The Federal Shariat Court (FSC) on Tuesday, ordered the Ministry of Human Rights to take urgent action to set up a transgender protection centre for children and the elderly to guarantee that they receive the rights that are owed to them.
The instruction was given by a two-member court panel that included acting Chief Justice Dr. Syed Muhammad Anwer and Justice Khadim Hussain Shaikh as they heard several petitions contesting the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act of 2018.
The FSC had instructed the ministry to establish a child protection unit for transgender youngsters during the most recent hearing.
The court expressed its displeasure with a report provided by the ministry stating actions taken for the transgender community at the beginning of the hearing today, complaining that the government was “not doing enough” to protect the rights of transgender people.
The convener of the ministerial committee, Zamurud Khan, who is also the head of the orphanage Pakistan Sweet Homes, has been ordered to meet with representatives of the human rights ministry to draught a report on the structure and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the proposed centre as soon as possible.
The court was informed by the secretary of the human rights ministry that a committee had already been formed with Khan as its chairperson.
Khan said that the delay was being brought on by the ministry’s failure to supply the protection centre with a building.
Once a building is made available for the purpose, “We will take care of the rest of the facilities,” he assured the court.
The court directed the ministry to expedite its actions and present a progress report and the SOPs at the subsequent hearing on January 17 after hearing the arguments.
