By Aziz Khatri
KARACHI: A consultative meeting with members of the transgender community was held in Karachi under the chairmanship of Sukhdev Hemnani, spokesperson for the Government of Sindh and member of the Sindh Human Rights Commission, with participation from community representatives and officials.
Those present included Nisha Rao, Chandani Shah of the Karachi Municipal Corporation, Aradhiya Khan, Zehrish Soomro of the Gender Interactive Alliance, and Dr Sarah Gill, among others.
The meeting focused on accelerating implementation of policy commitments and addressing obstacles faced on the ground.
Hemnani said Sindh remained the first province to allocate a 0.5% job quota for the transgender community and directed relevant departments to ensure its enforcement, adding that the government would closely monitor compliance.
Plans to operationalise transgender facilitation desks at district level were reviewed, aimed at improving access to public services and strengthening grievance redress mechanisms.
Progress on the transgender education policy was also assessed following cabinet approval, in line with the inclusive vision of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
Public health outreach, particularly around HIV awareness, prevention and treatment for vulnerable groups, was identified as a priority requiring further expansion.
Community representatives raised concerns over registration under the Benazir Income Support Programme. The government assured participants that procedural bottlenecks would be addressed to enable smoother access for eligible individuals.
Reaffirming its position, the Sindh government said it would focus on implementation and delivery to ensure meaningful inclusion of the transgender community across the province.
