PESHAWAR - The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Monday issued driving licences to 15 transgender persons for the first time in the history of the province.

SSP Traffic Yasir Khan Afridi distributed the licences among the transgender persons at a ceremony in Peshawar.

As many as 300 transgenders had applied for driving licences, the officer said at the occasion. In the first phase, he added, 15 transgenders were licensed to drive whereas the rest of applications would be processed gradually.

Afridi told the gathering that no transgender person was forced or asked to change their legal documents to receive the national driving license.

The traffic police will be organising a separate class for those transgender persons who want to learn the driving skill at Peshawar Cantt Police driving learning school.

“Today is another victory for trans people and human rights in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It’s not the end of our battle it's just the beginning,” said Farzana Jan, one of the recipients.

Farzana is transgender rights activist who leads a transgender community alliance (TransAction) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and also has the honour to receive Pakistan's first CNIC, first passport with X identity.

Hoping that this development will pave ways for transgender persons to earn a respectable livelihood, she said that most of her community members were fed up of dancing and therefore searching for alternate professions.

The SSP Trrafic also appreciated the efforts of Blue Veins, TransAction, PJYO for streamlining the needs of this community".

The traffic police officials say that they will take action against those public transport vehicles who charge extra, harass or deny services to transgender community or any other vulnerable population.