Paro, who is transgender, told she needs NoC to hold event in wedding hall for 300 people. PHOTO: EXPRESS
PESHAWAR: The transgender community contacted the Directorate of Human Rights in the city on Saturday, seeking protection of civil liberties after Paro, a transgender person, was stopped from celebrating her birthday in Ghazi, Haripur last week.
“I have always entertained people and made them happy, but in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa my rights to celebrate a joyous occasion of my life have been snatched,” said Paro after submitting an application to the directorate. She accused the K-P police of not allowing her to celebrate her birthday.
It’s my party, I can try if I want to
Birthday celebrations were planned for December 15 at a wedding hall and 300 people who identify as transgender had travelled to Haripur from across K-P at Paro’s invitation. However, Paro, who lives in Peshawar, was not allowed to continue with the occasion. She said she was told a no-objection certificate (NoC) was needed to hold such a gathering.
The directorate assured Paro she would be granted her rights. Paro told The Express Tribune over the telephone she was shocked that such documentation was needed to celebrate a birthday. “Where are my rights?” asked Paro. The police, meanwhile, contended they had stopped the event due to security reasons.
However, an association representing people who are transgender said this was a clear infringement of civil rights and slammed the attempt to halt a properly organised programme. “This is the only celebration in her life,” Farzana Jan from TransAction told The Express Tribune. “As a human being, she has the right to live her life and celebrate happiness.” Farzana added everyone else in this country had the right and liberty to celebrate even the smallest moments of happiness with pomp and show.
However, she felt authorities took a different stance when it came to people who are transgender, regardless of the importance of the occasion. She questioned the logic behind a transgender having to obtain an NoC to celebrate a birthday.
The application submitted to the Directorate of Human Rights, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, asked if everyone in the province needed NoCs to celebrate birthdays or weddings. It also asked which section of the law was stated by the police to stop Paro’s celebrations. The applicants asked the government to take action against the relevant officials. She also uploaded a video to express her outrage which circulated on social media and has been watched by thousands of people.
TransAction and Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network (PCSN) asked the government to ensure the rights of people who are transgender as the Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled in their favour. PCSN’s Taimur Kamal said they have the right to observe all customs as well as traditions which make them unique.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 20th, 2015.
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