Peshawar: In a startling revelation, Arzo Khan, President of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Transgender Association, has accused both criminal gangs and local police of extortion and harassment against the transgender community.

Speaking at a press conference in Peshawar, Arzo Khan alleged that there are at least 15 criminal groups operating in the city who regularly demand protection money (extortion) from members of the transgender community. Shockingly, she further claimed that even the police harass transgenders if they refuse to pay bribes or extortion money.

Lack of Protection and Justice

Highlighting the community’s plight, Arzo Khan expressed disappointment with law enforcement agencies, stating that in most cases involving attacks on transgenders, the accused are not arrested. Referring to the “Tuttli murder case”, she said that despite a prime suspect being nominated, police have failed to make an arrest.

She also accused the Gulbahar police station’s SHO of deliberately leaving out names of suspects in the FIR (First Information Report). Moreover, in a recent incident at Faqirabad Police Station, members of the transgender community were allegedly denied the right to even register their complaint.

“Police Harass Us Too”

Arzo Khan strongly criticized the double standards of the police, saying:

“Instead of protecting us, the police themselves pressure us for extortion. When we refuse to pay, they harass us.”

She urged authorities to take immediate action against both the criminal groups and corrupt officials, stressing that the transgender community deserves protection and dignity, not exploitation.

Demand for Respectable Employment

Beyond the issue of extortion, the transgender leader also appealed for respectable employment opportunities for transgenders. She argued that unless provided with jobs, the community will continue to remain vulnerable to both poverty and exploitation.

She added that harassment and extortion not only strip transgenders of their rights but also worsen their already fragile social and economic conditions.

Growing Concerns in Peshawar

The transgender community in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in Peshawar, has long faced threats from gangs, harassment from law enforcement, and social discrimination. Despite promises from successive governments to protect their rights, very little progress has been made on the ground.

Civil society activists are now calling for urgent government intervention to ensure that transgenders can live without fear of violence, extortion, or exploitation.