Former CII member objects to current transgender law

Former member of the Council of Islamic Ideology Dr Noor Ahmed Shahtaz on Friday termed the transgender bill against the Sharia and Constitution of Pakistan.

He was addressing a seminar titled ‘Transgender Act: Shariah and Legal Review’ organised by the Islamic history department of the University of Karachi.

He remarked that the reality was contrary to the impression that the law meant to protect the rights of the transgender community.

“Any complete man is given the freedom to become a woman and any complete woman to become a man at will and it is being given legal status,” he said, adding that this would publicise homosexuality and give it a legal cover.

Dr Shahtaz informed the audience that the teachings of Islam regarding transsexuals were clear that if they had clear male characteristics, they would have the rights of men and if they had clear female characteristics, they would have the rights of women and it were very few cases when it was not possible to ascertain that.

He said the Islamic law did not allow a man to impersonate a woman or to be considered a woman, and a woman to impersonate a man and be considered a man.

He added that the prevalent law was against the Constitution of Pakistan as it conflicted with Sharia.

The scholar said the Council of Islamic Ideology had rejected this law more than once.

The chairperson of the KU Islamic history department, Dr Muhammad Sohail Shafiq, said the Transgender Act was a big challenge to our society, and its seriousness was still not realised by common people.