Pakistan is Getting Its First Transgender Anti-Harassment Hotline

The head of the Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms Unit, Salman Sufi, announced that an anti-harassment/discrimination hotline will be launched on 30 September 2022 (tomorrow) through a virtual conference.

Sufi made this announcement via his Twitter account on Thursday. 

Great news for Pakistan's transgender citizens

As part of PM @CMShehbaz social reforms, Join us tomm 1130 am to launch Pakistan's first transgender anti harrasment/discrimination hotline

Connected with IG offices of all provinces & Min of Human Rights https://t.co/ZJhwf6N4kP pic.twitter.com/SZamIxji8R

— Salman Sufi (@SalmanSufi7) September 29, 2022

The hotline will be connected to the offices of the Inspector Generals (IGs) of Police in all provinces, as well as the office of the Ministry of Human Rights. Sufi shared a link to the conference in his tweet, inviting the citizens to join in as well.

This reform comes in the wake of the emerging controversy around the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018, as some religious political parties have recently voiced their concerns against it, saying that the bill opens the opportunity for the legal protection of homosexuality in the country.

Although this allegation has been denied by government officials, the opposition to the bill is likely to endanger the lives of the country’s transgender citizens, as it was put in place for their protection.

Sufi, the social reforms unit’s head, has already introduced unique social welfare reforms, even during his tenure as the Director General of Strategic Reforms in the Punjab government as well. The Mother Teresa Award winner can be credited with the Punjab Women Protection Act, Violence Against Women Centre, Women on Wheels, and the Shehr-e-Khamoshan Act.