LHC asks Punjab govt for data on transgender persons' recruitment

Petition filed in LHC seeks quota for trans people in all govt departments, particularly police

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has directed the Punjab chief secretary to submit the details pertaining to the recruitment of transgender persons in government departments, including the police, over the past decade.

During the hearing of a petition filed by Ashi Jan (who was named Muhammad Nawaz at birth) seeking job quota for the transgender people in the government, the high court asked the chief secretary to inform the court on whether any transgender persons were hired by the provincial government and if so, what was the number of the people hired.

Petitioner’s counsels Nadeem Sarwar and Shahbaz Akmal apprised the court that the home department was violating articles 4, 5(2), 9, 14, 22(4), 25 and 27 of the Constitution and sections 4 and 9 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018 by not hiring trans persons.

The Central Police Office, made respondent in the case, admitted that no transgender person had been recruited in the police. The counsels said that the CPO treated transgender people “inhumanely” instead of providing them protection under the aforementioned laws.

The Social Welfare Department, on the other hand, was responsible for the welfare and education of transgender persons across Punjab, the lawyers added.

Read LHC directs PPSC to admit transgender person’s job application

They contended that the state functionaries were not performing their duties in accordance with the law which was a violation of Article 4 and Article 5(2) of the Constitution. They apprised the bench that the government failed to take measures to protect the marginalised community.

“No appropriate measures are being taken to protect the transgender persons by giving them any quota in the public sectors,” the petitioners said, adding, “Functionaries at federal and provincial levels are bound to protect their life and property as well as secure their dignity.”

They submitted that every citizen must be treated equally, the dignity of human life should be maintained and liberty of life and honour must be guaranteed as per the Constitution.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Ashi said they wanted quota in each government sector, including the police department. The transgender persons needed to be recruited in the police department as currently the police weren’t even ready to listen to the community, she said, adding that recruitment of trans people in the police would be a source of relief for the beleaguered community.