Punjab police arrested several transgender people on Saturday, allegedly about their participation in the organization of a “objectable” private party in Lahore to promote “obscenity” in the city.
According to the first information report (FIR) of the incident, a copy is available with Dawn.comThe Punjab government ordered the arrests after the videos of the party, allegedly involving 50-60 people, including transgender people, became viral on social networks.
Maria B’s fashion designer initially published the videos in her social media accounts, demanding action against “transgender activists” that appear in the clips, which qualify such meetings “against the moral values of the country.”
According to the FIR, the footage, dated August 1, supposedly contained “explicit content, which caused the public protest and a rapid response from the police.”
The case was recorded on behalf of the Government at the Naseerabad Police Station against “a group of 50 to 60 transgender people under sections 292 (sale of obscene material), 292-A (printing/advertising of obscene matter) and 294 (obscene acts in public) of the Pakistan Criminal Code, together with section 6 of the Law of the Sound System”.
After the arrests, the deputy inspector general of police (operations) Lahore, Faisal Kamran, said: “Promote obscenity under the appearance of a party or photo shoot is a serious legal crime.”
He said that illegal and unusual acts will not be tolerated in any way. “All the people involved in the incident will be taken before justice.”
Kamran added that the projection of the prohibited film Joyland, which presents a transgender love story, also stopped in the city. “Strict measures will be taken against any activity in conflict with Islam and law.”
The film was scheduled to project today, almost two years after it was prohibited from cinemas in Punjab. It was said that the long -awaited projection took place in an alternative place instead of a movie theater.
Responding to development, the transgender rights activist based in Islamabad, Nayyab Ali, said in an X publication that the people seen in the video “non -trans activists” and had “nothing with our movement.”
Ali also claimed that the video was filmed at a private party and only went viral after Maria B published it, saying: “If it is Fahashi (vulgarity), who extended it to millions? Maria B did. That is a crime in itself.”
Meanwhile, human rights activists expressed concerns about the possible misuse of morality laws on social networks. “While there are obscenity laws, your vague writing often leads to an arbitrary application, disproportionately pointing to marginalized communities,” said a legal expert, requesting anonymity.
The government authorities also promised to expand the repression of “immoral activities” throughout the province.
