Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan of Jamaat Islami revealing that the existing Pakistani laws gave permission of getting married to a transgender couple has moved an amendment bill in the Senate on Sunday.

According to the 24News HD TV channel, the JI senator tabled a private bill under the title of “Transgender Amendment Bill in the House.

He suggested in the tabled bill that a five-member medical board should be constituted for determining the issue of sex change or registration of transgender in NADRA. 

It is suggested in the bill that the medical board should be headed by a professor doctor with two general surgeons including a male and a female as well as a psychologist and a chief medical officers.

The bill also said that registration of the transgender or the matter of sex change should not be allowed without the permission of the proposed medical board.

Introducing the amendment bill, the JI senator said that as per the existing law and old Transgender Rights Act, same-sex marriage was legalized in Pakistan that was against the Islamic laws.

He said the existing transgender act was a reason for 28,000 sex changes in the last three years and it was being misused by people to exploit genuine eunuchs.

Federal Minister for Human Rights Dr Shirin Mazari opposed the bill and said the Constitution of Pakistan allowed voluntary registration of the third sex.

She said when the medical board would be formed, bribery and exploitation would be enhanced. She rejected the argument of misuse of the existing law.

 Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl group (JUI-F) members also supported the bill and stance of the JI senator. Chairman referred the bill to the committee for human rights.

In the Monday session, Barrister Ali Zafar also introduced a bill to legislate against the registration and investigations of the rape case but the opposition opposed it, so Chairman pended it.