Transgender law comes under fire at CII meeting

ISLAMABAD: Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) Chairman Dr Qibla Ayaz on Wednesday said that after a detailed review of the Transgender Persons (Rights of Protection) Rules, the council had reached the conclusion that “self-perceived identity” is un-Islamic.

Addressing a press conference after taking the sense of all stakeholders during a two-day meeting, he said these rules were framed in continuation of the Transgender Act and contained several provisions and clauses which were not compatible with Sharia.

The council expressed concerns over the social and legal problems faced by intersex and transgender persons, he said, adding that protection of basic human rights of these persons must be ensured.

Dr Ayaz said the council also examined the amendment bills presented by Senator Mohsin Aziz, Senator Mushtaq Ahmed and Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri and suggested amendments to them.

Apart from the CII members and other religious scholars and leaders, representatives of the trans­gender community, doctors, legal and social experts, civil society organisations, the Nat­ional Database and Regis­tration Authority and Ministry of Human Rights also participated in the meeting to review all aspects of the issues pertaining to the intersex and transgender community.

Islamophobia resolution

Meanwhile, the CII also passed a resolution in connection with the International Day to Combat Islamophobia and hailed the UN decision to celebrate it on March 15 annually as a commendable initiative.

Mr Ayaz said the council hoped that continuous, integrated and comprehensive measures would yield positive results in this context.

It noted that certain elements in the West and some other countries were engaged in nefarious designs to create an atmosphere of fear and hatred towards Islam and Muslims, due to which there were serious threats to the global peace