On the issue of Transgender rights, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has stated that “self-perceived identity” is un-Islamic.
Dr. Qibla Ayaz, Chairman of the CII, expressed these views on Wednesday after the council reviewed the Transgender Persons (Rights of Protection) Rules.
During a press conference, Qibla stated that these rules were framed in continuation of the Transgender Act and contained several provisions and clauses that were not Sharia-compliant.
The council also expressed concern about the problems that intersex and transgender people face. Qibla added that these people’s basic human rights must be protected.
According to Qibla, the council also considered amendment bills presented by Senators Mohsin Aziz, Mushtaq Ahmed, and Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri.
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The meeting also included representatives from the transgender community, doctors, legal and social experts, civil society organizations, the National Database and Registration Authority, and the Ministry of Human Rights.
Council passes Islamophobia resolution
Moreover, the council passed a resolution in connection with the International Day to Combat Islamophobia and hailed the UN’s decision to celebrate it on March 15 annually.
The resolution said, “It noted that certain elements in the West and some other countries were engaged in nefarious designs to create an atmosphere of fear and hatred towards Islam and Muslims, due to which there were serious threats to the global peace.”
Transgender rights in Pakistan
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018 is a law in Pakistan that was enacted by the parliament in 2018 to legally provide equality to transgender people and to safeguard their rights. The law aims to legally recognize transgender people in the country. It also allows them to legally have the same rights as cisgender people.
After releasing a paper on the International Transgender Day of Visibility, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) addressed Pakistan’s provision in March 2020. The ICJ emphasized certain aspects of the provision. According to Aljazeera, Pakistan was one of the first countries to legalize transgender people.
Transgender violence
Trans bashing in Pakistan refers to the violence and incidents committed against transgender people in the country. Transgender rights are legally protected in Pakistan, where discrimination and violence against trans people are prohibited. Since 2015, 68 transgender people have been killed in Pakistan, and 1,500 have been sexually assaulted in multiple incidents. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, transgender people were reportedly subjected to 479 acts of violence in 2018.
In September 2020, a prominent transgender activist Gul Panra was shot six times. Nayyab Ali was allegedly sexually assaulted and attacked with acid and claimed for being transgender.
In 2019, Amnesty International published a report indicated Shama, a transgender journalist, was raped by nine men in one of Pakistan’s cities, Peshawar
