Transgenders protest denial of inheritance

Sibling says they were thrown out for bringing ‘shame’ to the family.

LAHORE:

Two transgender siblings have been evicted from the family home by their brothers in an apparent bid to deprive them of their share of inherited property in Rajgarh, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Hasnain Ali alias Mathira told The Express Tribune that he and Ali Bakhsh were being victimised by their brothers Mohsin Raza and Muhammad Tauseef.

Ali said Raza and Tauseef described their transgender siblings as a cause for embarrassment.

Ali said their father Syed Ali Raza had died in August 2012 and left behind a 10 marla house in Rajgarh and 30 kanal agricultural land in Sheikhupura.

He said ownership of the land in Shaikhupura had been transferred to all the siblings; four brothers and five sisters.



He said Tauseef and Raza were now trying to get them excluded from their share of the residential property.

He said they had been evicted from their home one year ago, Ali said.

He said three days ago, they had visited their brothers to request them to let them return but they had refused to allow to share the house. He said Tauseef and three of his friends also beaten him.

“It is not our fault that we were born this way,” Ali said. “Our brothers are punishing us for a sin we never committed.”

He said he had tried to file a complaint at the Rivaz Garden police post but the police did not entertain his request. He said he had a doctor’s certificate that proved he had been beaten.

Malik Nisar, the police post In-charge told The Express Tribune that he had verified Ali’s claims. He said Ali and Bakhsh were indeed entitled to a share in the house.

He said he had not registered their complaint as the medical report did not indicate a cognizable offence.



Bakhsh told The Express Tribune that he had been married but his wife died a few years ago.

He said he had a daughter who was married last year.

He said after she was married, Tauseef and Mohsin forced him out of the house.

Tauseef told The Express Tribune that he was not oppressing his brothers.

He said Hasnain and Ali Bakhsh had been thrown out of the house by their father for their “inappropriate behaviour.” He said their father had also deprived them of a share in his property in his will. He said his father had been a pir and commanded respect in the society. He said his brothers were not born as transgenders but developed had “feminine” tendencies later in life. He said Hasnain had had a breast transplant to look like a woman.

Advocate Tipu Salmaan Makhdoom told The Express Tribune that sexual orientation was not a legally admissible ground for depriving someone of his property.

Commenting on the will, Makhdoom said it was up to a court to decide its authenticity and validity and not the beneficiary himself.

He said even if their father had forced his sons out of his house, they could not be legally deprived of their share in inheritance.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 9^th, 2013.