Transgender 'sex workers' asked to vacate Peshawar plazas

SHO transferred after alleged forced detention of plaza owners

PESHAWAR: Transgender persons were on Thursday told to vacate Peshawar's plazas after some of them were suspected of operating as 'sex workers' in the vicinity.

A high-ranking police official told The Express Tribune denied that all transgenders had been asked to leave the plaza situated on Dalazak road. An estimated 350 transgender persons reside in rented apartments and rooms in three plazas.

“Only those who were engaged as sex workers were asked to stop their activities or leave because the local residents were wary of their activities,” he said, and added that the SHO Faqirabad Noor Haider has been transferred.

Haider had reportedly asked the plaza's owners to expel all transgender persons, and detained several other owners. The owners were allowed to go after they promised to curb the illegal practice in the vicinity.



A transgender person said earlier he was called by the plaza owners, who said they had been pressurised by the SHO to expel all the residents who operate in the area as 'sex workers'.

“We have discussed the issue with the transgender community with two committees being formed by the Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Qazi Jamil," the official said.

"One of the committees is working under the supervision of Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Operation Javed Iqbal, while the other is being supervised by SSP Investigation Nisar Khan,”

The committees, under than the officers, comprise of transgender persons and civil society members. They have been tasked with identifying the problems and suggesting effective solutions.