A magistrate in Lahore has dismissed a case against several transgender persons who had been arrested for organizing an allegedly “objectionable” private gathering. The court ruled that there was insufficient evidence linking them to any offenses.
The magistrate observed that police failed to present incriminating evidence. No eyewitnesses were present during the raid, no statements were recorded, and no documentation proving permission to access private property was included. The court noted that the transgender persons appeared to have been implicated based on “forged and concocted facts.”
The police’s request for a 10-day physical remand was denied, and all transgender persons were released. Their lawyer, Haider Butt, confirmed their discharge. The arrests followed the circulation of videos from the event on social media, reportedly showing 50–60 participants, including transgender individuals.
The Punjab government had directed law enforcement to intervene, prompting the case at Naseerabad police station under sections of the Pakistan Penal Code addressing obscenity and the Sound System Act.
DIG Operations Lahore Faisal Kamran warned that promoting obscenity under the guise of parties or photoshoots is a serious offense and emphasized that similar actions would not be tolerated.
The incident gained further attention after fashion designer Maria B shared clips online, claiming minors were present and condemning the gathering as contrary to cultural and religious values. She linked such events to foreign influence, stating she would continue raising awareness despite potential backlash.
Conversely, transgender rights advocate Nayyab Ali clarified that those in the videos were not associated with the rights movement. Ali also pointed out that the footage gained prominence only after Maria B shared it online.
Human rights activists and legal experts have expressed concern that morality laws, due to vague wording, are open to arbitrary application and often disproportionately affect marginalized groups, including transgender persons.
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