Pakistan

NADRA to give jobs to eunuchs

Mukhannas will be name of the new category added to the CNIC.

Express December 16, 2010

KARACHI:

The National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) has decided to provide job opportunities to eunuchs at its regional offices.

The decision was taken in a meeting headed by Chairman NADRA Ali Arshad Hakeem at the authority’s headquarters here on Wednesday.

Earlier, NADRA had decided to issue Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs) to eunuchs in accordance with the Supreme Court’s decision. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had directed authorities to include the names of transgenders in the voters’ list while issuing CNICs to them.

According to an official statement, “The authority will initially appoint seven eunuchs at the provincial level to facilitate the members of their gender specific community in the processing of the CNICs.”

The statement continued to say that the appointment of eunuchs on the vacancies will be made on merit through proper screening of the candidates, following the announcement of jobs in leading newspapers. The appointees will be designated as NADRA officials on the post of data entry operators in NADRA offices in all provinces and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The official statement further said that the authority will start the issuance of the CNICs from January 2011. Representatives of eunuchs’ rights associations, including Almas Bobby and Shazia Choudhary also participated in the discussions on the matters of registration and related issues of recognition, identification and the employment opportunities given to eunuchs. Officials of NADRA, ministry of law, ministry of social welfare, Islamic ideology council, gender specialists, and academicians mutually agreed to include the word ‘Mukhannas’ as the third category for gender in the CNIC.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16th, 2010.

COMMENTS (31)

Maheen Kardar | 13 years ago | Reply @Xainab Hussain - Why is that religious know-it-all like you interject religion into human sexuality. Transgender suffer from gender identity which is not fault of them but yet for centuries suffer the hate & persecutions from religious bigots who do not have a clue as to why nature does what it does? There are NO "intersexuals" as you claim but people born at birth with gender identity problems that you all have classified in terms of circus display; so you should congratulate NADRA is doing great ,setting example and acting as role model for other gov organizations. These are human being who suffer endless discrimination who are being offered a chance of becoming useful citizens who do not need to be lectured but celebrated!

shaan | 13 years ago | Reply Really appreciate NADRA's this step. NADRA is doing great ,setting example and acting as role model for other gov organizations . keep the good things up

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Xainab Hussain | 13 years ago | Reply well it is a good step if they are actually doing this for the intersexuals that are hell different from the eunuchs and transgender. it should be kept in mind what the religion says, that is the basis. intersexuals are castrated men and castration is prohibited in Islam. transgender is about acquiring the opposite gender which is again not allowed in Islam. um talking in reference to Islam because we are living in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

User | 13 years ago | Reply I shall say that the persons who have usurped the money of the government, for such recovery the eunuchs may be appointed as the recovery officer, but one thing, where they are deputed the SHO of that area shoulb be responsible.I think that such a recovery will be effected that it shall be example for the world.

mmok2k8 | 13 years ago | Reply Why is this such a big deal when women do not even have equal rights?

Faheem Rehman | 13 years ago | Reply I believe eunuchs is not that NADRA is referring to, it must be transgenders. Either way it is a bold step taken by NADRA in this calamity of cultural misunderstanding where sexuality and gender issues are overlooked in Paksitan.

Aamna Taseer | 13 years ago | Reply "For there are some eunuchs, who were so born from their mothers womb: and there are some eunuchs, who were made eunuchs by men: and there are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it." For there are some like @QuranVsHadith who falsely use harsh term to demean them as ..'genetic deformaties in a society.. Eunuchs employed by NADRA . They will rise often to distinction, and hold important offices in the state. Hence, the word is sometimes used with reference to such an officer of state but there will be the fake religious do-gooders who will inflict them with pain & hatred !

QuranVsHadith | 13 years ago | Reply @Amber According to science there can only be 530 of these people that are naturally occuring in our society of 170,000,000 as only 1 in 30,000 people are born this way, and that is called trangenderism. Why is it that it is ok for a man to volunteer to become a eunich (as eunich is a term used for men who have their testes surgically removed) and we should support this, while women, who are 50% of the population still do not have equal rights and are abused and even killed and not much is done about this. It just goes to show that even men who mutilate themselves are more important than women in Pakistani society. Science does not lie. These are for the most part cross dressers with makeup and padded bras, if they bother under the duppata. I seriously doubt they are even eunichs as I do not think THAT many men would actually have their parts removed. If they are, then it seems to be a phychological problem that is pervasive here, not a physical one. I really think that this is a left over superstition from Indian culture that male beggers play on, as it makes them stand out from the crowd, and a perversion that male society does not want to admit to. If they were such a big part of the population then why, other than in China or India, where they are seen as holy, is this not an issue?

Mohammed Abbasi | 13 years ago | Reply Seriously good move.

Talha Bin Masood | 13 years ago | Reply I am really glad to see this maturity.

Gunja Farishta | 13 years ago | Reply Finally some effort to accept them as members of society not merely dancers, beggars or sex workers. One of these days I hope to see an eunuch as an MP or an integral part of the governing body. Let's not forget that historically, in the Indian subcontinent, Hijras have held great positions of power in many Imperial courts.

Haris | 13 years ago | Reply @QuranVsHadith Do not be confused with Intersex and castrated people. Also you calculated wrong, it is above 5000. But infact normal estimate is that total number of Hijras(not eunuchs which is a part of it) are between 100.000 and 300,000.

Pardesi | 13 years ago | Reply Probably will help to kill corruption!

Muhammed Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Great job NADRA!

Abdul Rauf khan | 13 years ago | Reply Good steps from the NADRA we can,t ignore to them they are part of our society,country of Pakistan.This should be an example for the other department too.

Mulla Toofhan | 13 years ago | Reply A step in the Right direction. Nadra's decision is welcomed. They are after all the citizens of Pakistan and has the rights to all amenities and respect extended other citizens of Pakistan.

saeed ahmad | 13 years ago | Reply A sane decision.. will go a long way in helping this deprived class. Well domne NADRA.

ARKHAN | 13 years ago | Reply really commendable step..

N.J | 13 years ago | Reply @ Quran vs. Hadith!..wht the hell does Quran vs. Hadith mean anyway?? they go side by side i mean hadith is acording to the Quran!

Kashif Iqbal | 13 years ago | Reply Unbelievable step.. Great NADRA.

Pirkka Lahtinen | 13 years ago | Reply One good next step might be to recognise that "eunuch" and "transgender" are by no means interchangeable terms. Nadra's move is progress, but there is still an awful lot further to go.

Amber | 13 years ago | Reply I cannot help but to appreciate this step. Though, for sure, it is an insufficient step to cater the needs or providing means to live a reasonable life to the growing number of eunuchs (by choice or by nature). However, I found the picture a little offensive. I mean, we must stop presenting them for sexual exploitation. Embrace them as an integral part of society. Allow them to lead their life with respect. They don't sympathy but acceptability and support from society. This for sure will help in combating the problem of normal men opting to be eunuch by choice. Grow up people! Treat them as human being challenged by nature! Think and act beyond your fears.

QuranVsHadith | 13 years ago | Reply @Amna: I just did a bit of research right here online and according to university studies this genetic deformity occurs in only 1 in 30,000 people. Which would mean that Pakistan with a population of 170,000,000 should only have 530 TOTAL!!! The definition of a eunich is a male who willingly has his male parts removed....all of them or just the testosterone producing parts. In Chinese culture this is done as a religious thing as well as in India, they are not born with both parts...it is a choice, in addition female hormones are hightened via various natural supplements....such as a woman having difficulty conceiving would take. The introduction of the extra estrogen and lack of testoterone producing parts is what makes the chest grow. But this is all induced transgenderism. Not naturally occuring. It seems that what is happening here is crossdressing. I do not believe that Pakistan could have such a high rate of true transgenders (born that way) as I see on the streets everyday. Is there something in the water here?

Mariam Javaid | 13 years ago | Reply proud of Nadra

Amna | 13 years ago | Reply @QuranVsHadith: I agree with you, Pakistan also needs to look into the facts and figures of this group of people, so we know what we are dealing with and why. But I am thinking (optimistically so) that NADRA and the government have sufficient knowledge about them, and know if this is really a natural phenomenon

javed khan | 13 years ago | Reply Good step but also think about other educated youth who have no jobs.

Iqbal Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Well done Nadra to help eunuchs gain self-esteem and respect..As they are treated only as sex workers in our cruel society !!!!!

QuranVsHadith | 13 years ago | Reply just wondering .. what percentage of the population belongs to this group? It couldnt be a significant number of these genetic deformaties in a society.. unless there is a real issue with the gene pool.. if so has there been a study as to why there are disproportinately large number in Pakistan.

Amna | 13 years ago | Reply This is great. I really hope this works out, and NADRA sets an example for others in Pakistan

jbutt | 13 years ago | Reply Good step

Mubasher | 13 years ago | Reply An unprecedented step. A first step at last to make eunuchs a useful and integral part of Pakistani Society. The next step must be to provide them education properly in colleges and universities.

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