The court would do everything in its powers for members of the transgender community under the law, the chief justice remarked.
PHOTO: EXPRESS
LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar sought recommendations on Monday for setting up a committee for issuing free Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) to members of the transgender community within a seven-day period.
The chief justice made history as he held court proceedings on the third day of the Eid at the Supreme Court’s Lahore Registry.
Chief Justice Saqib Nisar said that taunting the transgender community would not be tolerated.
“We should be ashamed of how we treat members of the transgender community.”
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Justice Ijazul Ahsan was the other member of the bench.
The bench directed the authorities concerned for a one-window operation to provide CNICs to the transgender community, observing that the apex court would monitor the situation online.
The CJP also asked about steps taken for protecting members of the transgender community.
“Problems faced by the transgender community cannot be solved until special courts are established.”
Dr Amjad Saqib, a member of a committee formed by the court, said that members of the transgender community were even ignored by their parents.
He said parents even avoided identifying with them or giving them their family names and they were taunted in general by society at large. He pointed out that they were without the support of any state institution.
Disputing census figures, he said that their total number was shown to be just 10,000. “They are in greater number.”
Nayab, a transgender, told the court that ECP had shown their total number to be just 1,909.
Stressing the need for proper representation in legislative assemblies, he said that it was necessary so that their voice could be heard.
Justice Ahsan responded by saying that reserved seats for them depended on their population.
Punjab Chief Secretary Akbar Durrani said committees had been formed for issuing CNICs to members of the transgender community.
The CJP remarked that all members of the transgender community who had CNICs should be given the right to vote.
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The court would do everything in its powers for members of the transgender community under the law, the chief justice remarked.
The CJP also directed the committee concerned to start a public awareness campaign to highlight problems faced by members of the transgender community.
Law and Justice Commission’s help could be sought in this regard, he said.
The court sought the status of implementation on the committee’s recommendations about issuance of CNICs to transgender community within the seven-day timeframe.
Punjab University
The CJP also sought replies from the University of Punjab’s vice-chancellor and Lahore Development Authority’s director-general while taking notice of construction of wedding halls on the university campus.
Abdullah Malik Advocate had moved a complaint stating that wedding halls had been set up on the premises of the university.
Criticising the authorities concerned for ruining the institution’s dignity, he said that the university’s playground had been used for setting up wedding halls which was against the law.
Taking notice on the complaint, the CJP asked the authorities concerned: “Tell us on what grounds commercial activities are going on university land,”.
Life Saving Drugs
The CJP also took notice against unregistered life-saving drugs and sought reply from the Drug Regulatory Authority.
Secretary of the Young Doctors’ Association Salman Kazmi had submitted a complaint, stating that life-saving drugs of multinational companies were being sold in the retail market at twice their original retail cost.
He said 41 medicines were yet to be registered by the regulatory authority. Kazmi said prices of these medicines could come down if they were registered with the authority.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar also took notice of the shortage of funds for the Punjab Vocational Training Council and asked the Punjab government to submit a report.
PVTC’s head Sajid Naseer had moved a complaint, stating that funds fixed for the council were also not being released.
He complained that the council had not been getting funds for the past several years.
Only 80 students out of 200,000 were enrolled because of scarcity of funds this year, he said.
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Naseer also complained about facing difficulties in paying salaries to the staff.
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