This article is reposted with credit to APCOM. We encourage readers to visit their website for the original publication.

Rising Hate and Violence Across Asia-Pacific

APCOM’s recent report highlights how LGBTQI communities across Asia-Pacific are facing increased hate, violence, and shrinking civic spaces. In Pakistan, gay men remain among the most marginalized. They are often invisible in public discourse, excluded from policy protections, and targeted by both state and family violence.

While community safe spaces provide vital support through HIV/AIDS awareness, psychosocial assistance, and mental health guidance, gay men in particular struggle to access these resources due to fear of exposure, harassment, and stigma.

Gay Men in Pakistan: The Most Marginalised

Gay couples in Pakistan endure:

• Discrimination in workplaces, schools, and healthcare.
• Stigma that isolates them from family and community.
• Threats of violence and even death from the state or relatives.

Unlike transgender communities who have gained some legal recognition, gay men remain largely erased from public policy and advocacy. Their relationships are criminalized, their identities silenced, and their safety constantly under threat.

Similar Patterns in Indonesia

In Indonesia, gay men face growing hostility fueled by conservative religious and political movements. Reports show:

• Criminalization of same-sex relations under local bylaws.
• Police raids and harassment targeting gay gatherings.
• Public stigma and violence, often justified under “morality” campaigns.

These patterns mirror the shrinking space for gay rights seen in Pakistan, where safe spaces are under constant threat.

Similar Patterns in Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, the situation is even more dire:

• Under Taliban rule, same-sex relationships are punishable by death.
• Gay men live in extreme fear, often forced into hiding or fleeing the country.
• Families themselves may perpetrate violence, seeing gay identity as dishonor.

This reflects the harshest form of state and societal violence, echoing APCOM’s warning that LGBTQI equality and justice remain on “shaky grounds” across the region.

Why This Matters for Pakistan

For Pakistan’s gay community, these regional parallels are a reminder that:

• Discrimination and stigma are not isolated but part of a wider regional trend.
• Solidarity across borders is essential to resist oppression.
• Safe spaces and advocacy must be protected and expanded, even under threat.

At PridePakistan.org, we stand with APCOM and gay communities across Asia-Pacific in demanding equality, freedom, and justice. Hate and violence cannot silence love, dignity, and resilience.

Sources:

• APCOM – On Shaky Grounds: Struggles of LGBTQI Equality, Freedom and Justice in Asia – Pakistan
• Reports on Indonesia’s LGBTQI crackdown (Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International)
• Documentation of Taliban persecution of LGBTQI Afghans (Human Rights Watch, OutRight International)