Her excitement knew no bounds when Shakeela’s 40th “birthday” party was around the corner. Yet, she was scared.
What if her party was stopped half-way like Paro’s? Worse, it might get cancelled like Shabnam’s and Preeti’s, despite securing permission from the police.
After all, her community of transgenders in Pakistan always ran the risk of facing violence and police raids.
This time luck was on their side. Although the organisers had not secured written permission, the police guarded the gates of the venue. Shakeela’s “first and the last birthday” became the happiest occasion of her life.
In 2012, Pakistan’s Supreme Court declared equal rights for transgender citizens, including the right to inherit property and assets, preceded a year earlier by the right to vote.
Trans Action, a group campaigning for greater protection of transgender people in Peshawar, which also organised Shakeela’s party, shared each of these moments on their Facebook page.
But activists say there is a long way to go before they attain full legal rights and freedom from persecution.
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