Transgender Rights: Pakistan Parliament Passes Landmark Bill

Pakistan’s parliament on Tuesday passed a historic bill protecting the transgender citizens in the country. The bill outlaws harassment by employers and business owners and guarantees basic rights.

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act which was passed by a majority in the assembly bans discrimination in work, schools, transportation and other public places. The bill also allows the citizens to choose their gender as male, female or a blend of both and have their identity registered on all official documents such as education certificates, driver’s license or passports.

The new bill assures medical facilities and psychological counselling for the transgender citizens as well as safe housing facilities. It also guarantees the right to inheritance and run for assembly and public offices. The bill obligates the government to establish separate prisons, jails and places of confinement.

"I thought that this would never be achieved in my lifetime, but I am fortunate to have seen my own parliament pass this bill," veteran transgender activist Bindiya Rana told Al Jazeera. "In fighting for this bill, we were not fighting for those transgender people who have already lived 40 or 50 years, we have been fighting for the next generation of transgender Pakistanis,” she added.

The law comes at a time when transgender citizens in Pakistan are coming to the forefront. Marvia Malik became the country’s first transgender news anchor when she debuted in March this year on a private television channel. She was disowned by her family at the age of 16 and went on to defy the stigma associated with the community.

The group was counted in the national census for the first time last year which put the number at 10,418. However, this number is widely disputed by Trans Action Pakistan as it believes there are at least 500,000 transgender citizens in the nation.

Transgender citizens face severe discrimination commonly in the country. They have been shunned by the society and continue to face violence and discrimination. They are forced into sex work and begging for their survival. Several attacks on the community have been reported in the past few years. Four transgender have been killed in the country so far this year and that toll adds up to 57 since 2015.

Though this is a huge step for transgender rights in the country, activists say there are concerns regarding the implementation of the law. "You have to look at Pakistan as a country. Even though there are rules, even basic rules in Pakistan are not implemented correctly because of corruption," Munir Saadat, a Pakistani-Danish activist, told NPR.

The policy to implement the bill is yet to be drafted and the act does not indicate the penalties for discrimination, with exception to forcing a transgender person to beg. The bill does not address the rights of gays and lesbians.

The bill will now be passed on to President Mamnoon Hussain for his signature. However, it is unclear when the legislation would take effect if it is signed into law.