- Pakistan’s transgender community now has its first ride-hailing service, SheDrives, launched in Lahore, catering exclusively to transgender individuals and women to protect them from harassment.
- The service features pink logos for easy identification, and both drivers and passengers will be women or transgender individuals, with potential plans for expansion to other cities.
- Pakistan has taken steps toward supporting transgender rights, including a hotline, a government-run school, and a proposed transgender rights bill, though social acceptance remains a challenge.
Pakistan’s transgender community has recently gained access to its first ride-hailing service, an initiative aimed at shielding trans individuals from discrimination and harassment, according to the business’s founder.
The service, named SheDrives, was launched over the weekend in Lahore, the country’s cultural hub. It caters exclusively to transgender individuals and women, explained the company’s CEO, Ammaz Farooqi. Lahore alone is home to an estimated 30,000 transgender individuals, and welfare organizations estimate that Pakistan’s transgender population reaches around 500,000 out of the nation’s 240 million people.
Transgender people in Pakistan, particularly in conservative areas, often face social ostracization, sexual violence, assault, and even murder. Many avoid enrolling in mainstream schools to escape discrimination, and when using public transport, they frequently endure ridicule, offensive jokes, and various forms of harassment.
Pakistani women also face similar challenges, often experiencing harassment when traveling alone in buses or trains alongside male passengers.
“The distinctive feature of this app and ride service is that both drivers and passengers will either be women or transgender individuals,” Farooqi stated.
Vehicles associated with SheDrives will feature pink logos, allowing women and transgender passengers to easily identify them. Although Farooqi himself is not transgender, he is hopeful that the future will see greater inclusivity for all.
“This is just a small step, but we may expand the service to other cities,” he added.
In recent years, Pakistan has taken several steps to support its transgender population. In 2022, a hotline was introduced to connect transgender individuals with police and the Ministry of Human Rights. The year prior, the country opened its first government-run school for transgender students in Multan.
The national parliament has also been working on a transgender rights bill, which would allow individuals to choose their gender identity for official documents, such as educational certificates and ID cards. However, the bill has sparked controversy, with opposition from some hardline religious figures. Human rights advocates emphasize that much more needs to be done to achieve social acceptance for transgender people in Pakistan.
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