KARACHI: The National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) is preparing a draft for rights to transgender people, said NCHR Chairman Ali Nawaz Chauhan on Thursday.
Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, he said the commission is working to resolve issues of transgender people.
“Their families remove them and they have no livelihood opportunities, so they indulge in begging or sex. They live in inhuman conditions without any social protection. They should not be condemned like this,” he added.
“We recommend to the government to set up training centres for transgender.”
Shelter centres for transgender people are currently closed down and the provincial government has pledged to reopen such centres. “We have suggested to set up special police station for transgender where they can file complaints against any justice to them.”
He said during recent visit to Karachi the NCHR members visited prisons and attended various meetings including a meeting with affectees of Gujjar Nullah, he added.
The commission has asked the KMC and provincial government of Sindh to provide compensation to the affected families, he said.
The commission members visited Gadani ship breaking yard and met representatives of workers, owners and provincial government.
“We have emphasized for provision of labour rights, labour inspections,” he said, adding that the provincial government has assured that a Ship breaking Authority is being set up to look at the affairs of the yard.
The commission also heard the representatives of the trade unions, who informed that before the deadly accidents at the ship breaking yard there were no health and safety facilities for the workers. He pointed out that Customs Department recovers Rs 13 billion customs duty from the Gadani ship-breaking yard annually. If it is regulated, the government revenue will further increase, he added.
“As a commission we would propose that both federal and provincial governments should work together to improve working conditions of labour at Gadani ship breaking yard. Skilled workers are mostly Bengali, so they do not have identity cards. Special identity cards or work permits be issued to Bengali workers.”
The commission members visited all three jails in Karachi. In Central Jail the inmates are housed in a large number. Prisoners are much more than the capacity of jail, he said. Women jail’s condition is better because population is less than the capacity.
He pointed out that in the juvenile jail the inmates are provided education. Curriculum of jail schools is quite objectionable.
“We saw the books of Islamiat, which are printed in Jhang and other cities of Punjab, where a particular school of thought prevails. We have collected copies of the books and would discuss with the provincial government.”
He said the commission members also attended a conference as human rights. Currently, health is not included in the fundamental right, but it is included in the principles of policy section of the constitution.
“We want to include health in the life and liberty articles of constitution as it is difficult to make constitutional amendments at this time.”
“Shortage of hospitals, medicines are there in the hospitals. We saw in Thar there are no hospitals in many areas, medical staff was untrained and even quakes were providing medical treatment to the people. Health department’s control is scant.
Health conference was attended and it is first time. We will take up economics and human rights issue.”
