End to violence against trans people demanded

KARACHI:

Khwaja Sara (transgender) people, members of the Aurat March and Sindh Moorat March on Saturday staged a protest against violence targeting them, demanding protection and justice for the community.

The protest comes on the heels of a horrifying mob attack on March 18, 2024, where a group of transgenders in Gulistan-e-Jauhar was assaulted by a mob of over 100 men.

Reports indicate that the attackers threatened the victims with phrases like "We will burn you all," while some men within the mob resorted to physical and sexual assault.

Expressing outrage over the incident, representatives of the Aurat March and Sindh Moorat March emphasised the urgent need for justice for one of Pakistan's most marginalised communities.

They pointed to a hate campaign launched by various groups, as exacerbating transphobia by over 200% in the country.

Speakers at the protest stressed that the transphobia is a form of misogyny, contributing to a larger patriarchal system of violence against marginalised communities.

The protestors demanded the legal classification of transphobic speech as hate speech, establishment of Tahaffuz Centres for trans community, enforcement of the Transgender Persons [Protection of Rights] Act of 2018 in its original form and public apology from the perpetrators of the mob who assaulted the trans women, along with assurances of police protection.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 24^th, 2024.