The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has resumed the process of registration of transgenders after almost three months.
Provision of a number of rights is linked to having a valid cnic. Without cnics the trans community had no access to numerous rights as citizens of this country. Kudos to @NadraPak for prompt revision of their earlier decision. @reema_omer https://t.co/Xm1qLp90R5
— Rabiya Javeri Agha (@RabiyaJaveri) September 25, 2023
Congratulations to the entire community of transgender activists in Pakistan for your relentless struggle. A heartfelt thank you to all the institutions @nchrofficial. Finally @NadraPak has revoked its notification regarding the cessation of transgender identity. pic.twitter.com/nVWqsGudym
— Nayyab Ali (@nayyabalipk) September 25, 2023
NADRA stopped the issuance of X ID cards after the decision of the Federal Sharia Court against various provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018 in May this year.
History
The National Assembly passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Right) Act in 2018, giving all legal rights and recognition to transgender persons, penalising any form of discrimination against them.
However, in September 2022, the Federal Sharia Court took up petitions challenging the law which had Jamaat-i-Islami’s Senator Mushtaq Ahmed, TV anchor Orya Maqbool Jan, and transgender persons Almaas Boby and Bubbly Malik as party to the petition.
In May this year, the Federal Sharia Court struck down all provisions in the Amendment Bill 2022 that they said conflicted with Islam and the Constitution in May, declaring Section 2N(3), Section 2F, Sections 3 (recognition of identity of transgender person) and 7 (right to inherit) of the Transgender Act to be unconstitutional.
But lawyers, civil society and human rights activists insisted on its restoration.
In July this year, Farhatullah Babar challenged the decision of the Sharia Court in the Sharia Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court.
