Daily Times

Senate’s Standing Committee on Human Rights Chairman Walid Iqbal on Tuesday presented a special report of the committee consolidating six different bills proposing further amendments in the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018, in the Senate.

Speaking in the House, he said the draft bill would provide full protection, relief and rehabilitation for intersex persons and cater for their rights in line with the Shariah and the Constitution.

The chairman said while the committee was reviewing all the pros and cons of the bill, the government apprised that the matter was sub judice in the Federal Shariat Court and requested to deal with it after the decision in the light of court’s directions. But the committee decided to take up the matter in consultation with all stakeholders in advance and introduced amendments in the bill.

He said although it was a unanimous bill drafted within the parameters of the Constitution yet there were still two clauses which were being opposed almost by all movers of the bill.

He claimed that the bill if passed by the Senate in the present shape and later on, it was challenged in the Federal Shariat Court, he himself would defend it in the court of law as the clauses under question were on par with the Constitution.

According to the special report, the committee in consultation with the member-in-charge of the bills drafted ‘The Khunsa (Intersex) Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2023’ and the same was passed by the committee on March 14. As per the requirement of the Senate rules, the said bill was being laid before the House in the form of a special report.