LUMS 100

Q. Where and to what extent should the state intervene to

provide safeguards against discrimination?

Nowadays, the word discrimination can often be heard in our society. When you think of
discrimination, words like unjust, unequal, and unfair usually pop up in your head. Discrimination is
generally defined as the unequal treatment of similar individuals due to different races, castes,
ethnicity, gender, sexual preferences, and many other factors.

Currently, in life, every person faces discrimination. Gender discrimination is relatively high in
workplaces where men are preferred more and are allotted higher positions than women. Religious
discrimination is one of the significant problems our society faces. Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs are
not treated with respect in our community, usually have low living standards, and find getting good
education and jobs challenging. The most severe kind of discrimination Pakistan faces today is
transgender discrimination. They are shunned from society, don’t have homes and families, are
marginalized, and can’t even get a proper education. They don’t get the opportunity to find jobs and
are forced to earn through the wrong means, like sex work.

In my O-levels, I invited a transgender person to my school to conduct a seminar for my GP project.

She shared her sad life story with us, telling us how society has been treating her since birth. Her
family disowned her for her sexual identity; she had to live on the streets before the transgender
community took her with them. Hearing her story, everyone in the auditorium had tears in their
eyes, which made us realize how unjust and unfair our society is.

Four years ago, on 8th May 2018, The Transgender Persons Act was passed. This act claimed to
provide transgender people with equal rights, reduce the discrimination they have faced, and give
them better lives. However, writing a law doesn’t always translate into reality, doesn’t ensure
equality, and does not provide security. In a short period, in March 2022, four transgender people
were killed in northwestern Pakistan, and no one was there to give them justice.

The Act passed to reduce discrimination against transgender people has been facing backlash after
four years. As the Act gave them the right to choose their gender, people have started opposing the
law and stating it as unislamic. Now the question is, what is the state doing, and how will they go
about it?

After passing a law, the state must follow up and ensure its implementation. As the saying goes,
“charity begins at home” the state needs to increase transgender representation in the government
so that society learns from them and starts treating them differently.

However, due to the state’s intervention, people’s freedom of speech is questioned. As Pakistan is a
democracy, people have free will to do what they want. You cannot force them to be friends with a
transgender person, but you can educate them about their identity and make them more aware.
This might help change their perspective. People must have freedom of speech, but if their words
are causing psychological distress to the other person, they should be held responsible.
Pakistan is facing much discrimination; whether it’s gender, religion, or transgender discrimination,
serious measures must be taken. Every citizen has the equal right to live a life free of prejudice and
racism and have equal access to resources. We cannot intervene in their free will until and unless it
is not affecting someone else. The state should take measures and try to reduce as much
discrimination as possible and should try to make Pakistan a country where every citizen lives a life
free of discrimination.
Bibliography
1. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/02/world/asia/pakistan-trans-rights.html
2. https://www.hrw.org/report/2019/09/03/dont-punish-me-who-i-am/systemic-
discrimination-against-transgender-women-lebanon
3. https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-s-progressive-transgender-law-faces-opposition-4-
years-later-/6768168.html
4. Presentation Slides