Tag: LGBTQIA+ Rights Pakistan

The Closing Walls: How Global Indifference is Fueling Pakistan’s War on its LGBTQI+ Community

By Ali Raza Khan

Ali Raza Khan is a steering committee member of TheYouthPACT, an HIV-positive gay activist, and lives with PTSD.

There’s a particular kind of silence that haunts you when you live at the intersection of identities the world wishes to erase. As a gay man, as an HIV-positive person, as an activist in Pakistan, I have learned to live with the constant hum of threat. But the silence I hear now, echoing from the global corridors of power, is new. It is the sound of abandonment.

The year 2025 will be remembered by my community as the year the walls truly started to close in. We are facing a crisis that is not merely financial but existential. The announced global funding cuts to development work, NGOs, and UN agencies are not just line items on a budget sheet; they are death sentences for queer people in Pakistan.

The Double-Edged Sword: No Funds, No Diplomacy

For years, we survived on a fragile lifeline. International funding allowed a handful of beleaguered NGOs to provide safe houses, HIV medication, legal aid, and a sliver of hope. This was often coupled with quiet, yet firm, diplomatic pressure. When Western nations funded human rights, they also, occasionally, spoke up for them. Countries would raise our plight within UN human rights bodies, ensuring the violations against us were at least recorded.

That is now gone.

This isn’t just about the money disappearing. It’s about the diplomatic shield vanishing with it. Major donor governments, citing domestic priorities, have slashed their aid budgets. A UN Women survey in March 2025 found that 47% of women’s rights organizations, often our allies and service providers—expect to shut down within six months. The US has terminated over $500 million in grants for programs tackling child labor and human trafficking, issues that disproportionately affect vulnerable LGBTQI+ youth.

This withdrawal creates a vacuum of accountability. When UN bodies are themselves starved of funds, they cannot monitor or report on human rights violations. For the gay community, which already suffers from a severe lack of official data on persecution, this means we are being rendered invisible before we are eradicated. Our pain will not even be a statistic.

The State Tightens Its Noose

The Pakistani government has seized this moment of global indifference to launch a systematic assault. For NGOs, the labyrinth of bureaucracy has become a trap. The Economic Affairs Division (EAD) now demands exhaustive pre- and post-reporting on all foreign funds, effectively paralyzing organizations. Renewing an NGO’s registration or obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) has become an exercise in futility. The result is mass closures, not by decree, but by a slow, deliberate strangulation. We are losing the very infrastructure that kept many of us alive.

Simultaneously, the state is weaponizing the law. The 2025 amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) have created a vague and powerful tool to crush dissent. The law criminalizes the “intentional” dissemination of “false information,” a charge easily fabricated against any activist. It has also established a new Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority (SMPRA) with sweeping powers to block any content deemed “unlawful or offensive.”

This is a direct attack on us. The LGBTQI+ community in Pakistan exists primarily online. We cannot register as organizations because our very identities are criminalized under Section 377 of the Pakistan Penal Code, a colonial-era law that prescribes up to life in prison for “carnal intercourse against the order of nature.” The digital world was our last safe-ish space. Now, that space is being burned to the ground.

The government has already banned Grindr and other dating apps. For a time, we used VPNs to circumvent the blocks, but in late 2024, the state began heavily regulating and blocking unregistered VPN services, further isolating us. This isn’t theoretical. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Faisalabad has actively used dating apps to entrap and arrest gay men. The state is not just censoring us; it is actively hunting us.

The Human Cost of Silence

When the system is designed to crush you, even seeking help is a risk. Activists who dare to speak out are met with the state’s full force. They are placed on travel restriction lists, like many activist who was blocked from traveling to participate in human rights related activities. They are subjected to enforced disappearances. They are slapped with fabricated FIRs that turn them into criminals in the eyes of the very international bodies that once might have helped them.

The message is clear: you are on your own.

The global community, by defunding our protectors and turning a blind eye to our persecution, has become complicit in this assault. They have signaled to the Pakistani government that the lives of queer people are disposable.

As an activist, I am supposed to end with a message of hope. But hope is a luxury we can no longer afford. What we have is a burning, defiant rage. We see the walls closing in, we hear the silence of our former allies, and we know that we have only ourselves to rely on now. We will continue to organize in the shadows, to support each other in secret, to fight for our right to exist. But I ask the world, as you turn your back on us, how many of us have to disappear before you notice we are gone?

Read More on Ali Raza Khan blog site here: https://alirazakhan.com/the-closing-walls-how-global-indifference-is-fueling-pakistans-war-on-its-lgbtqi-community/

or Pride Pakistan website here: https://pridepakistan.org/the-closing-walls-how-global-indifference-is-fueling-pakistans-war-on-its-lgbtqi-community/

or The Youth PACT website: https://theyouthpact.org/2025/09/09/the-closing-walls-pakistans-war-on-its-lgbtqi-community/

September 1, 2025
Debout et Fier à la Basel Pride 2025 : Mon Histoire, Notre Combat

Quel immense honneur ce fut de me tenir sur la scène de la Basel Pride 2025, le 28 juin, organisée par Baselticktbunt. Ce fut une journée remplie de célébration vibrante, mais aussi une plateforme cruciale pour des discussions profondes sur les droits humains et la lutte continue pour une véritable égalité. J’ai partagé la scène avec des personnalités remarquables : Conradin Cramer, Président du Conseil d’État et chef du Département présidentiel de Bâle-Ville ; Edibe Gölgeli, Membre du Grand Conseil de Bâle-Ville ; et Frank Lorenz, Pasteur et directeur de l’Église Ouverte Elisabethen.

L’introduction de l’hôte m’a sincèrement touché : “Veuillez accueillir notre prochain orateur, Ali Raza Khan. Ali est un militant des droits humains originaire de Multan, Pakistan, avec un accent fort sur la santé et les droits sexuels et reproductifs, la prévention du VIH et la paix. Il est le fondateur de PridePakistan.org et a travaillé avec de nombreuses organisations pour défendre les droits des communautés marginalisées. C’est un militant primé, un écrivain et une voix pour d’innombrables personnes. Il est également un demandeur d’asile gay et séropositif ici en Suisse, et il est là aujourd’hui pour partager son histoire. Veuillez accueillir chaleureusement et respectueusement Ali Raza Khan.”

Ce fut un moment d’immense fierté, mais aussi, comme je l’ai avoué dans mon discours, terrifiant. Les mots que j’ai partagés ce jour-là viennent d’une expérience personnelle profonde, un cheminement de la peur à une détermination féroce à défendre la justice.

Bonjour Bâle ! Joyeuse Pride !

J’ai commencé par remercier les organisateurs pour cette plateforme vitale, soulignant que si c’était un honneur, c’était aussi terrifiant. Mon identité, mise à nu sur cette scène, est complexe : un homme gay du Pakistan, un activiste, séropositif et vivant avec un syndrome de stress post-traumatique. Et surtout, je suis un demandeur d’asile dont la demande a été rejetée par le Secrétariat d’État aux migrations (SEM) suisse, qui estime qu’il est sûr pour moi de retourner au Pakistan – une conviction que je sais fausse.

Mon objectif était de faire comprendre pourquoi j’ai quitté ma maison, ce que j’espérais et la choquante réalité que j’ai rencontrée en tant que demandeur d’asile.

De l’ombre à la scène : Ma vie au Pakistan

Mon histoire commence à Multan, au Pakistan – la “ville des saints”, mais pour les personnes queer comme moi, une ville de vies cachées et de secrets. Pendant plus d’une décennie, je me suis consacré à l’activisme : construction de la paix, lutte contre la violence basée sur le genre et défense inlassable de la santé sexuelle et des droits de la communauté LGBTQI+. J’ai fondé Pride Pakistan et travaillé avec des organisations sur la prévention du VIH, une réalité qui fait partie de mon propre parcours. Mon CV est peut-être long et rempli de réalisations, mais il cache une vérité plus crue : une double vie. J’étais un activiste public, mais un homme gay caché. Au Pakistan, embrasser ouvertement mon identité était une impossibilité dangereuse.

Le danger n’était pas abstrait. Je me souviens d’une descente de police effrayante lors d’un rassemblement privé de la communauté gay, où nous avons été torturés, filmés et relâchés avec un avertissement glaçant. Un autre activiste, moins chanceux, a disparu pendant trois semaines après avoir été enlevé par une agence de sécurité armée, revenant brisé.

Mon propre activisme a entraîné des menaces constantes. Être gay, séropositif et oser signaler des violations des droits humains à l’ONU et à d’autres organismes internationaux, a conduit à des appels anonymes et à des tentatives de piratage persistantes. Ma vie était remplie d’abus : rapports sexuels forcés sous la menace de révélation, chantage et abus émotionnels et physiques de la part d’un partenaire, sans possibilité de signaler aux autorités en tant qu’homme gay. Ma famille, dans une tentative malavisée de me “réparer”, m’a forcé à un mariage traumatisant qui s’est terminé rapidement.

Je vivais avec un syndrome de stress post-traumatique bien avant de savoir ce que c’était, croyant que la panique constante et la menace d’arrestation ou de mort faisaient simplement “partie du travail”. Mais j’étais brisé. J’ai fui le Pakistan non seulement pour sauver ma vie, mais pour sauver mon âme.

L’illusion du refuge : Mon expérience d’asile

Je suis venu en Suisse en quête de refuge, un mot qui promet abri et protection. Je croyais en la promesse des droits humains, en particulier pour les personnes LGBTQI+ vulnérables. Ce que j’ai trouvé fut un autre type de traumatisme au sein du processus d’asile.

Ma première “maison” à Bâle était un bunker souterrain – sans fenêtres, sans lumière du soleil et sans sécurité incendie adéquate. Logé avec des dizaines d’autres hommes, hétérosexuels et parfois violents, j’ai été témoin de bagarres et de sang. Les conditions insalubres et le manque de dignité humaine fondamentale étaient choquants. Ceci, ai-je expliqué, est la réalité des demandeurs d’asile masculins célibataires, quelle que soit leur orientation sexuelle. Votre humanité vous est arrachée à la porte. J’ai vu d’autres hommes gays dans des camps fédéraux, fuyant la persécution comme moi, entassés à 20 dans une pièce sans espace personnel.

La guerre psychologique du système est insidieuse. Les transferts constants et inexpliqués d’un camp à l’autre ne sont pas de la simple bureaucratie ; ce sont des outils délibérés pour briser les esprits et obliger les gens à abandonner. Ma santé physique et psychologique était secondaire. Même avec un diagnostic de syndrome de stress post-traumatique complexe, obtenir des rendez-vous pour une thérapie est une bataille constante et épuisante. Accéder à mes médicaments vitaux contre le VIH était un combat rempli de retards et de peur. J’ai vu des femmes saigner et de jeunes garçons blessés ne recevoir rien de plus qu’un chiffon propre.

L’aspect le plus cruel est peut-être le processus juridique. Le représentant légal fourni par le SEM est un fantôme, un visage différent à chaque fois, un étranger le jour de votre entretien de vie ou de mort, puis parti. Et l’entretien lui-même est un abus. La transcription officielle de mon entretien, l’histoire de ma vie et de mon traumatisme, a été modifiée. Des déclarations que j’ai faites ont été changées, des choses ajoutées que je n’ai jamais dites, sans aucun moyen de le prouver.

La dure réalité : “Êtes-vous assez gay ? Assez traumatisé ?”

Ma décision : Négative.

Le SEM a affirmé que le Pakistan est sûr pour les personnes gays, faisant référence à une organisation qui a été fermée il y a des années, dont le personnel a fui et a trouvé protection ailleurs. Ils ont affirmé que parce que j’étais venu en avion, je n’étais pas en assez grand danger – peut-être voulaient-ils que je sois arrêté à l’aéroport, ou que je risque de me noyer en Méditerranée, pour que ma demande soit valide. Concernant mon SSPT, ils ont affirmé que ce n’était pas “assez de traumatisme”, suggérant que je pourrais me faire soigner au Pakistan. Mais le “traitement” là-bas vise à “guérir” mon identité, pas à prendre soin de ma personne, reflétant les tentatives de “cure” religieuse de ma famille.

L’asile ici n’est pas simplement défaillant ; il est activement hostile. Il demande : “Êtes-vous assez gay ? Êtes-vous assez traumatisé ? Avez-vous été suffisamment torturé ?” pour mériter protection. J’ai vu d’innombrables personnes LGBTQI+ recevoir des décisions négatives, être renvoyées dans des pays où elles sont confrontées à l’arrestation, à la violence ou à la mort. Le système d’immigration suisse ne considère pas l’arrestation pour homosexualité comme suffisamment préjudiciable.

L’espoir est en vous

Mais je ne suis pas venu pour dire qu’il n’y a pas d’espoir. Il y en a. Je l’ai ressenti de la part des bénévoles dévoués de Queer Amnesty, de Christian Waffenschmidt et Miroslav Ostojic, qui m’ont aidé à comprendre mes droits et l’importance de mon entretien. J’ai vu cet espoir dans le travail d’autres organisations caritatives soutenant les réfugiés.

L’espoir, ai-je déclaré, n’est pas dans le système, mais en nous : les bénévoles et les demandeurs d’asile eux-mêmes.

À la Basel Pride, nous célébrons la liberté, mais nous devons aussi nous battre pour elle. J’ai exhorté le public à voir au-delà de l’image polie de la Suisse. Questionnez le récit officiel. Demandez à vos représentants pourquoi le SEM opère avec une telle impunité, modifiant les transcriptions, ignorant les preuves, détruisant des vies et mentant dans les documents officiels.

J’ai imploré les gens de faire du bénévolat. Inscrivez-vous au programme de mentorat de Queer Amnesty. Votre empathie, votre temps et votre compréhension de ce pays sont une bouée de sauvetage pour les réfugiés queer qui sont perdus, effrayés et seuls. Vous pouvez fournir le soutien par les pairs dont des personnes comme moi ont désespérément besoin.

Enfin, j’ai souligné que votre Pride est politique. La Pride a commencé comme une émeute, une protestation contre un système qui cherchait à nous maintenir dans l’ombre. Ce combat est loin d’être terminé. Il se déroule en ce moment même, dans les bunkers d’asile souterrains, dans les salles d’entretien du SEM et dans le cœur de ceux à qui on dit que leur traumatisme n’est pas “suffisant”.

Mon histoire, ai-je souligné, n’est pas unique. D’innombrables autres sont ici, vos voisins vivant dans les camps d’asile et de réfugiés de Bâle, même si vous ne les voyez pas.

La véritable Pride n’est pas seulement une célébration ; c’est un combat. C’est le combat pour la personne dans le bunker ce soir qui a peur de dormir. C’est le combat pour la lesbienne d’Ouganda qui a reçu une décision négative, la personne trans du Pérou qui est expulsée, et l’homme gay du Pakistan, comme moi, qui poursuit une bataille juridique.

Il n’y a pas de fierté pour quiconque tant qu’il n’y a pas de liberté, de dignité et de sécurité pour tous.

Merci de votre attention, et merci de faire partie de ce combat vital. Vous pouvez en savoir plus sur mes expériences et mon plaidoyer ici sur mon site web, AliRazaKhan.com.

Regardez la vidéo complète ici : https://youtu.be/R_9YWznUBS4

savoir plus sur le site Web de Basel Ticket Bunt ici : https://baselticktbunt.ch/en/program/#pridewalk

Pour en savoir plus, consultez le site web de Freiburg Pink : https://freiburg.pink/event/pride-basel/

Pour en savoir plus, consultez le site web de Gay Basel :

https://www.gaybasel.org/events/12936/pride-walk

Pour en savoir plus, consultez le site web de Gay CH :

https://gay.ch/kultur/basel-tickt-bunt-demonstration-1

Consultez le programme complet ici :

https://baselticktbunt.ch/wp-content/uploads/Medienmitteilung_Basel_tickt_bunt_2025.pdf

Pour en savoir plus, consultez le magazine Bombast Gay :

https://www.schwulst.de/termin/loe/csd/2025-06-28-basel-pride-walk-queer-rights-are-human-rights

June 28, 2025
Standing Tall at Basel Pride 2025: My Story, Our Fight

What an incredible honor it was to stand on the stage at Basel Pride 2025 on June 28th, organized by Baselticktbunt. It was a day filled with vibrant celebration, but also a crucial platform for profound discussions on human rights and the ongoing fight for true equality. I shared the stage with remarkable individuals: Conradin Cramer, President of the Government and Head of the Presidential Department Basel-City; Edibe Gölgeli, Member of the Basel-Stadt Grand Council; and Frank Lorenz, Pastor and head of the Elisabethen Open Church.

The introduction by the host truly touched me: “Please welcome our next speaker, Ali Raza Khan. Ali is a human rights activist from Multan, Pakistan, with a powerful focus on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, HIV prevention, and peace. He is the founder of PridePakistan.org and has worked with numerous organizations to champion the rights of marginalized communities. He is an award-winning activist, a writer, and a voice for countless people. He is also a gay, HIV-positive asylum seeker here in Switzerland, and he is here today to share his story. Please give a warm and respectful welcome to Ali Raza Khan.”

It was a moment of immense pride, but also, as I confessed in my speech, terrifying. The words I shared that day come from a place of deep personal experience, a journey from fear to a fierce determination to advocate for justice.

Happy Pride!

I began by acknowledging the organizers for this vital platform, emphasizing that while it was an honor, it was also terrifying. My identity, laid bare on that stage, is complex: a gay man from Pakistan, an activist, HIV positive, and living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. And critically, I am an asylum seeker whose application has been rejected by the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), who believe it is safe for me to return to Pakistan – a belief I know to be untrue.

My aim was to shed light on why I left my home, what I hoped for, and the shocking reality I’ve encountered as an asylum seeker.

From Shadows to the Stage: My Life in Pakistan

My story starts in Multan, Pakistan – the “city of saints,” but for queer individuals like me, a city of hidden lives and secrets. For over a decade, I dedicated myself to activism: peace-building, fighting gender-based violence, and tirelessly advocating for the sexual health and rights of the LGBTQI+ community. I founded Pride Pakistan and worked with organizations on HIV prevention, a reality that is part of my own journey. My CV may be long and filled with achievements, but it masks a starker truth: a double life. I was a public activist, but a hidden gay man. In Pakistan, openly embracing my identity was a dangerous impossibility.

The danger was not abstract. I recalled a harrowing police raid on a private gay community gathering, where we were tortured, filmed, and released with a chilling warning. A fellow activist, less fortunate, disappeared for three weeks after being picked up by an armed security agency, returning a broken man.

My own activism led to constant threats. Being gay, HIV positive, and daring to report human rights violations to the UN and other international bodies, led to anonymous calls and persistent hacking attempts. My life was filled with abuse: forced sex under threat of exposure, blackmail, and emotional and physical abuse from a partner, with no avenue for reporting to authorities due as a gay man. My family, in a misguided attempt to “fix” me, forced me into a traumatic marriage that ended quickly.

I was living with PTSD long before I knew what it was, believing constant panic and the threat of arrest or death were just “part of the job.” But I was broken. I fled Pakistan not just to save my life, but to save my soul.

The Illusion of Refuge: My Asylum Experience

I came to Switzerland seeking refuge, a word that promises shelter and protection. I believed in the promise of human rights, particularly for vulnerable LGBTQI+ individuals. What I found was a different kind of trauma within the asylum process.

My first “home” in Basel was an underground bunker – windowless, sunless, and lacking proper fire safety. Housed with dozens of other men, both straight and sometimes violent, I witnessed fights and blood. The unsanitary conditions and lack of basic human dignity were shocking. This, I explained, is the reality for single male asylum seekers, regardless of their sexual orientation. Your humanity is stripped away at the door. I saw other gay men in federal camps, fleeing persecution like me, crammed 20 to a room with no personal space.

The system’s psychological warfare is insidious. Constant, unexplained transfers from one camp to another are not just bureaucracy; they are a deliberate tool to break spirits and compel people to give up. My physical and psychological health were afterthoughts. Even with a diagnosis of complex PTSD, securing therapy appointments is an exhausting battle. Accessing life-saving HIV medication was a fight fraught with delays and fear. I’ve witnessed women bleeding and injured young boys receiving nothing more than a cleaning cloth.

Perhaps the most cruel aspect is the legal process. The legal representative provided by the SEM is a phantom, a different face each time, a stranger on the day of your life-or-death interview, then gone. And the interview itself is an abuse. My official transcript, the story of my life and trauma, was altered. Statements I made were changed, things added that I never said, with no way to prove it.

The Harsh Reality: “Are You Gay Enough? Traumatized Enough?”

My decision: Negative.

The SEM claimed Pakistan is safe for gay people, referencing an organization that was shut down years ago, whose staff fled and found protection elsewhere. They asserted that because I traveled by plane, I wasn’t in enough danger – perhaps they wanted me to be arrested at the airport, or risk drowning in the Mediterranean, for my claim to be valid. On my PTSD, they claimed it wasn’t “enough trauma,” suggesting I could get treatment in Pakistan. But the “treatment” there aims to “cure” my identity, not care for my person, mirroring my family’s attempts at religious “cures.”

Asylum here is not merely broken; it is actively hostile. It asks, “Are you gay enough? Are you traumatized enough? Have you been tortured enough?” to deserve protection. I have seen countless LGBTQI+ individuals receive negative decisions, deported back to countries where they face arrest, violence, or death. The Swiss immigration system does not consider being arrested for being gay harmful enough.

The Hope is in You

But I did not come to say there is no hope. There is. I’ve felt it from the dedicated volunteers at Queer Amnesty, from Christian Waffenschmidt and Miroslav Ostojic, who helped me understand my rights and the importance of my interview. I’ve seen this hope in the work of other charity organizations supporting refugees.

The hope, I declared, is not in the system, but in us: the volunteers and the asylum seekers themselves.

At Basel Pride, we celebrate freedom, but we must also fight for it. I urged the audience to see beyond the polished image of Switzerland. Question the official narrative. Ask your representatives why the SEM operates with such impunity, altering transcripts, ignoring evidence, destroying lives, and lying in official documents.

I implored people to volunteer. Sign up for Queer Amnesty’s mentorship program. Your empathy, time, and understanding of this country are a lifeline for queer refugees who are lost, scared, and alone. You can provide the peer support people like me desperately need.

Finally, I stressed that your Pride is political. Pride began as a riot, a protest against a system that sought to keep us in the shadows. That fight is far from over. It is happening right now, in the asylum bunkers underground, in the interview rooms at the SEM, and in the hearts of those told their trauma isn’t “enough.”

My story, I emphasized, is not unique. Countless others are here, your neighbors living in Basel asylum and refugee camps, though you may not see them.

True Pride is not just a celebration; it is a fight. It is the fight for the person in the bunker tonight afraid to sleep. It is the fight for the lesbian from Uganda who received a negative decision, the trans person from Peru who faces deportation, and the gay man from Pakistan, like me, who continues a legal battle.

There is no pride for anyone until there is freedom, dignity, and safety for everyone.

Thank you for listening, and thank you for being a part of this vital fight. You can read more about my experiences and advocacy here on my website, AliRazaKhan.com.

Watch the full video here : https://youtu.be/R_9YWznUBS4

More on Basel Ticket Bunt Website Here: https://baselticktbunt.ch/en/program/#pridewalk

Read more on Freiburg Pink website:

https://freiburg.pink/event/pride-basel/

Read more on Gay Basel website:

https://www.gaybasel.org/events/12936/pride-walk

Read more on Gay CH website:

https://gay.ch/kultur/basel-tickt-bunt-demonstration-1

Read full programme details here:

https://baselticktbunt.ch/wp-content/uploads/Medienmitteilung_Basel_tickt_bunt_2025.pdf

Read more on Bombast Gay Magzine here:

https://www.schwulst.de/termin/loe/csd/2025-06-28-basel-pride-walk-queer-rights-are-human-rights

June 28, 2025
Honoré de prendre la parole à la Basel Pride 2025 : Les droits des personnes queer sont des droits humains !
Je suis incroyablement honoré et enthousiaste d’annoncer que je serai l’un des orateurs lors de la Pride Walk du festival Basel tickt bunt ! le samedi 28 juin 2025. La devise de cette année, « Queer Rights are Human Rights » (Les droits des personnes queer sont des droits humains), résonne profondément en moi et dans mon travail, et j’ai hâte de me tenir à vos côtés en signe de solidarité.

Le festival Basel tickt bunt ! prend une position essentielle contre les attaques politiques croissantes visant les personnes LGBTQIA+ dans le monde entier. C’est un appel puissant à l’action, nous rappelant que, plus que jamais, nous devons nous unir pour défendre les droits humains fondamentaux pour toutes et tous, partout.

Comme beaucoup d’entre vous le savent, mon parcours d’activiste a commencé en 2015. En tant que jeune réfugié gay séropositif du Pakistan, j’ai consacré ma vie à plaider pour la santé et les droits sexuels et reproductifs, la prévention du VIH/SIDA et la consolidation de la paix au sein des communautés gays et queer. J’ai eu le privilège de travailler avec de nombreuses organisations – locales, nationales et internationales – toutes œuvrant pour les droits des personnes gays vivant avec le VIH et d’autres communautés vulnérables.

Actuellement, je dirige la campagne et le réseau Pride Pakistan, qui se concentrent sur les droits et l’autonomisation de la communauté LGBTQI+ pakistanaise. À l’échelle mondiale, je suis membre de la Délégation des Communautés au conseil d’administration du Fonds mondial de lutte contre le sida, la tuberculose et le paludisme et co-responsable de The Youth PACT, qui travaillent tous deux sans relâche pour prévenir le VIH et le sida chez les personnes gays et d’autres populations clés vulnérables. Mes efforts ont été reconnus par le Youth Leadership Award 2021 et le HIV HERO Award 2021 décernés par APCOM, ce qui renforce encore mon engagement.

La lutte pour les droits des personnes queer est inextricablement liée à la lutte plus large pour les droits humains. Lorsque les droits fondamentaux d’un groupe sont menacés, cela diminue la liberté et la dignité de chacun de nous. Mon discours à la Basel Pride sera l’occasion d’amplifier ce message, de partager mes expériences et d’appeler à une action continue et à l’alliance.

Détails de l’événement : Rejoignez-nous !

Voici les informations essentielles pour participer à la Pride Walk :
- Date : Samedi 28 juin 2025
- Point de rencontre : Theodorsgraben, dans le parc à côté de la Wettsteinplatz, 4058 Bâle
- Heure :
  - Rassemblement : 15h30
  - Discours : vers 16h00 (je parlerai vers cette heure-là !)
  - Départ de la marche : vers 16h30
Pride Basel 2025

Je suis particulièrement heureux que les discours soient traduits en langue des signes, garantissant ainsi que notre message atteigne un public encore plus large.

Rejoignez-moi, ainsi que les autres orateurs Conradin Cramer, Edibe Gölgeli et Frank Lorenz, alors que nous marcherons à travers Bâle, envoyant un signal clair et visible pour les droits humains et la diversité. Faisons entendre nos voix et unissons-nous pour un monde où « Queer Rights are Human Rights » n’est pas seulement une devise, mais une réalité vécue par toutes et tous.

J’ai hâte de vous y voir !

En savoir plus sur le site Web de Basel Ticket Bunt ici : https://baselticktbunt.ch/en/program/#pridewalk

https://baselticktbunt.ch/en/program/#pridewalk

Pour en savoir plus, consultez le site web de Freiburg Pink :

https://freiburg.pink/event/pride-basel/

Pour en savoir plus, consultez le site web de Gay Basel :

https://www.gaybasel.org/events/12936/pride-walk

Pour en savoir plus, consultez le site web de Gay CH :

https://gay.ch/kultur/basel-tickt-bunt-demonstration-1

Consultez le programme complet ici :

https://baselticktbunt.ch/wp-content/uploads/Medienmitteilung_Basel_tickt_bunt_2025.pdf

Pour en savoir plus, consultez le magazine Bombast Gay :

https://www.schwulst.de/termin/loe/csd/2025-06-28-basel-pride-walk-queer-rights-are-human-rights
June 26, 2025
Ehre, bei der Basel Pride 2025 zu sprechen: Queer Rights Are Human Rights!
Es ist mir eine unglaubliche Ehre und Freude bekannt zu geben, dass ich am Samstag, den 28. Juni 2025, als Redner beim Pride Walk des Basel tickt bunt! Festivals dabei sein werde. Das diesjährige Motto, „Queer Rights are Human Rights“, deckt sich zutiefst mit meiner Arbeit und mir, und ich kann es kaum erwarten, gemeinsam mit euch allen Solidarität zu zeigen.

Das Basel tickt bunt! Festival setzt ein entscheidendes Zeichen gegen die zunehmenden politischen Angriffe auf LGBTQIA+-Menschen weltweit. Es ist ein kraftvoller Aufruf zum Handeln, der uns daran erinnert, dass wir jetzt mehr denn je zusammenstehen müssen, um grundlegende Menschenrechte für jeden, überall, zu verteidigen.

Wie viele von euch wissen, begann mein Aktivismus im Jahr 2015. Als junger, HIV-positiver schwuler Flüchtling aus Pakistan habe ich mein Leben der Interessenvertretung für sexuelle und reproduktive Gesundheit und Rechte, der HIV/AIDS-Prävention und der Friedensförderung innerhalb der schwulen und queeren Gemeinschaften gewidmet. Ich hatte das Privileg, mit zahlreichen lokalen, nationalen und internationalen Organisationen zusammenzuarbeiten, die sich alle für die Rechte von schwulen Menschen mit HIV und anderen gefährdeten Gemeinschaften einsetzen.

Derzeit leite ich die Kampagne und das Netzwerk Pride Pakistan, das sich auf die Rechte und die Stärkung der pakistanischen LGBTQI+-Gemeinschaft konzentriert. Auf globaler Ebene bin ich Mitglied der Communities’ Delegation im Vorstand des Globalen Fonds zur Bekämpfung von HIV, Tuberkulose und Malaria und Co-Leiter von The Youth PACT, die beide unermüdlich daran arbeiten, HIV und AIDS unter schwulen und anderen Schlüsselpopulationen zu verhindern. Meine Bemühungen wurden mit dem Youth Leadership Award 2021 und dem HIV HERO Award 2021 von APCOM ausgezeichnet, was mein Engagement zusätzlich beflügelt.

Der Kampf für die Rechte von Queers ist untrennbar mit dem umfassenderen Kampf für Menschenrechte verbunden. Wenn die Grundrechte einer Gruppe bedroht sind, schmälert dies die Freiheit und Würde von uns allen. Meine Rede bei der Basel Pride wird eine Gelegenheit sein, diese Botschaft zu verstärken, meine Erfahrungen zu teilen und zu weiterem Handeln und Solidarität aufzurufen.

Veranstaltungsdetails: Seid dabei!

Hier sind die wichtigsten Informationen, um am Pride Walk teilzunehmen:
- Datum: Samstag, 28. Juni 2025
- Treffpunkt: Theodorsgraben, im Park neben dem Wettsteinplatz, 4058 Basel
- Zeit:
  - Treffen: 15:30 Uhr
  - Reden: ca. 16:00 Uhr (Ich werde etwa um diese Zeit sprechen!)
  - Start des Walks: ca. 16:30 Uhr
Pride Basel 2025

Es freut mich besonders, dass die Reden in Gebärdensprache übersetzt werden, um sicherzustellen, dass unsere Botschaft ein noch breiteres Publikum erreicht.

Kommt zusammen mit den weiteren Rednern Conradin Cramer, Edibe Gölgeli und Frank Lorenz, wenn wir durch Basel marschieren und ein klares und sichtbares Zeichen für Menschenrechte und Vielfalt setzen. Lasst uns unsere Stimmen erheben und gemeinsam für eine Welt eintreten, in der “Queer Rights are Human Rights” nicht nur ein Motto, sondern eine gelebte Realität für alle ist.

Ich freue mich darauf, euch dort zu sehen!

Mehr zur Website von Basel Ticket Bunt finden Sie hier: https://baselticktbunt.ch/en/program/#pridewalk

https://baselticktbunt.ch/en/program/#pridewalk

Mehr zur Website von Freiburg Pink finden Sie hier:

https://freiburg.pink/event/pride-basel/

Mehr zur Website von Gay Basel finden Sie hier:

https://www.gaybasel.org/events/12936/pride-walk

Mehr zur Website von Gay CH finden Sie hier:

https://gay.ch/kultur/basel-tickt-bunt-demonstration-1

Lesen Sie hier die vollständigen Programmdetails:

https://baselticktbunt.ch/wp-content/uploads/Medienmitteilung_Basel_tickt_bunt_2025.pdf

Lesen Sie hier mehr über das Bombast Gay Magzine:

https://www.schwulst.de/termin/loe/csd/2025-06-28-basel-pride-walk-queer-rights-are-human-rights
June 26, 2025
Honored to Speak at Basel Pride 2025: Queer Rights Are Human Rights!
I am incredibly honored and excited to announce that I will be a speaker at the Basel tickt bunt! Festival’s Pride Walk on Saturday, June 28, 2025. This year’s motto, “Queer Rights are Human Rights,” resonates deeply with me and my work, and I can’t wait to stand with all of you in solidarity.

The Basel tickt bunt! Festival is taking a vital stand against the increasing political attacks on LGBTQIA+ people globally. It’s a powerful call to action, reminding us that now, more than ever, we must unite to defend fundamental human rights for everyone, everywhere.

As many of you know, my journey as an activist began in 2015. As a young, HIV-positive gay refugee from Pakistan, I’ve dedicated my life to advocating for sexual reproductive health and rights, HIV/AIDS prevention, and peace-building within the gay and queer communities. I’ve had the privilege of working with numerous organizations—local, national, and international—all striving for the rights of gay people living with HIV and other vulnerable communities.

Currently, I’m leading the Pride Pakistan campaign and network, focusing on the rights and empowerment of the Pakistani LGBTQI+ community. On a global scale, I serve as a member of the Communities’ Delegation to the board of the Global Fund for HIV, TB and Malaria and co-lead The Youth PACT, both working tirelessly to prevent HIV and AIDS among gay and other key populations. My efforts have been recognized with the Youth Leadership Award 2021 and the HIV HERO Award 2021 by APCOM, which further fuels my commitment.

The fight for queer rights is inextricably linked to the broader fight for human rights. When any group’s basic rights are threatened, it diminishes the freedom and dignity of us all. My speech at Basel Pride will be an opportunity to amplify this message, share my experiences, and call for continued action and allyship.

Event Details: Join Us!

Here’s the essential information for joining the Pride Walk:
- Date: Saturday, June 28, 2025
- Meeting Point: Theodorsgraben, in the park next to Wettsteinplatz, 4058 Basel
- Time:
  - Meeting: 15:30
  - Speeches: approx. 16:00 (I’ll be speaking around this time!)
  - Start of Walk: approx. 16:30
Pride Basel 2025

I am particularly pleased that the speeches will be translated into sign language, ensuring that our message reaches an even wider audience.

Join me, along with fellow speakers Conradin Cramer, Edibe Gölgeli, and Frank Lorenz, as we march through Basel, sending a clear and visible signal for human rights and diversity. Let’s make our voices heard and stand together for a world where “Queer Rights are Human Rights” is not just a motto, but a lived reality for everyone.

I look forward to seeing you there!

More on Basel Ticket Bunt Website Here: https://baselticktbunt.ch/en/program/#pridewalk

https://baselticktbunt.ch/en/program/#pridewalk

Read more on Freiburg Pink website:

https://freiburg.pink/event/pride-basel/

Read more on Gay Basel website:

https://www.gaybasel.org/events/12936/pride-walk

Read more on Gay CH website:

https://gay.ch/kultur/basel-tickt-bunt-demonstration-1

Read full programme details here:

https://baselticktbunt.ch/wp-content/uploads/Medienmitteilung_Basel_tickt_bunt_2025.pdf

Read more on Bombast Gay Magzine here:

https://www.schwulst.de/termin/loe/csd/2025-06-28-basel-pride-walk-queer-rights-are-human-rights
June 26, 2025
Living in Fear: The Struggles of LGBTQ+ Individuals in Pakistan

As an HIV-positive gay activist from Pakistan, my life has been a constant battle against societal norms and prejudices. My name is Ali Raza Khan, and I have faced numerous challenges simply for being who I am. Recently, I found myself in Islamabad, staying with my fellow colleague Nayab Ali, a transgender police officer and Victim Support Officer (VSO). I was running away from my pasts involving a forced marriage and threats of honor killing in Multan.

A Safe Haven Turned Hostile
Nayab and I had been staying together for several weeks, seeking solace and safety in each other’s company. However, our attempts to lead a normal life were often marred by hostile encounters with security and police officers. One such incident, which gained significant media attention, highlighted the dangers we face daily.

The Incident at Ramna Police Station
On the night of 23rd June before midnight Nayab Ali and myself was outside for the dinnder when we received the call by another transgender who was beaten by a restaurant employee. We both listened and helped the transgender to get help from police for which we visited the Ramna police station in Islamabad to deal with a case of that transgender to take forward. During our visit, a fellow police officer first passed derogatory remarks for us being queer on asking to stop he attempted to shoot us twice, in the presence of other officers who did nothing to intervene. We shared the video right after the incident online on twitter, expressing our fear and frustration at being trapped in the police station when advocating for queer rights. The incident potrays how easily it would be a for police officer to shoot and kill us and made up some false allegations of us being doing something wrong.

As myself someone who has faced similar threats and violence back in my town and persuded to move to Islamabad expecting a safe space, This new experience resonated deeply with my past experiences back home but in a more worse way. I was going through a lot of anxiety during this tumultuous time, witnessing firsthand the blatant disregard for our safety and rights. The incident at the police station was not an isolated event but a reflection of the systemic discrimination and violence that LGBTQ+ individuals face in Pakistan
Following the shooting attempt, a large crowd from the transgender community gathered outside the police station from the help of Nayab connections in Islamabad to protest. Despite their efforts, the officer who attempted to shot us was not arrested, and the SHO displayed aggression towards us and our supporters. This incident underscores the urgent need for systemic change and protection for LGBTQIA+ communities in Pakistan.

The Daily Struggles of LGBTQ+ Individuals
Living as an LGBTQ+ person in Pakistan means constantly navigating a landscape of fear, discrimination, and violence. From forced marriages to honor killings, the challenges we face are immense. Our encounters with law enforcement often exacerbate these issues, as we are met with hostility rather than protection.
Sharing my story and experience is crucial in highlighting the harsh realities faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Pakistan. By raising awareness and advocating for our rights, we hope to foster a more inclusive and equitable society where everyone can live without fear of persecution.

By sharing these narratives, I aim to shed light on the struggles of LGBTQ+ individuals in Pakistan and advocate for meaningful change. Our stories are a testament to our resilience and determination to fight for our rights and dignity.

June 24, 2022
Pride in the Post-Pandemic World: A Youth LGBTQI+ Open Mic Session by The Youth PACT Organisation

On June 18th, 2022, TheYouthPACT.org hosted an impactful “Youth LGBTQI+ Open Mic Session” titled “Pride in the Post-Pandemic World.” As a volunteer coordinator for the advocacy working group at TheYouthPACT.org, I, Ali Raza Khan from Pakistan, had the privilege of co-hosting this session alongside Paul Darrel Omenesis from the Philippines.

The session commenced with an introduction to PACT, a vibrant coalition of 152 youth organizations dedicated to collaboratively and strategically addressing global HIV responses and ensuring the health, well-being, and human rights of all young people since 2013. Paul also outlined general guidelines for Zoom conversations to ensure a respectful and attentive environment. Following this, members of the organizing team, including myself, Jennifer Ball, and Moli Chen, were introduced.

The core of the open mic session featured a diverse panel of speakers from prominent organizations working on LGBTQI+ issues across Asia and Africa. We heard from Ramil Andag of APCOM, Li Hao Cheng of PSA-Taiwan, Alexander Bernard of Youth for Youth Organization, Justin Chidozie from CHEVS, and Ram Dulip from YPEER Asia Pacific Network.

My involvement in this session as an openly HIV-positive gay activist from Pakistan highlights my long-standing commitment to LGBTQI+ rights, not just within my country but globally. This event served as another example of my open work advocating for gay rights.

The speakers shared invaluable insights into the challenges and advancements for the LGBTQI+ community in the post-pandemic world. Ramil Andag from APCOM discussed how COVID-19 exacerbated existing human rights challenges for LGBTQI+ communities, particularly those in the informal sector, leading to difficulties in accessing work, livelihoods, and even social protection programs. APCOM responded by advocating for LGBTQI+ inclusive COVID responses from organizations like the World Health Organization and supporting local organizations in migrating to digital advocacy spaces.

Li Hao Cheng of PSA-Taiwan shared a more fortunate perspective, noting Taiwan’s progressive stance, including the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2019. However, he acknowledged that the pandemic did freeze some advocacy efforts due to the inability to hold physical pride events and a decrease in routine health check-ups for STDs. PSA-Taiwan adapted by organizing online events and promoting home delivery HIV tests.

Justin Chidozie from CHEVS provided a stark reality of the situation in Nigeria, where discriminatory laws like the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act of 2014 lead to severe consequences for LGBTQI+ individuals, including up to 14 years imprisonment for same-sex public displays. Despite this, CHEVS is actively working to empower young LGBTQI+ people by building their collective power and redefining empowerment. A notable initiative is their “Tech for Pride” project, aiming to onboard LGBTQI+ individuals into the tech ecosystem, providing skills in web development, data analysis, and product design, enabling them to work remotely and overcome employment discrimination. CHEVS also launched a mental health program during the pandemic to address the increased instances of mental health challenges and homelessness among LGBTQI+ individuals.

Ram Dulip from YPEER Asia Pacific Network shared a unique perspective from Sri Lanka. While acknowledging the challenges posed by the country’s economic crisis, Ram highlighted how the pandemic, paradoxically, led to increased visibility and acceptance for the LGBTQI+ community through social media engagement. However, the transgender community has faced significant challenges due to the inability to access hormone treatments amidst the crisis.

Alexander Bernard of Youth for Youth Organization in the Philippines highlighted the lack of SRHR service delivery for LGBTQI+ youth during the pandemic, particularly for those cast out by their families. His organization provided essential aid and shifted to digital platforms for information dissemination and capacity building, finding it effective in reaching young people who previously couldn’t attend physical events.

The session concluded with powerful imparting messages for young LGBTQI+ individuals. Ramil Andag emphasized the importance of continuing to take space, demanding meaningful participation, and asserting basic human rights, not special rights. Ram Dulip encouraged the community to move beyond seeking sympathy and instead demonstrate their capabilities and contributions to society. Alexander Bernard’s powerful motto, “Nothing about us without us,” resonated, urging the community to claim their rightful space and be heard. Justin Chidozie stressed the importance of meaningful engagement coupled with responsibility, encouraging self-empowerment and acquiring technical expertise to engage with systems and governments effectively. Finally, Li Hao Cheng’s message to “be like water” encouraged mindfulness, treating others with love, and broadening horizons to foster a more heartwarming and loving community.

This open mic session truly showcased the resilience, innovation, and unwavering spirit of the youth LGBTQI+ community and their allies in navigating the complexities of a post-pandemic world. It was a testament to the ongoing fight for equality and inclusion, demonstrating that even in challenging times, the voices of advocacy and hope continue to rise.

Watch the complete video on TheYouthPACT.org facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/theyouthpact/videos/563724965374023

June 18, 2022