ISLAMABAD: Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights and Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) are at loggerheads on the passage of ‘Transgender Person (Protection of Rights) Bill 2017’ after the latter denied having any role in its consultation prior to its approval, according to a report by a private media outlet.
Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) Chairman Dr Qibla Ayaz stated that the name of his body was misused in this context. “This bill was not sent to the CII before being approved by the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights (HR), but CII’s name was misused for its approval,” the chairman said.
Dr Qibla remarked the bill on the transgender issue was referred to CII only after formal approval by the Senate Functional Committee on HR. A meeting in this regard has been called on January 17 to review its fallout along with other bills like Child Marriage etc.
The controversial bill which was drafted by a national task force constituted by Federal Ombudsman and approved by the Senate Functional Committee on HR, last year in December after the committee was informed that input from the CII was also included in the recommendations of the bill, which was meant for the protection of the rights of transgender community.
The committee was also informed that the share to transgender persons in inheritance as suggested by CII will be according to their physical appearance resembling more to a male or female.
Meanwhile, several transgender rights activists and members of the task force have expressed reservations over the ‘Transgender Person (Protection of Rights) Bill 2017’ as they believe the bill has failed to define transgender and intersex persons properly.
Surprisingly, the bill allows the transgender community to get an identity of their choice without having a chromosomes test, which is a clear violation of the apex court order.