PESHAWAR: The office-bearers of Trans Action Alliance (TAA) and civil society representatives on Monday expressed grave concerns over the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) administration action regarding the late Alisha murder case and demanded of the early resignation of Nowsherwan Barki , Chairman LRH and the termination Director Medical, Director Hospital and Prof. Shahabudin.
Speaking at a news conference at Peshawar Press Club, Farzana Jan, president TAA said that the inquiry report constituted by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government was revoltingly biased and utterly contrary to the facts and original circumstances of the case because the committee was comprised of LRH and KP government representative.
“Not a single member or representative of the transgender community or family member of guardians of the deceased was inducted in the committee or was a part of it in any way whatsoever to represent the deceased” she said. “No intimation was given to the family or guardians of the deceased or member or representative of the transgender community regarding the constitution of the committee and the proceedings conducted by them” added she.
Similarly, she maintained that no statement was recorded of the attendants or friends who were with the deceased during her predicament in LRH or after the death of the deceased. The Terms of References (ToRs) of the committee, she said were not relevant to their desire and they were never consulted on ToRs. She added that the current reports only reflected administrative flaws by the hospital while it did not include the transphobic behaviour of the staff which was their primary concern.
“Instead the committee looking into the real issue fired irrelevant doctors instead of fixing responsibility and penalizing the culprits. As Dr Liaqat was the only doctor in LRH who helped the transgender community and supported them is fired even his name is not including the inquiry committee” Farzana said.
She alleged that the real culprits and those who were responsible for the negligence and death of Alisha were Chariman LRH, Director Medical LRH, Director Hospital and Prof Dr Shabaduin but because of their positions and political affiliations no action had been taken against them.
The TAA president said the actions taken by LRH were unacceptable to them and they also rejected ToRs of the report because it did not cover the Transphobia faced by the patient and the attendance. ” Dr Liaqat who supported us and treated us well is fired without reason even his name is not included in the report while those against whom legal actions is recommended no action has been taken against them” she expressed concerns.
Qamar Naseem member of the Advisory consul of the TAA while talking on the occasion said that they demanded and asked for medical and administrative audit of the LRH.
The administration he said was running the hospital like a private property while it was a government entity and a public property and everyone should treated with respect without any discrimination based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression.
He said that many trans people still were denied of their healthcare owing to their identity. “Transgender people face roadblocks in accessing healthcare, we need sustained investment in the field of transgender health, so all of us can receive quality care for our needs in an open and respectful environment” he maintained. Taimur Kamal of Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network said that the civil society stand with the transgender activist and would play its role in creating equal access to quality health care for Transgender.