The Shariat Court questioned, “How does NADRA define transgender male and transgender female?”
The court ordered NADRA to provide a report detailing the definition of the term “transgender” and how it is taken into account when issuing identity cards within 15 days.
The legal counsel for NADRA claimed that the Transgender Act rendered Regulation 13 of the issuing authority ineffective.
According to the council, transgender people will receive identity cards from NADRA even before the Transgender Act 2018 was published.
Transgender people have had the letter “X” written for their gender since the Transgender Act, rather than “M” or “F,” he added.
The counsel requested more time to prepare a statement when the FSC judge inquired about how NADRA defines a transgender woman and transgender man.
Chief Justice Dr Syed Mohammad Anwar voiced his disgust and stated that although the matter had been brought before the court for many days, the major issue had not been prepared properly.
The chief justice of the FSC ordered, “Explain to the court under what procedure NADRA is determining the transgender identity.”
Mushtaq Shayari, a senator for the Jamaat-e-Islami, also showed up in court. The senator mentioned that on November 18 a movie on transgender people “Joyland” in Pakistan will be released.
He claimed that the Censor Board approved the film’s release without ever seeing it and that it is based on the love story of a transgender man and woman.
A “halt on all matters related to the Transgender Act until the matter is resolved,” according to Senator Mushtaq, was also requested.
He added that NADRA ought to clarify whether a person who requests a transgender identity card has undergone a medical examination.
The Shariat Court’s chief justice inquired, “How many people have benefited from the transgender law?”
He claimed that the Transgender Act has so far been acknowledged to have had no beneficiaries.
A transgender protection centre has been established in the Ministry of Human Rights, according to a ministry representative.
Justice Anwar stated that the ministry of human rights “should seriously look into the issue of transgenders.”
