The Supreme Court on Sunday took suo motu notice of non-issuance of computerised national identity cards (CNICs) to transgender community.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar has also fixed the matter for hearing on Monday (tomorrow) at the Supreme Court’s Lahore Registry and summoned officials from government departments concerned, including the Chief Secretary Punjab.
Members of the transgender community met the top judge while he was visiting the Foundation House in Lahore on the occasion of Eid, and told him of the issues they were facing in the acquirement of their identity cards.
Earlier, Justice Nisar took notice of transgenders being pressurised by the police to leave Mardan.
Vision Pakistan, a non-governmental organisation, had submitted an application to the Supreme Court on behalf of people who are transgenders in Mardan, alleging that local police were raiding houses of transgenders and harassing them to leave the district.
The CJP directed the district and sessions judge in Mardan to take up the matter and to apprise the Supreme Court about the situation.
Transgenders Alisha and Sidra appeared before district judge along with representative of the NGO and presented their arguments. Mardan SP Operations was also summoned.
