LAHORE (ENNS) The issue of transgender persons not being given computerised national identity cards (CNIC) will be taken up at the Supreme Court Lahore Registry here on Monday as Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar took suo moto notice of the matter.
A press release issued by the Supreme Court stated that the chief justice took notice after his visit to Fountain House in Lahore on Eid day, where transgender persons complained to him regarding non-issuance of CNICs.
Fountain House is a shelter facility that has recently been opened in Lahore’s Rachna Town for transgender persons. The facility houses transgender people aged 50 or above, as well as those seeking treatment for diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis.
Although the law in Pakistan promises all the basic rights to transgender persons in the country, they continue to face difficulties is getting access to such services.
Moreover, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) started providing transgendered community members with three gender categories on the registration forms for CNICs.
In 2009, when the Supreme Court ordered the issuance of special national identity cards to transgender persons, the process began briefly but then it was shut down and restarted in 2012.
During the three-year gap, between 2009 and 2012, no new CNICs were printed, and many of the transgender persons still have cards that identify them as male.
It was said that the census results showed over 10,000 transgender persons were living in Pakistan. But their own estimates suggested their population should be roughly around 300,000 to 500,000.
Shahid Hussain Kamboh, the public relation officer of supreme court has issued the notification of suo moto by CJP.
NADRA officials have issues with the family tree of transgender; therefore they are reluctant in issuing CNICs to them.
