Police to allow transgender recruits in Pakistan province

[خره مينه لګته وي]

Shahzadi Rai, 29, a transgender woman and activist, poses during an interview with Reuters at her home in Karachi, Pakistan April 19, 2019. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro
After years of sometimes brutal persecution, transgender Pakistanis gained recognition in 2009 when the Supreme Court granted them special status with rights equal to other citizens.

While discrimination still persists, the move to allow transgender police recruits would be a significant step for the community, activists say.

“We will make them part of Sindh police,” Syed Kaleem Imam, Inspector General of the Sindh police told Reuters in Karachi, the capital of Sindh province.

“They are good God-gifted people. Citizens like us. We should stand by them,” said Imam, who as a junior officer became aware of the discrimination against the community.

As in neighboring India and Bangladesh, transgender Pakistanis have faced widespread discrimination for decades. Many live in secluded communities, earning a living as dancers or forced into sex work or begging.

A 2017 census counted 10,418 transgender people in the country of 207 million, but rights group Charity Trans Action Pakistan estimates there are at least 500,000.


‘TRANS-FRIENDLY’

In a major step forward in 2009, the Supreme Court ruled that transgender people could receive national identity cards as a “third sex” and in 2017, the government issued its first passport with a transgender category.

While some transgender people have achieved celebrity as news anchors or fashion models, entry into the police force would be a major development for the community.

“Police behavior and their complaint mechanism is not trans-friendly. I will try to make police trans-friendly and educate colleagues when I join the police,” said Shahzadi Rai, a 29-year-old transgender activist who hopes to join the force.

“When we go to lodge any report at the police station, their behavior and questions hurt us. They don’t ask questions about the case, but about our gender,” Rai said.

Zehrish Khan, a program manager at Gender Interactive Alliance, a transgender rights group, said the community had always sought inclusion and was now seeing the fruits of the 2009 Supreme Court ruling.

“If we are inducted into the police, we’ll show we can work harder compared to men and women,” Khan told Reuters.

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It could be months before the first transgender police officers are hired, Imam said, but they will have the same opportunities as other recruits and perform regular duties in the field.

“We will give them space, facilitate them so that they can come into the mainstream,” the police chief said.

__________________________________________________

Reporting by Syed Raza Hassan; editing by Darren Schuettler

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

https://www.reuters.com

 

[Khafee]

This is not going to go well.

 

[hasnainfirst]

I won't make any comments on this but is this like , fine or not ?

 

[MD hosain]

Looks like Pakistan is adhering to global trends.

 

[SQ8]

This is not going to go well.

Enlisting these folks for home defense Was allowed in times of both the Rashidun Caliphate and Ummayad dynasty . However, it all depends upon the usage.

 

[Khafee]

Enlisting these folks for home defense Was allowed in times of both the Rashidun Caliphate and Ummayad dynasty . However, it all depends upon the usage.

Thank You for that history lesson Allama Sahab, but the public doesn't respect the Police, for very obvious reasons, enlisting Eunuchs is not going to help them.

 

[forcetrip]

Thank You for that history lesson Allama Sahab, but the public doesn't respect the Police, for very obvious reasons, enlisting Eunuchs is not going to help them.

First question we should ask is if we consider them to be human beings. The very next question you can ask is if we consider them to be Pakistani. The questions that come after would be minor details that would only affect you and will be considered personal opinion.

 

[Khafee]

First question we should ask is if we consider them to be human beings. The very next question you can ask is if we consider them to be Pakistani. The questions that come after would be minor details that would only affect you and will be considered personal opinion.

If society considered them humans, they wouldn't be in this condition, begging on the street etc.

Back in 2011, my unit buddy and I visited a NADRA office, to get some document for his new born child. It was a small one, forgetting the special name attached to it. Nonetheless, we were surprised and happy to see a person of the 3rd gender there.

I'm all for giving them respectable livelihoods, but certain depts have certain stigmas, when you want to uplift someone, you don't send them to a dept with a bad reputation. THAT was the point. It's like transferring an SF sniper to logistics - driving a truck.

 

[Peaceful Civilian]

Enlisting these folks for home defense Was allowed in times of both the Rashidun Caliphate and Ummayad dynasty . However, it all depends upon the usage.

Sir is there any mention of transgender in Quran?, I didn't find a single ahadees?.
Anyway, I support their involvement, they are also human being . We should give them equal rights.

 

[Bengal71]

Sir is there any mention of transgender in Quran?, I didn't find a single ahadees?.
Anyway, I support their involvement, they are also human being . We should give them equal rights.

As far a I know that transgender people are exempt from rituals and worship, they won't be judged like normal men and women. I am pretty sure I read this but if you ask for daleel I have to go dig it out which is kind of hard.

 

[Pak-Canuck]

If they can do the job equally (or even better) as the other recruits what's the problem? But yes at same time I hope they allow these recruits on merit and qualifications, not just for sake of "inclusion"

 

[undercover JIX]

I think mostly desk jobs would be assigned, not in the field. They are suppose to be better in CSR roles.

 

[Zibago]

Would love to see Azizi,s take on it @RealNapster @Mentee