Transgender female Alisha who was shot multiple times earlier this week allegedly by a disgruntled customer succumbed to her wounds at Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital on Wednesday.
It is a worrying sign that attacks on transgender have increased in recent times in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, but real worry is the way hospital administration treated the case of Alisha. According to reports after receiving multiple shots, Alisha was needed urgent medical attention; hospital doctors delayed the treatment as they had confusion about whether to lodge her in a ward for male or female patients. The hospital staff on their part maintained that the delay was due to the objections of other people in the wards who did not want a transgender to be treated alongside them. This act describes the high level of intolerance in our society. It is highly unfortunate that violence against transgender is perpetrated on a wide scale in Pakistan. Death of Alisha who was a transgender activist too is a tragic incident which reflects how badly we treat to those who do not have definite identity. It is highly condemnable attitude of doctors who wasted precious time while a human being was dying infront of them.
After investigation real culprits must be identified but there are other serious aspects to the situation that demand serious introspection. We need to discourage discrimination against certain segments of society on the basis of gender. We need to advocate protection and respect for the vulnerable community. Media, politicians and right activists must unite in an effort to raise their voices against the discrimination of a community that has always been kept aside from society’s conscience.
There is dire need in Pakistan to address increasing intolerance that has gripped society.