The inclusion of Arzoo Khan, a transgender from Peshawar in the Dispute Resolution Council (DRC) by the Khyber Pukhtunkhwa police is a ray of hope for the ignored and marginalised transgender community in KP of the province.
Arzoo Khan, president Provincial Transgender has been appointed as a member of the DRC to represent her community and helps resolve their issues.
While commenting on her appointment as DRC member Arzoo Khan said that giving representation to transgender community in DRC was a good initiative of the KP police, demanding that such representation should be given to other districts too.
Transgender Community in KP
Arzoo Khan while talking to Voice of KP said that her inclusion in DRC was of much importance as it will help the transgender community to avoid any direct clash with police through proper dialogues.
She said that such initiatives of the KP government and especially the police proved they want to resolves issues of the community.
Meanwhile, other members of the transgender community and human rights organisations also hailed this initiative and termed it as a way forward towards the real protection of the transgender community.
While talking to VoKP, Farzana Jan a senior member of the transgender community hailing from Peshawar said that transgender community in KP was facing problems at police stations and courts. She added that such initiatives of the KP government and KP police were encouraging.
She also demanded of the government to include at least one transgender in the DRCs across the province to resolve the issues the community.
Taimur Kamal, a Peshawar based human rights activist told VoKP that it was a good step of the KP police to ensure justice for the transgender community in the province.
He said that the participation of transgender community should not be limited to membership only, adding that they must be given chance to sit in the decision making process which will definitely help to reduce crime ratio against transgender community in KP.
It must be noted that over 70 transgenders lost their lives in different incidents in the last almost six years and majority of whom were attacked by the people known to the deceased.
As per reports, about 74 transgendered persons have been killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the last six years. The latest murder was committed of Gul Panra in Palosai village on the outskirts of the provincial capital.
Another transgender Chahat was wounded in the attack. Besides, a transgender Gul Chahat in a video message feared she might be attacked as well as some people were hurling threats at her. The police arrested Rafiullah, the alleged killer of Gul Panra. He was said to be a friend of the deceased but they had developed differences.