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.
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.
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. Read more via Pakistan Today
CII starts lobbying parliamentarians to ensure implementation of recommendations
In order to get the recommendations of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) implemented, the council is all set to start lobbying parliamentarians to ensure that the implementation is completed on time, it emerged on Wednesday.
CII is a constitutional body that advised the parliament on whether or not a certain law was repugnant to Islam. However, new CII Chairman Qibla Ayaz is all set to start lobbying and engage parliamentarians to ensure the implementation of the CII recommendations.
He also announced that on January 17, the council would take up Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2017, which was referred by the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights. The bill was drafted by a national task force constituted by the federal ombudsman and approved by the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights in December last year.
Several sections were recommended in the proposed bill which included giving transgenders equal rights in property, proper job quotas and other facilities. The council would give its recommendation after holding a detailed discussion over the bill. Read more via Pakistan Today