Rawalpindi Police has appointed transwoman Reem Sharif as transgender rights activist in Islamabad for the first.
Reema Sharif will be deployed in Rawalpindi’s women police force as a 14-grade officer and she will resume her duty soon.
According to district police department Sharif will receive salary for a 14-grade official and will join woman police station.
Reem Sharif who is also a transgender rights activist has reportedly taken a special training course related to transgender issues. She will head the desk in Police department to resolve transgender community issues.
Reem Sharif on Being First Transgender Police Official
Rawalpindi Police Station has taken this step in order to provide justice to transgender community who faced constant abuse from the society. This special desk will ensure to listen to the complaints of the community members who show up with their problems. According to reports more than 3000 transgender people are in Rawalpindi district alone.
In regards to appointment in Police department Reem Sharif reportedly stated that she was delighted to be in this position and will deal with some of the most pressing issues faced by her transgender community.
She added that she did not consider this position as a career ladder but as a milestone for her community. She is also hopeful that her presence will make it comfortable for the her community members to approach police and seek their services.
Transgender Rights in Pakistan
In the time when the news like Trump ordering transgender ban in US military has made headlines, seeing Transgenders in Pakistan making progress is a good omen.
In 2009, Supreme Court of Pakistan while giving its ruling in favor of a transgender emphasized on the need for equal citizen rights and benefits and ordered provincial governments to recognize the rights of Transgender community. Government has already ruled that transgender community can get national identity card and by registering as third sex. Government of Pakistan has also issued its first passport with a transgender category. In 2018 the National Assembly of Pakistan also passed Transgender Rights Act which is yet to see the light of the day in term of implementation.
Transgender police recruits would be a significant step for the community. No wonder why many have praised this initiative.
Transgender Rights Expert and Aisha Mughal who is the first transgender woman in United Nations from Pakistan congratulated Reem Sharif on the appointment in Police.
Moment of Happiness for Community and Rights Activist
Rawalpindi Police has made history by appointing trans-woman as police personnel who will serve as desk officer.
Reem Sharif as police officer is indeed a motivational success story
This is how true gender equality actually looks like.
According to 2017 Population Census in Pakistan there are 10,418 transgender people in the country of 207 million. In India and Bangladesh countries transgender people have been facing widespread discrimination and forced to earn livelihood through dancing and begging.
According to an official of the Central Police Office Punjab, more Transgenders will be appointed in various women police stations in the province.
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