KARACHI: The Sindh high Court (SHC) on Thursday adjourned the hearing of a petition seeking the court’s directives to authorities concerned for giving transgender people political rights.
A division bench headed by Justice Munib Akhtar was hearing a petition filed by Sapna Rajput, the Sindh Transgender Network President, pleading for the right of taking part in the politics and cast their votes.
The bench directed the petitioner’s counsel to place before it more concerned documents so it could pass an appropriate order.
Earlier, Sapna submitted in the petition that transgender were not being treated as equal citizens of Pakistan.
Naming the federal and provincial election authorities and others as respondents, the petitioner requested the SHC to direct the authorities concerned to ensure that transgender enjoy the same rights which are guaranteed to men and women in the constitution, including the right to contest elections of the national and provincial assemblies as well as local bodies.
The court was also requested to direct the Election Commission of Pakistan to set up separate polling booths at the polling stations for the members of the transgender community in the upcoming election so that they could easily cast their votes.