Election 2024: How two trans candidates are trying to engender change

As Pakistan gears up for the 2024 general elections, two transgender candidates have picked up the electoral gauntlet to engender a long-elusive change, as they believe that the legislature is the best as well as place to ensure the rights of their oppressed community.

Sobia Khan, who hails from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), is vying for the Provincial Assembly’s PK-84 seat. Meanwhile, Nayyab Ali, who is from Okara, is contesting for the National Assembly NA-47 seat from Islamabad.

Sobia has made history by becoming the first transgender person to run as an independent candidate in Peshawar in the upcoming polls, advocating for the rights of transgender individuals, women, and children.

Her journey has been an inspiration for others in this marginalised community, as she exemplifies an independent and empowered individual in society. She achieved a significant milestone in her career by earning a BA degree from Allama Iqbal Open University with first-division honours.

Talking to local media, Sobia emphasised the promotion of inclusion for transgender individuals in mainstream education. She said that having separate schools for transgenders would only reinforce the perception that they are different from the rest of society.

“Why transgenders cannot study alongside boys and girls, as they do in private schools where they share the same desks,” she asked as she expressed hopes for transgender individuals to be fully accepted and embraced by society, just like other men and women.

In an interview with Geo.tv, she said: "If I win the elections, I will raise funds for women engaged in domestic work to help them earn a livelihood, enabling them to stay at home and raise their children without worrying about anything.”

When asked about her plans for the country if she became the prime minister, Sobia said: "I will raise my voice for the poor, women, and my community. Many educated transgender individuals remain deprived of facilities by the state."

On the other hand, Nayyab Ali continues to voice her support for and empowerment of the transgender community despite facing countless challenges.

Nayyab earned her undergraduate degree in botany from the University of Punjab and later pursued her Master’s in International Relations (IR) from Preston University, Islamabad.

She played a crucial role in the special committee tasked with reviewing the Pakistan Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018 — the legislation that provided legal recognition to transgender persons and prevented discrimination and harassment.

Addressing the challenges faced by the transgender community, especially in dealing with societal stigma, Nayyab spoke at length on the misconceptions.

"People often perceive transgenders as beggars. During our election campaign, transgender volunteers distributing brochures encountered rude reactions, with people dismissively saying, 'Go away, don't bother us, asking for money.' In response, one of the Khawaja Saras asserted, 'We're not here for money but for votes'," she explained in an earlier interview with Geo.tv.

While Sobia and Nayyab are set to make history with their impactful entry into politics, Arzoo Khan, a trans activist from Peshawar details the harsh reality of the country’s justice system’s treatment of their community.

Arzoo, a 40-year-old resilient activist, shares a compelling story that inspired her journey to fight for the rights, identity, security, and dignity of her imprisoned community members.

She exposed the grim realities of the justice system through the challenges faced by three close friends, who were trapped in a cruel twist of fate.

The transgender activist, who has been advocating for the rights of marginalised groups in the transgender community in KP for over a decade, recalled the day that was meant for celebration as the trio — Rani, Bobby, and Muskaan — decided to mark Eid ul Fitr with a visit to a local park during the early hours to avoid potential confrontations.

Recalling the horrifying incident, Arzoo shared: "A man approached them, harassed them, and made an indecent proposal. Fearing for their safety, all three of them tried to leave, but he forcefully blocked their way. When they screamed, he accused them of attacking him with a knife".

Overwhelmed with emotions, Arzoo continued that police detained them amid gut-wrenching public humiliation, Rani, Bobby, and Muskaan. “The man filed an FIR against them and they were charged with attacking a citizen in broad daylight and they were thrown in a men's lockup,” she said.

It is pertinent to mention that in Section 6 of Transgender Act 2018, it is mentioned that it is crucial to establish separate prisons, jails, confinement cells, etc for trans people involved in any kind of offence or offences. However, the on-ground reality differs from what the Constitution of Pakistan promises to the citizens.

Campaigning for the 2024 polls, Nayyab, who previously participated in the 2018 elections from Punjab’s Okara, shed light on the challenges faced by the transgender community.

In one of her interviews with a local news outlet, she said that her primary goal was to “enhance the inclusion of the transgender community in politics and the legislation process.”

“As a parliamentarian, I think your biggest responsibility is law-making. The existing laws about harassment and injustice against marginalised groups don’t have a concept of punishment. It is written that one is not supposed to discriminate against transgender people, but there is no punishment for it,” she added.

Reflecting on the incident, Arzoo said she got the news a few hours after her friends were taken to the local police station. Upon her arrival at the station, Arzoo was left both shocked and enraged as she learned the harrowing injustices imposed upon her friends.

“They were punished for the crimes they never committed. They were not only stripped naked before policemen but stripped of their dignity in the police station,” Arzoo shared.

She said that she received a copy of the FIR and immediately applied to bail them out but failed at the hands of an ill-designed justice system.

“They were sent to Central Jail Peshawar where they witnessed psychological trauma, physical and verbal abuse because they were allocated in male prisoner barracks,” she shared.

With tears welling in her eyes, Arzoo said: “I wanted to help them but they were put beyond the heavy iron bars of the prison”.

This didn’t stop Arzoo from fighting the system and seeking justice for her community members.

After fighting a challenging legal battle, Arzoo was successful at convincing the government to make reforms in the prison system and four separate barracks were designated for transgender individuals in Central Jail Peshawar.

Suffering trauma and abuse, after three years of being wrongly held in jail, Arzoo's friends were proven innocent and set free. However, their struggle for basic human rights continues.

Amid the never-ending challenges, Sobia has emerged as a beacon of hope for her community. In an interview, she shared: "I will advocate for the rights of the poor, women, and my community. Many educated transpersons are still denied essential facilities by the state."

Speaking to another local media outlet, Sobia also highlighted the lack of social protection for trans people in KP. “We have always been on our own. As a member of the trans community, I will raise these concerns and ensure they are brought forward.”

Sobia's manifesto mainly focuses on women and transgender individuals, as she aims to create a safer society for these vulnerable groups.

“My manifesto is inspired by my community and all the struggles we have endured. [Once in office] I aim to bring the changes we have always dreamed of,” she said.

While Sobia's goal reflects an aspiration for positive change in her community, hundreds of miles away from Peshawar, Billo, a transgender woman from Karachi, shares similar challenges.

Billo, who struggles to make her living by begging on the streets of markets in Saddar, Karachi, shared a heart-wrenching story of a wrongful conviction that led her to a police lockup for males.

“I was alone and afraid as it was a humiliating and abusive environment,” Billo said. Detailing the lack of social protection for trans people, she said her Guru, the community head, paid for her bail and she was released before any FIR was registered against her.

Another trans woman from Karachi, who chose to remain anonymous, detailed her encounter with the local police. “I was returning home one evening when I was stopped by a group of young boys who misbehaved, called names, and swore at me because of my gender identity.”

“As this was happening, a police mobile pulled up and cops took me to the station and accused me of vague offences,” she shared, adding that she was freed from police custody within a few days with the help of her friends.

While the government has proactively initiated efforts to implement reforms for the transgender community in the country, setting an example with the celebration of National Transgender Day, individuals like Billo, Rani, Bobby, Muskaan, and many more await measures for the betterment of society.

As Pakistan braces for the 2024 vote, the narratives of trans candidates Sobia and Nayyab reflect a historic stride towards inclusivity. However, the challenges faced by transgender individuals highlight the substantial work still required to ensure fundamental human rights for their community.

Bakhtawar Ahmed is a freelance journalist. She can be reached at [email protected]