Discrimination with transgenders against Islamic values: CII chief

Islamabad: Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) Chairman Dr. Qibla Ayaz on Wednesday received a detailed briefing on proposed legislation for transgenders.

CII chairman had extensive discussion on the issue at Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat with Chairperson Task Force on Transgenders Senator Rubina Khalid, National Commissioner for Children Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi, Commissioner for Transgender Syeda Viquar-un-Nisa Hashmi, and other relevant stakeholders.

The chairman was informed that for the first time, the Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat has taken initiatives for the elimination of child labour through a pilot project and subsequently drafted legislation for elimination of child labour and sent to the Parliament for approval. Apart from that, the office is also taking part in the legislative reforms for the protection and welfare of transgenders and appointed Commissioner for Transgenders for early redressal of their issues as well as facilitating transgender community in interacting with the Parliament and government institutions in pleading their case for their human rights.

Chairman Dr. Qibla Ayaz said Article 35 of Constitution of Pakistan clearly ensures rights of every member of the family including transgender. “Transgenders are part of society and have equal rights like all but there is a dire need of behaviour change in attitudes of society”, he said adding that discriminatory behaviour with transgenders would be unethical and against the values of Islam.

He added that they want to raise the issues of this community in mosques so that people at grassroots level start giving them due respect and consider them a valuable member of the society.

Addressing the meeting Senator Rubina Khalid, who is heading a committee to resolve issues of transgenders and compile recommendation to address their grievances, recommended that medical test should not be declared mandatory for the identity of transgender. She opined that medical test would be a discrimination and exploitation for transgender community. She added that for inheritance issues, most of the transgenders declare themselves as female so if they are surrendering their share, it should not be a matter of concern.