SC seeks record of CNICs issued to eunuchs
06 January, 2012
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Thursday directed concerned authorities to provide a record of computerised national identity cards (CNICs) issued to eunuchs as well as details of their enrolment in the voters list. A two-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, asked the Social Welfare Ministry's secretary to monitor the process and directed all provincial governments to take concrete steps for the welfare of eunuchs, suggesting that they be involved in tax collection on the pattern of neighbouring India. Appearing on notice, Advocate General Balochistan informed the court that 107 eunuchs in 11 districts had been registered. He said the government has decided to provide free health services to eunuchs and a summary to this effect had already been sent to the chief minister. He said a community centre was also being established to provide entertainment opportunities to the eunuchs at a cost of Rs87 million. He said Rs30 million had already been received, and the rest of the amount was in the pipeline. He said construction of the community centre would commence shortly. The court, while expressing dissatisfaction with the report submitted by Balochistan, observed that no concrete steps had been taken towards the welfare of the neglected segment of the society. A representative of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa informed the court that inherited property had been transferred to some of the eunuchs in the province. Representatives of Sindh and Punjab also apprised the court of steps being taken for the welfare of eunuchs in their respective provinces. The Supreme Court, during a recent hearing, had directed the Election Commission to register eunuchs as voters to enable them to exercise their right to franchise in the next election. The court also directed the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) to expedite the procedure of issuing CNICs to eunuchs. The petitioner and counsel for eunuchs, Dr Aslam Khaki, all provincial law officers and President She-male Foundation Pakistan Almas Bobby, appeared before the court. As per the instructions of the Supreme Court, Nadra has already started issuing computerised NICs to eunuchs. Nadra centres across the country are serving eunuchs for registration. The court will resume hearing of the case in February. End.
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