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ABBOTTABAD: Authorities in Abbottabad, have placed a man who attempted to open the Pakistan’s first gay club in a mental health facility. The man had submitted an application to the local deputy commissioner, highlighting the club’s value as a resource for gay, bisexual, and even straight individuals in Abbottabad and other parts of Pakistan.
In his application, the man specified that there would be a sign at the entrance stating that no sexual conduct would be allowed on the premises, ensuring compliance with all laws, including Section 377 of Pakistan’s Penal Code, which criminalizes same-sex relationships.
The Abbottabad deputy commissioner’s office told the Daily Telegraph that they had received the application and were considering it impartially, just like any other business proposal.
However, the application was leaked on social media, sparking a strong backlash and outrage from residents and politicians in the conservative northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A leader of the right-wing Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PATY) warned of “very severe consequences” if the club were approved.
On May 9, the man who filed the application was transferred to the Sarhad Hospital for Psychiatric Diseases in Peshawar. His friends expressed deep concern for his safety and reported that they had been prevented from visiting him or obtaining further information.
