Community’s welfare: Transwoman goes to court demanding rights

Petitioner says community should be allowed to mention their gender in CNICs

LAHORE: A transgender woman has approached the Lahore High Court for enforcement of his community’s fundamental rights, including enrolment in upcoming census and provision of national identity cards mentioning their gender.

Waqar Ali filed the writ petition through Advocate Sheraz Zaka, submitting that the transgender community had been marginalised in the province as evident by the recent event in Sialkot, where a transgender person was brutally tortured on camera.

The petitioner stated that being a transgender person, they were not respected by society and even their parents did not want to own them due to social pressures and stigmas. The transgender community should be allowed to mention their gender in national identity cards and they must be registered in census.

The petitioner asked the court to direct the federal government to legislate on welfare of transgender community keeping in consideration its international obligations. He further sought protection for the transgender community in performance of religious obligations like Hajj and Umrah. He said the transgender community had been socially isolated and forced to live in isolation. But as a human being, they equally deserve respect, honour and opportunities to excel in life.

He further stated the fundamental rights of transgender community were at stake. The petitioner sought indulgence of the court under Article 199 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

The petitioner contended the Supreme Court through judgment had directed the authorities to provide Computerized National Identity Cards to the transgender citizens. Though the decision was implemented, the gender was not mentioned on the cards as desired by this community.

He requested the court to direct the respondents to include a column in the census forms for the registration of transgenders so the government could allocate resources according to their numbers.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2016.