ECP urged to ensure participation of transgender in electoral process

All Pakistan Transgender Election Network has urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to take pragmatic measures for removal of all hurdles to ensure full participation of the members of transgender community in the upcoming general elections. It also called for revision of electoral and legal frameworks for effective inclusion of transgender community in the political and electoral process.
Speaking at a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday, the APTEN focal person and a Candidate on NA-144 from Okara, Nayab Ali said they had asked the ECP for inclusion of specific column in forms for the transgender community, but it was not accepted.
She said the community members were not accounted as voters, which was sheer unjust with them and violation of the basic human rights. She sought the proper legislation to accept the existence of the Trans community and provide them all facilities at public institutions in the country.
Flanked by Trans Action Alliance Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president, Farzana Jan, Qamar Naseem, transgender right activist, Nadeem Khaish a candidate from PP-53 Islamabad, Lubna Lal a candidate from PP-26 Jhelum, Naina a candidate of PP-77 Sargodha and others, Nayab Ali expressed concern over collection of Rs 30,000 and Rs 20,000 as fee from candidates for contesting election on NA and provincial assemblies seats, which was completely unjust with them. She said the transgender community can not afford the heavy amount of fee.
She demanded to allocate reserved seats for the transgender in national and provincial assemblies. She also expressed concern that the mainstream political parties have ignored the transgender community in the manifesto. She condemned the reportedly violence and harassment of Rani, a member of transgender community in Haripur after she availed ticket to contest the election.
Nayab Ali, who is contesting general election on ticket of PTI Gulalai party from NA-144 Okara, vowed for fully participating in the electoral process despite all odds. She said a transgender political party would be formed soon after the general election in the country, which will be first party in the world.
The aspiring lawmaker expressed that she only wanted the government to provide her security during the campaign, saying it is going to be a major challenge to compete against influential candidates.
She informed that a total of 13 transgender have submitted nomination papers in the country out of them, the nomination papers of five were cleared, while rest of the nomination papers are still in process of scrutiny process and hoped they will also clear soon to contest the general election.
Earlier, the transgender right activist, Qamar Naseem while presenting the manifesto of the APTEN demanded the interim government and ECP to ensure access to enjoy the Transgender community their fundamental, constitutional rights without any fear, stigma and discrimination.
He informed that first time in the history, country had made amendments in the Election Act to contest transgender election, which is a biggest achievement. He said the member of transgender community will not stay in long queues on the Election Day. He informed the transgender will cast their vote at any polling station without standing in lines.