LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah on Tuesday issued notice on a petition seeking protection of fundamental rights of tr
ansgender people including enrolment in upcoming census and national identity cards with mentioning of the gender.
The court also expressed its concern when the petitioner’s counsel pointed out that graveyards’ authorities did not provide space to bury a tr
ansgender and nobody was willing to perform the burial rites of tr
ansgender people. The court observed that the matter was of public importance, and the state should do its best to secure rights of tr
ansgender comm
unity in light of apex court judgements.
The court direc
ted the respondents to submit their replies by December 19. The chief justice sought reply from the federal government till December 7.
Waqar Ali, a tr
ansgender had f
iled the petition, submitting that being tr
ansgender they were not respected by society and even their parents declined to own them due to social pressure. He said that the tr
ansgender comm
unity had been marginalised as a recent event witnessed in Sialkot where a tr
ansgender was given maltreatment.
He submit
ted that the tr
ansgender comm
unity should be given due rights and should be allowed to mention their gender in national identity cards and they must be registered in the census as well.
He reques
ted the court to direct the federal government to legislate on welfare of tr
ansgender comm
unity keeping in consideration its international obligations under international conventions on civ
il and political rights ratified in 2010.
He also reques
ted the court to issue directives to provide protection for the tr
ansgender comm
unity in performance of religious obligations such as Hajj and Umrah.
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