Tribune Take: Transgenders to vote, but more needs to be done

Most transgenders cannot even afford to pay for travel expenses to registration centres, says Rabia Mehmood.

In today’s episode of the Tribune Take, we look at the new rights bestowed upon the transgender community. Voter registration began, and Computerised National Identity Cards (NIC) were issued by National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to members of the transgender community in Pubjab. 

Rabia Mehmood, reporter for The Express Tribune based in Lahore, says the community still needs to be educated about their rights especially when it comes to voting.

She says most transgenders cannot even afford to pay for travel expenses to registration centres, and the government could step forward to aid them in this.

Mehmood also adds that since the Supreme Court granted this community the right to vote and register as citizens, they are free to choose which gender to register under, male, female or “Khunsa-e-mushkil.”

Allowing transgenders to choose their gender from among three options may still cause confusion in cases of checking identity, Mehmood says.

Read Rabia Mehmood’s articles here.

Follow Rabia Mehmood on Twitter.

The Tribune Take daily news web show will appear on the tribune.com.pk home page.
The Take will feature in-depth interviews and analysis with editors and reporters who are covering the major stories, exploring front page events and major ledes. The news analysis covers the way The Express Tribune examines a story, how we cover it and why.