Trans women campaigning ahead of Pakistan’s national elections. | Photo: Facebook/Trans Action Pakistan
The Lahore High Court in Pakistan this week ruled public hospitals in Punjab province must provide separate facilities for transgender patients.
The ruling came after a petition by human rights advocate Ishtiaq Chaudhry.
Justice Ali Akbar Qureshi said transgender persons were valuable citizens. He said the government should protect their rights.
‘A transgender [person] can be born to any family’, he said, according to local media.
He had heard testimony from the health department on providing the best care for transgender Pakistanis.
Chaudhry had said transgender persons were being denied medical facilities at the public hospitals.
But, he said, the ruling would ensure privacy for transgender patients. The advocate said told Gay Star News he ‘felt miserable’ at the fate of the transgender community.
‘My ambition is to serve mankind regardless of sex, creed, culture, or religion’ he said.
Violence against transgender in Pakistan
At least 62 transgender Pakistani’s have been killed this year. Last month, Pakistan’s trans community took to the streets to protest violence against the community. They demanded better police protection.
Recently, however, the country has been making headway in transgender rights.
In February, a wide-ranging piece of legislation granted intersex people, eunuchs and trans men and women the option to self-identify their gender on official forms.
The bill also criminalizes anyone who prevents transgender people from inheriting property, denies them education or unlawfully evicts them because of their gender identity.
Pakistan has recognized the third gender since 2009. Census data suggests there are about 10,000 trans people in Pakistan but advocacy group Trans Action Pakistan says about 500,000 trans people live in the country.
