The Secret 80% of Pakistan is Hiding

Hina Baloch grew up in Karachi, navigating the complexities of being part of Pakistan's Khwajasara (third gender) community, where society only offered her three paths: begging, sex work, or dancing. Refusing to stay in those boxes, she embraced her true self and the dangerous reality of hyper-visibility in a security state. In this powerful episode, Hina reveals the "open secret" of sexuality in Pakistan, the terrifying backlash of raising a Pride flag at the Aurat March, and surviving a brutal abduction by law enforcement while organising for marginalised rights. But escaping Karachi didn't mean finding safety. After securing a SOAS scholarship to London and eventually being forced to claim refugee status, Hina exposes the dark, depressing truth of the UK asylum system. She compares the paranoia of the UK's Home Office to Pakistani jails, highlighting the painful realisation of having no place to call home. This is a raw story of immense resilience, the cost of political organising against rising extremism, and why her ultimate advice to her younger self is to embrace her true identity before it's too late. ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 🥳 Find Us On Socials TikTok:   / queer.global   Instagram:   / queer.global   LinkedIn:   / elevate-community-productions   ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 🌍 Oral Histories by Queer Global This video is part of our Oral Histories series by the Queer Global project. Our goal is to find, save, and share the untold stories of queer, trans, and intersex people from migrant and global majority communities. Every story helps us remember our shared history and inspire new generations. ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ ⏰ Timestamps 00:00 Intro 00:52 Growing up Khwajasara in Karachi 03:30 The only three options for survival 04:56 Organising the climate march and the brutal abduction 08:09 Living under the threat of faith-based killings 11:15 Why 80% of Pakistan is hiding the truth 13:52 Raising the Pride flag and the terrifying backlash 18:00 Suing hospitals and fighting for the Trans Rights Act 20:20 How Western propaganda fueled violence in Pakistan 23:40 Organising Pakistan's first Trans Pride March 25:12 The SOAS scholarship and moving to London 27:42 A harrowing 10-hour interrogation and the final escape 31:07 "Worse than jail": The dark reality of UK asylum hotels 34:07 A paranoid state: Why the UK is failing refugees 36:00 A vital message to my younger self This project was made possible with the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players. The views and opinions expressed in this interview are those of the interviewee and represent their personal experiences and perspective. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Queer Global or its funder/partner organisations. This content forms part of an oral history project documenting the lived experiences of marginalised communities.