Shariat court orders human rights ministry to establish transgender protection centre.

The Federal Shariat Court (FSC) on Tuesday directed the Ministry of Human Rights to take immediate measures to establish a transgender protection centre for underage and elderly eunuchs to ensure the provision of due rights to them.

A two-member bench of the court, comprising acting Chief Justice Dr Syed Muhammad Anwer and Justice Khadim Hussain Shaikh issued the directive while hearing a set of petitions challenging the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018.

In the last hearing, the FSC had directed the ministry to constitute a child protection unit for transgender children.

At the onset of the hearing today, the court resented that the government was 'not doing enough' for the protection of the rights of transgender persons and expressed dissatisfaction at a report furnished by the ministry listing measures taken for the transgender community.

The chief justice directed the human rights ministry's officials to hold a meeting with ministerial committee's convener Zamurud Khan - who is also the patron-in-chief of orphanage Pakistan Sweet Homes - for immediate drafting of a report on the building and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the proposed centre.

Secretary human rights ministry informed the court that a committee under the chairmanship of Khan had already been established.

However, Khan said that the ministry had not yet provided a building for the protection centre, which was causing a delay.

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