A parliamentary panel on Friday decided to take input from concerned government departments and leaders of transgender organisations for an effective legislation to ensure protection of transgender community's rights in the country and address the problems being faced by them.
The decision was taken in a meeting of Senate's Special Committee on Marginalized Segments of the Society, chaired by Senator Nisar Mohammad Khan, in which Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid assured his ministry's all out support regarding the legislation to ensure protection of transgender community's rights.
"This is primarily a matter of human rights and human wellbeing. The Law Ministry is ready to extend all possible help to the committee for the proposed legislation as well as redresser of problems being faced by all marginalized segments of the society", Hamid said while assuring his ministry's support.
The committee, earlier expressed resentments over lack of measures on part of the government to address problems of transgender community and decided that the committee will take input from representatives of central and provincial transgender organisations in its next meeting for resolving the issues with respect to their rights and the problems faced by them in making National Identity Cards (NICs). Convener of the committee, Nisar Mohammad expressed dissatisfaction over the inaction of National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR), saying the institution which was formed under an Act of Parliament should have used its authority of suo motu to resolve problems of transgender community and other marginalized communities in the country.
The convener also asked the NCHR to give a detailed report by next meeting of the committee regarding the steps taken so far for the legislation and performance of the commission. Senator Farhatulllah Babar was of the opinion that meeting of the committee was welcoming as which is being held ahead of the International Human Rights Day to be marked on Saturday (today).
He suggested that the representatives of transgender community should be invited in next meeting of the committee which will send a positive message from the parliament as well as promote awareness in society with regard to rights of this segment of the society.
He further said that representatives from National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should also be called in the next meeting for addressing problems of trans people in making their NICs and their registration in voters' list.
Babar also appreciated the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial assembly for adopting a resolution with regard to the rights of transgender people, adding the copy of the resolution and record of debate should also be called from the provincial assembly to take further guidance in final recommendations of the panel.
Fazila Alyani, representative of NCHR told the committee that commission is yet to get permission of making appointments on approved 171 vacancies for transgender people. She further said that financial rules were also yet to be approved and the commission had to run its central office in a single room.
Dr Yahya Mohammad, provincial representative of the NCHR from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said that the social welfare department of the provincial government has approved Rs 200 million for skills development and welfare of transgender people and only 5 percent of the amount has been utilised so far because of the lack of interest by transgender people.
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