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Friday, March 29, 2024

Senate Panel Decides To Change the Word “Transgender” to “Khunsa” in 2018 Bill

Senator Walid Iqbal presided over the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights meeting at Parliament House.

The Senate body discussed the various “Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018” changes that had been put forth. Informing the committee of the shared stance taken by the sponsors of all six bills, Senator Iqbal stated that Islamic law categorically states that gender cannot be determined by internal feeling or internal sense of being, but may only be determined by physical characteristics, genital characteristics, and congenital ambiguities.

As a result, the committee unanimously decided to change the term “Transgender” in the 2018 Act to “Khunsa (Intersex)” and defined a “Khunsa (Intersex) Person” as someone who has a combination of male and female genital features or congenital ambiguities and can be categorized as either a khunsa male, khunsa female, or khunsa muskhil.

A medical board made up of six experts at the district level, including one male general surgeon with the rank of professor, one female gynecologist, one plastic surgeon, one endocrinologist or geneticist, and one urologist, all with the rank of associate professor, and one psychologist with a Ph.D. preference, was also approved by the committee.

The revision further stipulates that, in the event of any ambiguity regarding Islamic fiqh, the medical board may seek the advice of “District Khateeb.” In addition, the committee insisted that by the certification issued by the medical board, a Khunsa (intersex) person must register with the NADRA. After thorough deliberation, the committee decided to postpone the issue until its next meeting since the PML-N, JI, and JUI (F) lawmakers who had introduced the amendment bills needed to leave to attend the joint session of both Houses of Parliament.

The committee was also informed of the horrifying rape of a female that occurred at Islamabad’s Fatima Jinnah Park F-9 and the steps taken by the police force there to ensure the safety of the people. The committee was briefed by Akbar Nasir, IG of Islamabad that the police are looking into the problem and using a variety of cutting-edge technology to catch the offender. He continued by saying that in addition to hiring a Park Manager for Public Safety and boosting the number of patrolling officers, Islamabad Police has also connected the F-9 Park cameras with the Safe City Authority.

A budget of Rs100 million has also been approved, CDA Noorul Amin Mengal, chairman of the committee, revealed to the group, to be used to ensure public safety and security. As soon as the perpetrator is apprehended, which the IG Islamabad predicted would happen soon, the chairman of the committee decided that the committee will revisit the issue. During a conversation on a pressing issue involving K-medical Electric’s care for a child hurt in a Karachi electrocution incident. K-Electric representatives announced that the company would cover all costs associated with the child’s medical care, as well as any additional financial support from the Government of Sindh for the child’s education and future employment.

They also said that K-Electric would install and upgrade modern prosthetic limbs to replace both of the child’s amputated arms. The subcommittee on the topic was convened by Senator Quratul Ain Marri, and it produced a report that was adopted by the committee. Senator Iqbal praised the work of the subcommittee’s members for their cooperation on this matter.

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