Rights Watch | 26th June 2020

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Rights Watch

PHC Approves Sex Reassignment for Woman

The Peshawar High Court on Thursday, June 25 ordered the Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) to facilitate sex reassignment surgery for a woman looking to transition to male. According to the woman’s lawyer, the petitioner suffered from gender dysphoria which is generally treated through sex reassignment, and were seeking approval from the court in order to prevent future legal complications such as reissuing identification documents and inheritance concerns.

The court ruled that under section 2 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018, the petitioner had every legal right to pursue sex reassignment, and directed the HMC to submit a report within 3 months regarding the viability of such a surgery and other medico-legal concerns.

Man Kills Sister, Mother for Honour

A Sargodha man stabbed his sister and mother to death in what police are investigating as an “honour killing”. Relatives claim the suspect used to quarrel with his sister, although the subject of these disagreements is yet to be determined. Police are now on the hunt for the absconded suspect.

Professor Sacked for Sexual Harassment

Gomal University dismisses its head of Department of Islamic Studies and Arabic, and Dead of Arts, Professor Dr. Salahuddin for sexually harassing and assaulting multiple female students. Allegations against the professor were rife even before a viral video of him harassing an undercover reporter went viral on social media in late February to early March. After a brief detention, Dr. Salahuddin tendered his resignation in February. Upon the findings of the Gomal University Syndicate, the institution has dismissed the professor from service counting from his official date of resignation.

CJP Takes Note of Threatening Video

Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed takes notice of viral clip of a Muslim cleric threatening Justice Qazi Faez Isa and other judges. In the clip, the cleric demands that embezzlers such as Justice Isa be shot in broad day light. Earlier, the justice’s wife had lodged a complaint against a death threat received by the family following the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the presidential references filed against Justice Isa.