Transgender community hails issuance of driving licences in KP

PESHAWAR: The members of the transgender community in KP are feeling elated after receiving driving licences with their desired gender identity.

A ceremony was organised at the Traffic Police Headquarters in Gulbahar on Monday where 30 transgender persons were issued driving licenses. These were based on their self-assumed gender identity and existing Computerised National Identity Cards (CNIC) documents. No transgender person was forced or asked to change legal documents to receive the national driving license.

SSP (Traffic) Peshawar, Yasir Afridi, handed the driving licences to the transgender persons. He announced that the traffic police would organize a separate class for those transgender persons who wanted to learn the driving skill at the Peshawar Cantt Police Driving Learning School. "Transgender persons are equal citizens of Pakistan. We respect their identity and expression. We are glad that KP is again leading in opening its heart to the transgender persons," said the SSP.

Farzana Jan, a transgender rights activist, who leads a transgender alliance TransAction in KP, and has had the honor of receiving Pakistan's first CNIC with X , Pakistan first passport with X identity, and who is the first transgender scout, has once again become the first Pakistani transgender person who received the first Pakistani driving lenience.