LAHORE – The Lahore High Court was informed that Punjab has only five public toilets for transgender persons and just ten for persons with disabilities.
The disclosure was made by the Secretary of Local Government during the hearing of a petition filed by the Judicial Activism Panel, which was presided over by Justice Raheel Kamran Sheikh.
Advocate Azhar Siddiq argued that the lack of public toilets across Punjab is causing severe difficulties for citizens. He further stated that separate facilities for transgender and disabled persons are also not adequately available and urged the court to seek a detailed report from the authorities.
In compliance with the court’s direction, the Local Government Secretary submitted a report on the construction and status of public toilets across the province.
According to the report, Punjab currently has 1,420 public toilets, of which 1,293 are functional while 127 are non-operational. It further stated that 672 toilets are designated for men and 568 for women. However, only five are available for transgender persons and ten for persons with disabilities.
The court directed the lawyer to present detailed arguments at the next hearing.
