August 4, 2021: To enhance the political mainstreaming of transgender people and persons with disabilities (PWDs), the Coalition for Inclusive Pakistan (CIP) regional mentor along with members from Sialkot, met Mr. Qamar Zaman Kaira, former Minister of Information and Mass-Media Broadcasting and currently serving as Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) President for Central Punjab. CIP members apprised Mr. Qaira regarding the disproportionate population-to-representation ratio faced by these vulnerable communities, primarily due to a lack of opportunities and ownership by political parties. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) final result of the sixth population census, there are 12,435[1] transgender people and 1,826,623[2] PWDs, in Punjab.
[1] https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files//population_census/National.pdf
[2] https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files//tables/DISABLED%20POPULATION%20BY%20NATURE%20OF%20DISABILITY.pdf
The CIP members stated that the mainstreaming process of these excluded communities is a complex and strategic task, which should be initiated with the establishment of their political wings. These political wings will open up avenues for increasing the electoral involvement of transgender people and PWDs.
Mr. Qaira appreciated CIP’s efforts and lauded the recommendations proposed during the meeting. He suggested that the community and families of these marginalized communities should be sensitized on their issues to increase their ownership as equal citizens, enabling them to enjoy their rights as citizens. He also highlighted the pressing need for political capacity enhancement of these communities. The meeting concluded with the Parliamentarian assuring CIP members of his complete support for the initiative, and added that he would discuss the matter with the party’s senior leadership.
