Lawyers' notes sought in gender change case

Lahore High Court’s Justice Jawad Hassan had sought notes from two prominent lawyers on human rights laws, injunctions of the Holy Quran, Sunnah, the Constitution, and international laws regarding a plea filed by a woman seeking permission to get changed her gender.

Advocate Ali Qazalbash will file notes on human rights laws and Salman Akram Raja on the other spheres.

In a two-page order, the judge also directed the authorities to constitute a committee consisting of medical experts in the fields of endocrinology, general surgery, plastic surgery, gynecology and psychiatry, a sexologist, and a religious scholar within two weeks for examining the petitioner.

The petitioner along with her counsel shall appear before the committee, which will conduct tests, examine her from all medical aspects, and submit its decision before the court on the next date of hearing.

The petitioner, Saba, had sought permission from the court for her surgery and hormonal treatment as a transgender.

She contended that she is 30 years old and was born as a female. She felt and had developed physical characteristics like a male. She said she always introduced herself as male in society. She stated that she was facing psychological and physical complications, including anxiety and depression.

She said she had got medical treatment, including a surgery last year, to resolve complications related to her gender. She said doctors had also recommended her hormonal treatment as a transgender. On the opinion of the doctors, she got operated for removal of ovary and uterus on August 27 last year. She sought permission for surgery and hormonal treatment to solve the problems faced by her.

She prayed the court to issue directives to a hospital and plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgeon through the secretary health for her surgery and transgender hormonal treatment.