The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday disposed of the petition filed by a citizen against Rule 2020 of the Transgender Act, 2018 when the latter said he was taking his petition back. Responding to the petitioner’s, Imran Javed, argument that no law could be enacted in the country against the constitution, Justice Shujaat Ali Khan of the LHC asked him as to how he was the affected party in the case. “The matter is already sub judice; as a matter of fact, the hearing of the case related to transgender rights is in its final stages,” he said, adding, “While your case is in its initial stages.” Speaking on the occasion, counsel for the petitioner said that his client had not challenged the whole Act.

A citizen had challenged Rule 2020 of the Transgender Act, 2018 in the Lahore High Court (LHC) yesterday (on Thursday). Making the federal government and others respondents in the petition, the citizen had said that under the rule, any man or a woman could get a new identity card issued with his or her gender changed in it. Arguing that the rule was against the nature, Islamic teachings and the country’s laws, the petitioner said that what was more ironical was that no medical examination of that man or a woman was required for his or her gender change. “Therefore, it is prayed to the court to declare the rule 2020 of the Act null and void,” read the petition.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP