Hyderabad hosts 'Moorat March' for first time

Transgender people demand recognition, rights as per Constitution

HYDERABAD:

The rallying cry of the transgender people at the Sindh's third Moorat March was recognition as a person. They also demanded rights as any other Pakistani like access to health, education and legal protection. The transgender community also demanded of the government to dedicate a national day to them.

Staged in Hyderabad for the first time, the transgneder's movement, Moorat March, drew hundreds of trans-people besides members of the civil society, rights activists, writers and educationists.

The transgender community from different cities of Sindh including Karachi and Sukkur participated in the Sindh Morat March held at the famous Rani Bagh.

The ceremony filled with colour, dance and music, however, started with the recitation of Holy Quran. A transgender woman Soni recited the verses of Holy Quran.

Transgender rights activist Maryam Sheikh and KMC City Council Member Shahzadi Rai were the moderators of the event.

The event began with a song of freedom of trans-persons, on which a team of transgender women from Hyderabad performed a tableau.

Transgender leader Bindiya Rana, who holds the status of a Guru Mother, tecalled that the struggle for their rights started from a press conference in 2009. She said that the media has supported them since the first day of their struggle. She demanded that the government should fix a day for transgender persons.

She said that transgender people should be given all the rights equal to other Pakistani citizens. Bindiya Rana said that the number of transgender persons was not counted correctly in the census. If the correct number had been revealed in the census, transgenders would have been given quotas everywhere in government jobs and educational institutions. The two per cent quota allocated for transgenders in employment has not been implemented till date.

She thanked the IG Sindh for forming a group to solve the problems of transgender people.

Transgenders have approached the Supreme Court for their rights. She said that the day is not far when transgenders will get respect, dignity, justice and employment in the society.

She has also demanded Sindh government to establish special wards for transgenders in government hospitals across Sindh so that transgenders can get timely treatment facilities.

Hyderabad Town Municipal Corporation member Zeresh Khanzadi said that they had presented twelve demands, out of which three have been approved, and the struggle will continue to get the remaining demands approved.

Maryam Sheikh said that transgender people have all kinds of abilities. Society needs to change its attitude towards transgender people.

Civil society leader Comrade Alia Bakhsal Thalo said that the demands of transgenders are legitimate; the exploitation of transgender should stop.

Third-year transgender student Eshal Tariq said that even teachers do not understand how to treat transgender students. Irfana Mallah said that unfortunately, the transgender community has not even got its true identity till date.

Dr. Saima Jafri, a lecturer at the University of Sindh, said that some people have wrapped transgenders in a blanket in the name of sanctity and respect. Transgenders should be given their rights.