LHC seeks report on cremation ritual for Hindus

Also orders implementation of SC order on transgender people’s health

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday once again sought a report from the Lahore commissioner and the deputy commissioner for failing to provide a place to the Hindu community to perform the cremation ritual.

As the hearing started on Thursday, Justice Ali Akbar Qureshi noted that replies by the respondents have not been filed. The court adjourned the hearing of a petition moved by advocate Ishtiaq A Chaudhry.



He pleaded that the Hindu community living in Lahore was facing difficulties as no place has been built for cremation and to perform the last rites of the dead. Justice Qureshi remarked the Constitution of Pakistan treated all citizens equally and no one would be discriminated. The court would resume hearing on September 17.

Meanwhile, the LHC sought personal appearance of additional secretary health on a petition seeking direction to reserve separate wards and rooms in OPDs for transgender people in all public hospitals of the province.



The court issued this order on the petition moved by advocate Ishtiaq Chaudhry. The petitioner argued that transgenders people were being denied medical facilities at public hospitals. He pointed out that at least one million transgender people lived in Punjab but the government had failed to protect their fundamental rights of medical care.

He said the Supreme Court had already issued an order to reserve a separate ward and room in OPD for transgender people in public hospitals, however, the same had not be complied with so far.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14^th, 2018.