Call to empower transgender women

LAHORE: Women empowerment is incomplete without empowering the transgender women. They can participate equally in our society as other women or men do. We just have to acknowledge their efforts and respect them because they are not aliens. They are as normal as any other human.

These thoughts were expressed an event titled “Sham e Niswan” held Qaddafi Stadium by Punjab Institute of Language and Arts (PILAC). The event was dedicated to women, transgender women, missing persons and all the oppressed sections of society.

PILAC Director General Sughra Sadaf said, “Although I belong to a village, I am a proud daughter and my father’s teachings are still with me and I will request all the parents to stop discriminating between your children. Give equal opportunity to your daughter and trust her. She will prove her best.”

Samiya Mumtaz, a renowned actress, said, “We debate about female independence on every platform. I think now it’s time that we should do practical work also. All the oppressed sectors feel unity and they stand up for each other. But everyone has to stand up for them. This is not limited to a single person.

Every citizen and a member of our society have to perform his duty and should come forward to support us.” She performed a play with Huma Safdar tittled “Qaid na Deewar.” Inaya, a transgender comedian, criticised men and said, “We don’t need men to help us. We need women to stand by us. We are enough for each other. 'Mardangi' is the term which is used by men to oppress women. We need 'Aurtangi' to show them that they are nothing without us. A single man cannot survive in this society. They need us more than we need them.”

Zeba Hashmi said, “Still no one has an answer about the missing persons." Jannat, a transgender, paid tribute to Asma Jahangir by performing her art. There was poetry, singing, dancing and plays to entertain the women and showing them how they can make themselves strong. Sonia Qadi, Kayla Pasha, Sara Suhail, Hajra Cheema, Faiqa, Akifa and Saleha Rauf were also present.

PU awards three PhDs: Punjab University (PU) has awarded PhDs to three scholars. Muhammad Irfan Ramzan, son of Muhammad Ramzan, has been awarded a PhD in Islamic studies after approval of his thesis entitled “Compilation of the Quran - an Analysis of Earlier and Modern Shia Thoughts”, Syeda Shaista Gillani, daughter of Syed Shamsher Ali Gillani, in chemistry after approval of her thesis entitled “Synthesis of Arylated Cyclopentadienones, Dendrimers and Dendrons” and Azhar Iqbal, s/o Muhammad Mansha, in Islamic studies after approval of his thesis entitled “Contribution of Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi in the Revival & Purification of Tasawwuf-o-Sulook: An Analytical Study.”