Transgender community under constant threat in Pakistan

New Delhi: Violence in Pakistan against the transgender community has increased manifold over a considerable amount of time. According to media reports, the life of the transgender community in the country is not safe. As per official data, there are around 10,418 transgenders out of a population of 200 million in Pakistan. However, this minority section is living under a continuous threat as they are discriminated against and have been victims of violence.

Recently on September 11, an unidentified gunman attacked a vehicle in which three transgenders and their driver were injured in Rawalpindi. Earlier on September 1, a transgender person, identified as Majid, was stabbed to death by unknown suspects near street number 46 in the Shershah area of Karachi, the capital city of Sindh. 

On July 1, Amir Masih, a transgender person was murdered by stabbing in the jurisdiction of Race Course police in Rawalpindi. On March 25, one transgender person, identified as Sadiq was shot dead and another Salman was injured when unknown motorcyclists fired on their car in broad daylight near the Museum building located on Mardan-Charsadda road in Mardan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as per Islam Khabar.

On March 13, five trans women were targeted at their home in Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by a man who indiscriminately fired several bullets at them, leaving them all severely injured. One of the victims, named Sumiro, succumbed to her injuries, as per the publication.

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Transgender persons experience discrimination and killings regularly, restricting their movements as free residents of the country. These people are denied their fundamental human rights, including the right to live, the right to education, and the right to have equal job opportunities.

"The government must take strong efforts to investigate these heinous assaults and murders. Ensuring justice and responsibility for the atrocities against transgender individuals in Pakistan would send a message that such crimes against any group will not be accepted," said Josef Benedict, CIVICUS Asia-Pacific civic space researcher.

The Pakistani government has acknowledged transgender people's social position but has done nothing to alleviate their plight.

(With ANI inputs)