Pakistan court allows young woman to undergo sex change surgery

PESHAWAR – The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday ordered the officials of a local hospital to facilitate a woman in sexual transition surgery, local media reported.

A division bench comprising Justice Qaiser Rasheed and Justice Naeem Anwar issued the ruling on a petition seeking court’s nod for sex reassignment surgery (SRS).

The procedure would be carried out at Peshawar’s Hayatabad Medical Complex.

The PHC also consulted legal advisor of the hospital regarding the matter while in detail arguments were made in light of the Constitution, transgender rights act, etc. during the hearing.

Petitioner’s counsel Saifullah Muhib Kakakhel argued woman has right to go for any surgery to change her sex, adding it is her constitutional right.

The lawyer revealed that his client has been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, a term that describes a sense of unease that a person may have because of a mismatch between their biological sex and their gender identity.

Due to mental depression, the woman wanted to undergo the surgery, he said.

He also argued that the parliament had recently passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018, and her desire to change her sex is covered under Section 2 of the Act, Dawn News reported.

After hearing the arguments, the court gave not for the surgery.