Khawajsara Festival planned for Nov 9

The Khawajsara Festival, an event dedicated to promoting transgender rights, will start on November 9 with a rally from Quaid-e-Azam House to Frere Hall, where a vibrant celebration will take place from 2pm to 7pm.

This announcement was made by prominent transperson rights activists during a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Sunday.

They added that the festival aims to raise awareness about transgender rights and challenge negative societal perceptions about the community.

Attendees at the presser included social activist Bindia Rana, transgender model Kami Chaudhry, transgender doctor Dr Sarah Gill, and Hina Pathani, president of the Khawajsara Festival.

They spoke about the importance of the festival and the transgender community's struggles for recognition.

Kami said that the festival seeks to affirm the presence and contributions of transpersons in Pakistani society, calling for their independence and rights.

"In Pakistan, transgender people are often restricted from entering parks and places of worship," Kami said as she clarified that the term "Khwajasara" is rooted in Arabic and Persian and is often misunderstood.

Bindia Rana, explained that in the 2018 transgender rights bill, the community did not ask for special privileges but merely sought acknowledgment as Pakistani citizens.