The Associated Press Published: May 28, 2007
LAHORE, Pakistan: A court Monday jailed Pakistan's first publicly acknowledged same-sex couple for three years for perjury - prompting the defendants to ask the president for help.
The case of Shumail Raj, 31, who was born female but had two operations to remove her breasts and uterus 16 years ago, and Shahzina Tariq has made waves by raising issues of homosexuality and transsexuality that are taboo in this conservative Muslim society. The couple, who married last year, had approached the Lahore High Court for protection against harassment by Tariq's relatives. But the judge accused them of lying about Raj's gender.
Court-appointed doctors examined Raj and decided she was a woman - something the couple acknowledged later in court. Raj has expressed a desire to go abroad for surgery to become male. The presiding judge, Kahawaja Mohammed Sharif, announcing their conviction for perjury, said he was issuing a "lenient" sentence, below the seven-year maximum, because they had apologized.
The judge also fined them 10,000 rupees, or $165, and dropped a charge of committing an act of unnatural lust.
But Raj and Tariq, 26, appeared shocked by the verdict. Raj said outside the court that they would appeal through the courts and asked President Pervez Musharraf to step in. "We appeal to President Musharraf to intervene," Raj said. "Musharraf is talking about moderation and enlightenment. We hope he will do something for us." Asked about the prospect of three years in different jails, Raj said: "No matter, no matter. We love each other." Wearing a dark veil, Tariq said nothing as the two got into a waiting police van and drove away. The court will resume hearings June 22 on whether to annul the couple's marriage.
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