- Tortured transgenders and civil society protest against state’s apathy
- Among the protesters were Shnaya and Julie who were tortured, raped, made to drink urine in Faisalabad and Sialkot
Scores of protesters, including transgenders and other members of civil society blocked the road in front of National Press Club during their protest against the state’s apathy regarding crimes against transgendered persons, and demanded that the culprits who tortured the transgendered persons in Faisalabad and Sialkot be brought to justice.
The protest was organized by Forum for Dignity Initiative, Blue Veins and transgender community. Among them were Shnaya, a transgender who was allegedly beaten by Jajja Butt and his gang in Sialkot, and Julie from Faisalabad. Initially, the protesters, many of them holding placards inked with demands of equal status and protection of law, remained in the ‘protest area’ outside National Press Club, F-6. Later on, the enraged protesters started chanting slogans against Khawaja Asif, Defence Minister and MNA from Sialkot, and Chief Minister Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif, and blocked the road outside NPC.
“If law had taken course the first time and suspect Mani had been punished for his wrongdoings, and a precedent was made, there would be no Jajja Butt. We appeal to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take action, we cannot tolerate such incidents for much longer. The issue is Section 377 PPC, which deals with Sodomy, it says that sexual abuse other than with a woman comes under it. The sexual abuse of transgenders is not addressed under Section 375 and 376 that deal with rape and its punishment. We need to address these cases as rape cases,” said Uzma Yaqoob of Forum for Dignity, who was present at the occasion.
Police officials reached the venue and negotiated with the protesters. Both parties agreed that the protesters would move back after they had given interviews to media, they would move back.
“Shnaya is receiving threats even now. They are warning her of grave consequences for having raised her voice against them. The hospitals even refused to do their Medico-Legal report, saying that they indulge in sexual activities for a living. Now, tell me, in such a society what place a transgender occupies, who will understand their suffering?” asked Qamar Naseem, who works with Blue Veins.