Senate Committee Decides Creation of Medical Board for Transgender Identity Determination

Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights held a meeting to address proposed changes to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018.

The meeting was chaired by Senator Walid Iqbal at Parliament House.

Senator Iqbal informed the committee of the common stance taken by the movers of the six bills, that Islamic law asserts gender can only be determined by physical appearance, genital characteristics, and congenital ambiguities, not internal feeling, or identity.

Consequently, the committee agreed to replace “transgender” in the 2018 Act with “Khunsa (intersex)” and defined “Khunsa” as a person with a combination of male and female genital attributes or ambiguities, classified as Khunsa male, female, or Muskhil.

Additionally, the committee decided to form a medical board of six specialists at the district level, including a male general surgeon of professor rank, female gynecologist, plastic surgeon, endocrinologist or geneticist of associate professor rank, and a urologist and psychologist with a PhD degree.

The committee stated that Khunsa individuals must register with Nadra according to the certification made by the medical board.

After thorough discussion, the committee adjourned the matter until the next meeting.