The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly collectively passed a resolution to give voting rights to the transgender community living in the province.
It is a positive step towards mainstreaming ostracized people who have been treated heartlessly by society. Resolution says that federal government should contact Election Commission of Pakistan for giving voting rights to the transgender community. Supreme Court of Pakistan has already asked the ECP to properly collect data of transgender community in the country in order to register them as voters.
Sexual minorities in Pakistan are often victims of violence and persecution. Voting is one of the basic rights in any democracy of the world, but ironically transgender community faces much discrimination in Pakistan, one of it is depriving them from their right to vote. Voting is a key part of their participation in society and to have a say in the issues that affect them. They should be provided with computerized national identity card so they could exercise their right to vote. Still huge percentage of transgender community does not possess a CNIC. It could be a significant development to bring necessary amendments in laws to provide basic political right to the marginalized segment of society. Giving them right to vote would be one of the many steps to ensure their respectable status in the general public. This move can lead to eliminate other kinds of discriminations against transgender people. If they are provided with opportunities they can contribute positively to the economy of country.
