Transgender activist Shahzadi Rai was stopped by university guards from entering the “Reimagining Pakistan” seminar that was held at Habib University Karachi where she was a part of the panel on Gender, Autonomy & Inclusivity.
Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, his party colleague and ex-finance minister Miftah Ismail, and Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, who parted ways with the PPP recently, also spoke at the seminar.
One Pakistan Forum cordially invites you to the beautiful campus of Habib University for Reimagining Pakistan seminar on Sunday March 12, at 12:30 pm. pic.twitter.com/3D99LzkcvB
— Miftah Ismail (@MiftahIsmail) March 11, 2023
Shahzadi Rai was part of the Gender, Autonomy & Inclusivity panel along with other human rights activists.
The transgender activist managed to enter the event after being denied entry from two university gates.
The transgender community in Pakistan faces a number of legal and social issues, including incidents of violence and discrimination against members.
Earlier, Pakistan’s first transgender news anchor Marvia Malik survived a gun attack outside her residence in Lahore.
According to Marvia Malik, she received threatening phone calls and messages from unknown numbers. She had also said that she had left Lahore out of fear for her life but had returned for surgery.
There have also been growing instances of politicians and celebrities openly passing discriminatory remarks against the community.
Last month, the Senate Committee on Human Rights substituted the word “transgender” with “khunsa (intersex)” in the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018. The move was strongly criticised by Human rights defenders.
Renowned Pakistani designer Maria B also uses her public platform to issue transphobic remarks.
