6.1.6. LGBTIQ+ persons

In Pakistan, consensual same-sex sexual relations continue to be criminalised1693 under Section 377 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which states that ‘whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal shall be punished’.1694 While the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act was enacted in 2018,1695 it has been reported as being challenged, undermined, and only partially implemented.1696 In 2023, the Federal Shariat Court Islamabad passed judgement that some sections of the 2018 Transgender Act were against Islamic teachings.1697 Politicians and religious leaders in Pakistan are often reported to describe homosexuality as ‘un-Islamic’ or ‘immoral’.1698 Moreover, critics argue that the 2018 law provides limited or weak penalties for crimes against transgender persons, and relies largely on existing legal frameworks for enforcement.1699

There are societal taboos surrounding LGBTIQ issues in Pakistan,1700 and persons belonging to these communities rarely reveal their sexual orientation or gender identity in the public sphere.1701 While there are some organisations actively supporting LGBTIQ rights in Pakistan, including by providing them with legal aid, progress has been slow and met with significant societal resistance.1702 Islamic groups have described LGBTIQ+ identities as a western agenda.1703 For background information on LGBTIQ persons in Pakistan, including legal framework, social stigma, and patterns of discrimination and violence during the period between October 2023 and October 2024, see section 6.7 of the EUAA COI report Pakistan - Country Focus (December 2024).

In September 2025, the Balochistan cabinet approved the first-ever Transgender Policy, which bans hate speech and sets out rules for transgender rights and welfare.1704 Furthermore, building on the 2018 Transgender Act 2018, in early 2026, KP province announced targeted policies to enhance the inclusion and protection of transgender persons in the areas of welfare, shelters, jobs and protection.1705

Despite objections by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman,1706 in January 2026, the Parliament passed1707 and the president Asif Ali Zardari signed into law the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, which extends its protection to transgender individuals. 1708

In Pakistan’s 2017 national census, people were given three gender options: male, female, and a third category for those who declared themselves transsexuals.1709 While Islamic groups in Pakistan recognise these categories, the umbrella of LGBTIQ+ has been described as ‘un-Islamic’ and rejected by some religious clerics.1710 In the meanwhile, intersex persons remained excluded from national statistics as of 2025,1711 and merging intersex identities under the transgender umbrella erases their distinct experiences.1712

According to Asia Pacific Transgender Network (ASTN), violence against transgender persons has been increasing in Pakistan1713 including in KP.1714

The violent attacks against transgender community in KP had reportedly increased in the last few years. According to a December 2025 article published by The Friday Times, the transgender community in the KP province faced honour killings, violence and forced displacement.1715 The KP province recorded 267 cases of violence against transgender persons in the last five years, with only one resulting in a conviction, as reported by Human Rights Watch in 2024.1716

According to media reports, at least seven transgender women were killed in KP in 2024.1717 Transgender women also experience online hate.1718 In 2025, transgender persons were subjected to harassment and forced expulsion, as reported by ILGA Asia.1719 In September 2025, a group of political and community elders formed a committee to expel transgender persons from Swabi district in KP province.1720 The expulsion decision was criticised by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).1721

In 2024, at least 22 transgender persons were killed in Pakistan.1722 In 2025, sources reported on cases of killings of transgender persons.1723

As reported by India Today in 2025, transgender persons in Pakistan continued to experience stigma, high cost of gender-affirming healthcare, and lack of specialised doctors when seeking medical services.1724

In October 2025, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department launched the new Protection and Welfare Policy for Transgender and Intersex Persons policy, with aim to provide healthcare more accessible and respectful for transgender and intersex persons.1725

Although Pakistan opened the first school for transgender students in 20181726, education remains an obstacle for transgender due to ‘harassment from peers and teachers’.1727

Many transgender persons face challenges to find employment and are forced into sex work,1728 which increases their risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases and infections.1729 To survive, some transgender persons beg and perform as dancers at weddings or birth celebrations, raising their level of vulnerability to violence and abuse.1730

Activists working on LGBTIQ rights can be seen by the authorities ‘as promoting same-sex-relationships’. There were cases of activists and their family members being approached by state authorities and warned not to promote ‘any capacity building of transgender populations.’ 1731 No further information could be found on activists for LGBTIQ rights within the time constraints of drafting this report.