Police official suspended for harassing transgender woman

Transgender community protests, demands strict action against accused

MULTAN: A police official was suspended on charges of harassing a transgender woman in Bahawalpur on Wednesday.

While speaking to The Express Tribune, transgender woman Shehzadi Guria said that she was talking to her friends Sana and Malka when Sub-Inspector Raees Ahmed of Ahmedpur East approached and started abusing and harassing her. She alleged that the accused police officer also snatched money from her.



Guria maintained that Raees Ahmed had been following her since the last one month. After the incident, the transgender community staged a protest demonstration at Katchehry Road against the alleged misbehaviour of the police official.

They demanded of the authorities concerned to take strict action against the accused and recover the victim’s money.

While taking action over the matter, Bahawalpur District Police Officer Akhtar Abbas suspended Sub-Inspector Raees Ahmad. The DPO said that investigation of the matter was underway and strict action would be taken against him.



He said that if anyone was found involved in such immoral activities, he would be punished and departmental action would be taken against him.

“No one would be allowed to malign the department which is the custodian of security of the people,” he added.

Earlier in 2016, police rounded up 10 male suspects in Sialkot following the appearance of a slightly grainy but graphic video clip in which a transgender person was flogged.

It purportedly showed a man pinning the transgender woman face down on a bed with his foot and beating her with what appears to be a leather belt. At one point, he placed his foot on the victim’s neck and twisted her arms, while another man continued the flogging.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14^th, 2017.