A Lahore court has acquitted several transgender persons arrested earlier this month for allegedly hosting an ‘objectionable’ private party, declaring the case false and unsupported by evidence.
The arrests were made after videos of the gathering surfaced online, drawing criticism and prompting police action. An FIR was registered at Naseerabad police station under Sections 292, 292-A, and 294 of the Pakistan Penal Code, along with Section 6 of the Punjab Sound Systems Act, alleging that 50 to 60 people, including transgender individuals, attended the event.
In its ruling, the court pointed out major procedural flaws, noting that no witnesses were produced, no statements were recorded, and no official approval for the raid was placed on record. The 10-day physical remand sought by police was rejected, and the accused were discharged on Sunday.
The controversy began when fashion designer Maria B shared a video of the party on August 15, calling it against “moral values” and urging authorities to act. Following the arrests, DIG (Operations) Lahore Faisal Kamran warned that spreading obscenity under the guise of parties or photoshoots would not be tolerated.
Meanwhile, the authorities also banned a scheduled screening of Joyland in Lahore, two years after its original release, amid renewed complaints that the film promotes homosexuality.
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