News Desk |
Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has announced to employ two transgender persons in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The decision was taken during the proceeding of the transgender rights case in the country, held on Wednesday, September 12th.
CJP took up the case after several petitions were filed in Supreme Court that called the higher judiciary to the take effective initiative towards mainstreaming the transgender communities in Pakistan.
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Nisar made multiple observations in the case. He denounced the culture of mocking transgender persons in the society. The bench reiterated that their topmost priority is to ensure the delivery of basic rights to the minority group of transgender.
The aspiring trans-gender lawmakers, however,has remarked that the journey in the politics has not been an easy one for them since they continue to face constant threats of violence.
“Our top most priority is to ensure that transgender persons get their rights.” He further observed that transgender persons our mocked in our society. He stressed that the court wants to include the transgender in the national database.
“The court wants to provide protection to transgender persons and solve their problems,” he said. Justice Nisar enquired if the National Database and Registration authority had provided national identity cards to the concerned people in the case. To this NADRA chairman responded that the process was underway.
Chief Justice also discussed the increasing dangers to the transgender community in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said, “Transgender persons are mocked and insulted in KP; they have been murdered. These incidents only bring bad name [to the country],” Justice Nisar said.
Read more: Pakistan’s transgender fashion designer launches her clothing line
The bench also took notice of the misreporting of facts regarding the killings of people belonging to a transgender community. They asked the secretary commission to address all such website running by non-governmental organizations that were misquoting the facts. According to the judges, such practice is bringing undue shame to the country.
The movement for transgender rights has taken the momentum in the country in the past few years. Consequently, the movement has brought significant strides into the realm. From politics to media industry, the trans-genders are increasingly surfacing in every sector of the society. The notable from this community belongs Marvia Malik, who became the first transgender news anchor in Pakistan. Appreciable is the fact that nearly 13 transgender contested in general elections 2018.
CJP took up the case after several petitions were filed in Supreme Court that called the higher judiciary to the take effective initiative towards mainstreaming the transgender communities in Pakistan.
Kami Sid is another renowned super-model who is a part of the transgender community and proactively pursuing her career in the fashion industry. Besides being a model, she is also a transgender rights activist.
Read more: Why Pakistan’s first-ever Transgender School won’t be enough
The aspiring trans-gender lawmakers, however, has remarked that the journey in the politics has not been an easy one for them since they continue to face constant threats of violence. Persecutions and abuse against the transgender community have not been entirely eradicated from the society despite active campaigns.
In the recent past, KPK has recorded an upsurge in the violence against the transgender community. Some serious cases of murder and lynching of the people belonging to this community have been reported. Hence, the state authority’s interest in the case would beef up the social campaign running for transgender rights.