Coming strong: Transgender person thrashes cop in Swabi

Claims the official demanded money, attempted to sexually harass her

PESHAWAR: A police constable allegedly attempted to sexually harass a person who is a transgender in Swabi on Saturday night. However, she said she managed to protect herself by thrashing him.

“A police constable, Shahzaman, came to our apartment last night and pointed a gun at us,” Gul, president of the transgender community in Swabi, told The Express Tribune over the phone. “He demanded money and beat me.”

However, she and four others attacked Shahzaman and snatched the gun from him.

“We locked the constable in a room,” Gul added.

After they locked the constable in a room, she said, they called the police for help.

“However, the ASP instead threatened us with dire consequences,” Gul added.

She said, “They took us to the Swabi police station and made us sign an agreement – we had no option but to sign it.”

She added they were not even provided with a copy of the agreement that read Gul did not have any reservations with the constable and that she took her FIR back.

When approached for comments over the matter, the ASI said Shahzaman never went to the apartment. “We are here to provide shelter to the people who are transgender and if any such incident took place, the constable will have to face consequences.” However, Gul took a step and at least tried to protect herself and those with her.

“We have now become aware of our rights after the killing of our sister, Alesha, in Peshawar,” she told The Express Tribune.

She lauded the efforts of the police in Peshawar for arresting the prime suspect in Alesha’s murder.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2016.