CII Chairman Dr Qibla Ayaz headed a two-day meeting to review the transgender law and said during a press conference that the council had reached the conclusion that the law is un-Islamic.

Apart from the CII members and other religious scholars and leaders, representatives of the trans­gender community, doctors, legal and social experts, civil society organisations, the Nat­ional Database and Regis­tration Authority, and the Ministry of Human Rights also participated in the meeting.

The CII chairman said that several provisions and clauses of the transgender law were not compatible with Sharia.

Dr Qibla Ayaz expressed concerns over the social and legal problems faced by transgender persons, saying their human rights must be guaranteed.

Dr Ayaz said the council also examined the amendment bills presented by Senator Mohsin Aziz, Senator Mushtaq Ahmed and Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and suggested amendments to them.

The transgender community in Pakistan faces a number of legal and social issues, including incidents of violence and discrimination against members.

Earlier, the Senate Committee on Human Rights recommended substituting the word “transgender” with “khunsa (intersex)” in the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018.

Human rights defenders and especially transgender rights activists decried the move as exclusionary.

The progressive Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2018 accords transgender citizens the right to self-identify. However, recently the bill has faced opposition from extremist elements in the country, who consider it to be “un-Islamic”.

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Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, his party colleague and ex-finance minister Miftah Ismail, and Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, who parted ways with the PPP recently, also spoke at the seminar.

One Pakistan Forum cordially invites you to the beautiful campus of Habib University for Reimagining Pakistan seminar on Sunday March 12, at 12:30 pm. pic.twitter.com/3D99LzkcvB

— Miftah Ismail (@MiftahIsmail) March 11, 2023

Shahzadi Rai was part of the Gender, Autonomy & Inclusivity panel along with other human rights activists.

The transgender activist managed to enter the event after being denied entry from two university gates.

The transgender community in Pakistan faces a number of legal and social issues, including incidents of violence and discrimination against members.

Earlier, Pakistan’s first transgender news anchor Marvia Malik survived a gun attack outside her residence in Lahore.

According to Marvia Malik, she received threatening phone calls and messages from unknown numbers. She had also said that she had left Lahore out of fear for her life but had returned for surgery.

There have also been growing instances of politicians and celebrities openly passing discriminatory remarks against the community.

Last month, the Senate Committee on Human Rights substituted the word “transgender” with “khunsa (intersex)” in the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018. The move was strongly criticised by Human rights defenders.

Renowned Pakistani designer Maria B also uses her public platform to issue transphobic remarks.

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Human rights defenders and especially transgender rights activists have decried the move as exclusionary.

Transgender rights activist Nayab Ali called the move “alarming” and said the “substituting term “Transgender” with “Khunsa (Intersex)” reinforces harmful biases and strips away self-identification. Come together to support my community.”

Alarming news: the Senate Committee on HR is undermining the rights of #Transgender individuals. Substituting term”Transgender”with”Khunsa (Intersex)” reinforces harmful biases and strips away self-identification. Come together to support my community. #TransRightsAreHumanRights” pic.twitter.com/oYlx64iGLN

— Nayyab Ali (@nayyabalipk) February 13, 2023

The human rights activist also said that “the presence of a medical board to determine an individual’s gender is a serious matter and it deprives individuals of their right to self-determine their own gender”.
A social media user condemned the move and said “the function of the senate is to protect the interests and rights of the minorities in #majoritarian rule. Here it seems to be acting against the spirit of #Senate. It was never meant to be a pedestal in a democracy”.

Higher House of Pakistan is not a watchdog for bigotry. The function of #Senate is to protect the interests and rights of the minorities in #majoritarian rule. Here it seems to be acting against the spirit of #Senate. It was never meant to be a pedestal in a democracy pic.twitter.com/9K7RrMg9XG

— Meher Zaidi (@Meherzaidi) February 13, 2023

The progressive Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2018 accords transgender citizens the right to self-identify. However, recently the bill has faced opposition from extremist elements in the country, who consider it to be “un-Islamic”.

News Desk

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