Eunuchs deprived of equal rights, basic facilities

Author: By Our Correspondent

LARKANA: “Eunuchs of Sindh have been deprived of their equal rights and other basic facilities in defiance of court orders”.

This was revealed by Rafi Khan, Focal Person of Social Welfare Department, Sindh, in a press conference at Larkana Press Club. He has appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo moto action against what he termed as “injustices” being meted out to their community in Sindh, despite Supreme Court’s ruling in 2009, which stated that according to the constitution, transgender people had equal rights as all citizens of Pakistan.

He said transgender people of Larkana had not been issued CNICs. They were being denied of healthcare and educational facilities and subjected to physical abuse and violence.

“While the Supreme Court in the year 2009 had ordered provision of equal basic rights and other facilities for the transgender people, including the right to undertake political activities, provision of loans through Bait-ul-Mal and BISP, issuance of CNICs, quota in jobs, but the Sindh Government has so far failed to comply with the order, resultantly 80,000 eunuchs are suffering badly in the province,” Rafi Khan said. Rashna, Neelam and Leeza of transgender community were also present at the pres conference.

Khan further said that the Sindh Government had only provided three contractual jobs to them. The people of their community had been considering themselves insecure because of the society’s indifferent attitude towards them, which was an inhuman act, he regretted.

Further, “1000 eunuchs are living in the whole Larkana division, unfortunately there is no proper provision of schools and technical education for them, which could have given them better lifestyle,” he complained. He also claimed that eunuchs had applied for CNICs at NADRA’s Larkana offices in 2012, but NADRA did not issue CNICs to them, while its Karachi office was serving well and had established separate windows for them, Rafi Khan added.

Eunuch representatives also complained about being maltreated at local government hospital during their visit for treatment. “We have been holding meetings with District and Divisional Administration of Larkana, but in vain.

Now the time has come that Sindh’s Social Welfare Department should intervene and take up their demands with the Sindh Government to help them resolve their issues immediately, they complained.