An elderly transwoman, who passed away after allegedly being refused treatment at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC), Karachi, was later denied burial. A local Imam reportedly refused to offer her funeral prayers.
According to a transgender activist, Hina Baloch, an elderly transwoman, Noor, was taken to the JPMC in critical condition, however, the staff did not admit her for treatment.
We got a call from KS community member residing at Muslimabad Orangi/Baldia that a KS elder is in extremely critical condition & she needs to be taken to the hospital, she was then taken to Jinnah Hospital but the hospital didn’t admit her for treatment & told them off to go home pic.twitter.com/ZIHjOlMEHT
— Hina Baloch (@surkhina) April 23, 2023
The very next day/chaandraat, I got a call from my Guru @ShahzadiRai that the KS elder just passed away & I was tasked to arrange for her funeral/burial. I along with my KS colleague Mano rushed to the deceased KS woman’s home & met her grieving KS Chelas there. Allah have mercy
— Hina Baloch (@surkhina) April 23, 2023
A day later, she passed away, Hina Baloch said.
The transgender activist then narrated their ordeal with getting to arrange her funeral and burial. She said the local imam refused to offer funeral prayers for Noor and the locals also did not allow her burial inside the cemetery.
I called Edhi, May Allah bless the late Edhi Sahib & Bilquis Edhi. Their staff very politely explained to us that they need a permission letter from the relevant police station & then the Edhi foundation will take care of the funeral & burial of the said KhawajaSira elder.
— Hina Baloch (@surkhina) April 23, 2023
After this, the transgender activist called Edhi Foundation, who told them they would arrange for the burial but they needed a permission letter from a relevant police station.
I went to Mominabad police station around 3 AM in the morning & explained the situation to the cops sitting there. Initially they asked us if the blood family is available? I told them they’re not willing to show up. Cops asked me to bring them confirmation of her death & …
— Hina Baloch (@surkhina) April 23, 2023
Seeking confirmation on chaandraat from a govt hospital of someone who died at her home in another corner of the city where even an ambulance is not coming to carry her corpse. It was almost impossible & extremely frustrating and the body had started to decompose already
— Hina Baloch (@surkhina) April 23, 2023
Eventually, they got the permission letter and were able to hand over Noor’s dead body to Edhi Foundation for burial. However, she questioned, why was she denied treatment in a government hospital.
Thanks to Shahzadi who made some quick calls & thanks to Sindh Police for cooperating & understanding the situation & for not wasting our time in an unnecessary red tape, they finally issued me the permission letter in my name & only then I could feel some sense of relief pic.twitter.com/5xV0EesxWu
— Hina Baloch (@surkhina) April 23, 2023
Finally, a team of Forensic experts arrived & they did their job and granted us the permission to handover the dead body of Noor to the Edhi Foundation. Noor was then carried down the road where an Edhi ambulance was waiting for her & her Chelas bid farewell to their Guru. pic.twitter.com/QdaLoYngtz
— Hina Baloch (@surkhina) April 23, 2023
“I was thinking that a KhawajaSira person cannot even die in peace,” she added.
, Karachi. Local imam also allegedly refused to offer her funeral prayers.){kind=link}