Daily Times

LAHORE: A resolution seeking ‘justice’ for transgender community has been filed in the Punjab Assembly against the Saudi Arabia government, which has banned transgenders from performing Hajj and Umrah following the Jajja Butt case.

The resolution was submitted by the major opposition party in Punjab Assembly—the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) – backed an active female legislator, Nabila Hakim Ali, for entertaining it in the continuing session of the assembly.

In her resolution, Nabila has expressed serious reservations over the decision of Saudi government imposing a ban on transgender community from performing Hajj and Umrah.

She said the federal government should make a request to the Saudi government to withdraw the on humanitarian grounds.

She has urged Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Iqbal to take up this resolution out of turn during the session.

Separately, an organisation working for the rights of eunuchs – Khawaja Sara Civil Society (KSCS) – held a protest at the Charing Cross in front of Punjab Assembly building when the assembly session was continued.

Dozens of members of transgender community were carrying banners and placards against the decision of Saudi government and chanted slogans to end the ban.

Neeli Rana led the demonstration and demanded the government that it should make some diplomatic efforts to end the ban on eunuchs from performing Hajj and Umrah, stating “it was their religious right and no one government could restrict from performing religious rituals”.