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Pakistani Tribal Council Orders Transgender Residents to Leave the District



An 11-member committee of community elders in Swabi district, northern Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has declared that all transgender persons must be expelled from the area, citing allegations of obscenity.

The decision emerged following a September 11 incident where police arrested 226 people, including two transgender individuals, during a crackdown on a music event. Authorities alleged that participants used "abusive language" against police who attempted to stop the gathering.

The committee comprises religious and community leaders, including Maulana Abdul Samad Haqqani, tehsil president of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, and Yasir Khan, president of Anjuman-i-Dokandaran Swabi city. Maulana Haqqani stated the committee's objective was to prevent youth involvement in "wrong activities" and create an environment where everyone could "earn livelihood with dignity and honour".

Committee members claimed transgender residents' presence encouraged musical events that "negatively impacted youth". The group plans to first request voluntary departure from transgender individuals, with potential police involvement if they refuse to comply.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan strongly condemned the decision, describing such actions as "unconstitutional, discriminatory, and amount to incitement to violence against an already marginalised community". The commission emphasized that no citizen can be deprived of the right to reside, work, or earn a livelihood anywhere in Pakistan based on gender identity.

In response, transgender community members released a video message rejecting the expulsion order. They asserted they respect local norms and values while earning their livelihood and warned committee members against "taking the law into their own hands". The community expressed willingness to stop performing at social functions if provided government employment opportunities.

Following the controversy, the Peshawar High Court issued a notice to the provincial Inspector General of Police, seeking a report within 14 days regarding harassment and forced expulsion of transgender persons across multiple districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Violence against transgender individuals has escalated significantly in the province. According to community activists, at least 14 transgender persons were killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2025, with 157 murders recorded between 2015 and 2025. Additionally, 267 cases of violence against transgender individuals were reported between 2019 and 2024, resulting in only one conviction.

Pakistan's Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018 legally recognizes transgender people and guarantees their fundamental rights, including protection from discrimination and harassment. The law allows transgender individuals to obtain identity documents reflecting their self-perceived gender identity and prohibits discrimination in employment, education, and healthcare.

Despite progressive legislation, transgender persons continue facing systematic marginalization, with many forced to rely on street performances, begging, or sex work for survival due to limited employment opportunities and social stigma.


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