Transgender community decries discrimination in Sehat Insaf Card distribution

Facility available to already employed transgender people

ISLAMABAD: The representatives of the transgender community have decried discrimination in the distribution of Sehat Insaf Cards.

They also denounced mentioning X in the gender column of national identity cards which prevents them from proceeding to the pilgrimage for Hajj and Umrah.

“Sehat Insaf Cards are only being issued to transgender people who are already employed in government service on special quotas,” said transgender rights activist Nadeem Kashish at a press conference on Wednesday.

“No representative from the government has reached out to the transgender community to resolve their issues,” said Kashish, who runs an NGO by the name of Safar.

Instead of placing an X in the gender column, Kashish said, the NIC of transgender people should be made on the basis of B-form like every other citizen of the country.

Regarding the committees set up by the government for the protection of the rights of the transgender people, he said these panels had no representation from the community. Kashish said transgender people should be inducted in committees set for them.

He alleged that Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) were usurping billions of rupees in the name of transgender people and demanded their accountability. Kashish reminded that people of the transgender community had raised funds for Diamer and Bhasha dams and deserved equal respect like any other citizen.