PESHAWAR: An exclusive protection centre for transgender persons of old age and below 18 years has been set up in Peshawar to provide them with free food and shelter.
“The Pakhtunkhwa’s Social Welfare Department has established the protection shelter following the directives of Federal Shariat Court issued on December 12, 2022,” Noor Muhammad, District Officer Social Welfare Department, said.
Talking to APP, Noor appreciated that the Federal Shariat Court, while hearing a petition filed by a transgender community member, ordered the establishment of a special protection centre for intersex children at the provincial level.
Noor said the Panah Gah (Shelter House) on Pajaggi Road has been designated as a site of special protection and will offer free lodging and meals to a select group of transgender people. He said that this center initially had two rooms with five beds.
The officer said the transgender community would receive psychiatric counseling for children and elder people.
“We also have a Child Protection Unit in Peshawar that offers expert psychologists’ counseling services, and the transgender community to use the facility as needed,” he added.
Facility to serve the most deserving
Farzana Riaz, president of TransAction (Provincial Association for Transgender People), inaugurated the facility as a chief guest.
She praised the project and claimed it would benefit the most marginalized and vulnerable members of the transgender community. She also lauded the Federal Shariat Court for taking notice of the miseries of the most marginalized group of society who remained neglected.
The two-room facility, according to her, was insufficient, given the number of transgender people in the province. Still, it was a warm beginning and would hopefully grow to assist more deserving community members soon, she added.
The Social Welfare Agency requested her to find those transgender persons who deserve the facility the most.
—APP
