pakistan on the basis of gender identity." The HRCP further urged authorities to uphold the rule of law, stating, "We call on the provincial and district authorities to immediately ensure the safety and dignity of transgender persons in Swabi and uphold their fundamental rights under the Constitution and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018." According to a report by Dawn, a group of elders in Swabi formed an 11-member committee on Saturday with the stated intention of expelling all transgender persons from the district. This decision reportedly followed an incident on Wednesday, during which transgender individuals and attendees at a music event allegedly used "inappropriate language" towards police officers who attempted to shut down the program. According to Dawn, Maulana Samad, a member of the committee formed by Swabi elders, stated that they wanted transgender persons to leave the district peacefully and seek livelihoods elsewhere. He argued that their presence encouraged music events, which he claimed had a negative influence on the youth. Another committee member, Yasir Khan, told Dawn that the first step would involve requesting transgender individuals to leave voluntarily. If that approach failed, he said the district police would be involved to enforce the decision. In response, transgender persons issued a video message, excerpts of which were reported by Dawn. They said they had always respected local elders and traditions and had never spoken against anyone, but the current situation had forced them to raise their voice. They firmly rejected the possibility of being expelled and warned the elders against taking the law into their own hands. The group added that they were unfairly blamed for youth attending their performances and emphasised that they were fully aware of their constitutional rights. They also expressed willingness to stop performing at events if the government provided them with alternative employment opportunities. (ANI)
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