KARACHI: Nearly four years after the Sindh government announced a job quota for transgender persons, the policy remains unimplemented due to a legal requirement for a physical medical examination to verify gender identity. The transgender community has condemned this condition as discriminatory and degrading, while the provincial government insists that legal requirements must be met to enforce the quota.
Legal Framework and Obstacles
The Sindh Assembly passed the Sindh Civil Servants Amendment Bill in July 2022, reserving a 0.5% quota for transgender individuals in government jobs up to Grade 15. However, the law also mandates a medical examination by a standing medical board for gender certification. This certificate must be submitted when applying for jobs, a condition that activists argue is unnecessary and humiliating.
Transgender Activists Speak Out
Zehrish Khanzadi, a Karachi-based trans activist and Operations Manager of Gender Interactive Alliance, stated: "Are male or female applicants asked to prove their gender through such certification for government jobs? If not, why is this condition imposed on transgender persons? For a long time, transgender people were not even issued identity cards. Although that issue has been resolved and legal recognition has been granted, challenges within government institutions persist."
Activists also criticize the quota percentage, calling 0.5% too low. Khanzadi noted that with 100 vacancies, 0.5% equals less than one post, making it ineffective. She urged: "Punjab has a 2% quota, and Sindh should also increase its allocation."
Government's Position
Sukhdev Hemnani, a member of the Sindh Human Rights Commission and provincial government spokesperson, explained that the medical examination requirement ensures transparency and confirms genuine applicants. "The Sindh government has already begun implementing the law, and recently the Excise and Taxation Department included the transgender quota in its job advertisement for the first time. However, only those applicants who hold a medical certificate from the relevant board will be eligible," he said.
Regarding the quota percentage, Hemnani stated that it is based on population size and cannot be increased at this stage. He added that the quota could be applied to total vacancies across departments, and the government could consider increasing overall job openings.
Support from Human Rights Bodies
Qazi Khizar, Vice Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), supported the transgender community's stance, urging the Sindh government to remove the discriminatory medical examination requirement. He also advocated for at least a 1% job quota, similar to representation in local government bodies.
Discrepancies in Population Data
There are conflicting figures regarding the transgender population in Sindh. The 2023 digital census records 4,222 transgender persons in the province, while a 2017 survey by the National AIDS Control Program estimated 9,123 in Karachi alone. However, Zehrish Khanzadi estimates the unofficial transgender population in Sindh at around 55,000, with over 18,000 in Karachi.
